Which one is correct?
"grouped by" or "grouped in"?

Question

Which one is correct?
"grouped by" or "grouped in"?

TextRanch: The best way to perfect your writing.

Discover why 1,062,726 users count on TextRanch to get their English corrected!

One of our experts will correct your English.

100% Human-Powered Editing!

Use 'grouped by' when you want to specify the criteria or basis for grouping items together.

Examples:

The books were grouped by genre.
The data was grouped by age range.
The students were grouped by skill level.

Alternatives:

categorized by
sorted by
organized by
classified by
arranged by

Use 'grouped in' when you want to describe how items are physically or spatially arranged within a group.

Examples:

The toys were grouped in bins.
The students were grouped in teams.
The ingredients were grouped in separate containers.

Alternatives:

placed in
arranged in
organized in
sorted in
categorized in

Both 'grouped by' and 'grouped in' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Grouped by' is used to indicate the criteria or basis for grouping items, while 'grouped in' is used to describe the physical or spatial arrangement of items within a group.

Last Updated: March 26, 2024