Beside vs. Besides: What’s the Difference?

The words beside and besides are easy to mix up — they look almost identical but mean different things.

Their difference lies in function: one shows location, the other adds information or contrast.

Here’s the quick rule:

• Beside → means “next to” or “at the side of.” 🪑
• Besides → means “in addition to” or “apart from.” ➕

1. Beside: Physical Position or Location

Meaning

“Beside” is a preposition meaning next to, alongside, or by the side of.
It describes where something or someone is in relation to something else.

Examples (10 total)

1. She sat beside her best friend.
2. There’s a lamp beside the bed.
3. The dog sleeps beside the couch.
4. He stood beside his father during the ceremony.
5. A small café is beside the river.
6. The school is beside the park.
7. He placed his bag beside the chair.
8. I was sitting beside the window.
9. The cat curled up beside me.
10. The car stopped beside the road.

🧠 Tip:
If it describes physical position, use beside — never besides.

“The chair is beside the table.” ✅
“The chair is besides the table.” ❌

2. Besides: Addition or Exception

Meaning

“Besides” can act as both a preposition and an adverb.
It means either “in addition to” or “apart from.”

A. Besides = In addition to

Used to add extra information — like also or as well as.

Examples (5 total)

1. Besides English, she speaks French and Japanese.
2. Besides studying, he works part-time.
3. Besides pizza, we ordered pasta and salad.
4. Besides being talented, he’s humble.
5. Besides helping me, she did all the work herself.

B. Besides = Apart from / Except for

Used to show exclusion or contrast.

Examples (5 total)

1. Nobody came besides John.
2. Besides her, no one knew the answer.
3. There’s nothing else to do besides wait.
4. Besides that problem, everything went well.
5. Besides being tired, I’m okay.

🧠 Tip:
If it means “except for” or “in addition to,” use besides.

“Besides English, I’m learning Korean.” ✅
“Beside English, I’m learning Korean.” ❌

3. Quick Comparison Table

4. How to Remember

👉 Beside = by the side of
👉 Besides = in addition to

💡 Memory Trick:

“Beside” has ‘side’ in it → use it for position.
“Besides” has ‘s’ for something extra.

5. Common Mistakes

❌ She sat besides me.
✅ She sat beside me.

❌ I like apples beside oranges.
✅ I like apples besides oranges. (meaning “in addition to”)

❌ There’s a park besides the lake.
✅ There’s a park beside the lake.

6. Why It’s Confusing

In Old English, both words came from the same root — bi sidan, meaning “by the side of.”
Over time, beside kept its physical meaning, while besides developed a new one about addition or contrast.

Modern grammar tools like Humanizey can automatically choose between beside and besides depending on sentence structure and meaning, ensuring your writing sounds fluent and natural.

FAQs

1. Can I use “besides” instead of “beside”?

No — not when referring to location.
Use beside for physical placement, besides for extra information.

2. Is “besides” formal?

It’s neutral — fine in both casual and formal writing.

3. Can “besides” start a sentence?

Yes, when it adds an idea.

“Besides, it’s too late to change plans.”

4. What’s the opposite of “beside”?

Far from or away from.

Practice: Choose the Correct Word (“Beside” or “Besides”)

(Answers are listed at the end.)

1. She sat ___ her friend during lunch.
2. ___ English, he also speaks Spanish.
3. There’s a lamp ___ the sofa.
4. Nobody came ___ you.
5. The store is right ___ the bank.
6. ___ working full-time, she studies at night.
7. The cat sleeps ___ my pillow every night.
8. I have nothing else to do ___ wait.
9. The park is located ___ the river.
10. ___ being tired, I feel great.

Answers

1. beside
2. besides
3. beside
4. besides
5. beside
6. besides
7. beside
8. besides
9. beside
10. besides