Beside vs Besides: Understanding the Difference

"Beside" and "besides" look very similar—they differ by just one letter—but they have distinctly different meanings and uses. This guide will help you understand when to use each word correctly.

Quick Answer

• Beside = next to; at the side of (preposition)
• Besides = in addition to; moreover (preposition/adverb)

Beside: Definition and Usage

Beside is a preposition that means next to or at the side of something. It indicates physical or metaphorical proximity.

Main Meaning: Next To

Definition: At the side of; next to

Examples:

• She sat beside me during the movie.
• The lamp is beside the bed.
• He parked beside the building.
• Come sit beside me.

Additional Meaning: Compared With

Definition: In comparison with

Examples:

• Your problems seem small beside hers.
• Beside his achievements, mine look trivial.

Common Phrases with "Beside":

1. Beside the point - irrelevant; not related to the matter

   • That's beside the point; we're discussing the budget.

2. Beside oneself - overwhelmed with emotion (usually negative)

   • She was beside herself with grief.
   • He was beside himself with anger.

Examples of "Beside":

• The dog sat beside its owner.
• The restaurant is beside the bank.
• Stand beside the door, please.
• My skills are nothing beside yours.
• His worries pale beside what she's going through.
• The keys are beside the wallet.

Besides: Definition and Usage

Besides can be used as both a preposition and an adverb, meaning in addition to or moreover.

Besides as a Preposition: In Addition To

Definition: Apart from; except for; in addition to

Examples:

• Besides English, she speaks three other languages.
• Who's coming to the party besides us?
• Besides work, what do you enjoy doing?
• There's nothing to eat besides bread.

Besides as an Adverb: Moreover/Furthermore

Definition: Moreover; furthermore; anyway

Examples:

• I don't want to go; besides, I'm too tired.
• It's too expensive. Besides, we don't need it.
• He's not qualified. Besides, he lacks experience.
• I'm not hungry. Besides, I already ate.

Examples of "Besides":

• Besides pizza, we ordered salad.
• Nobody knows besides me.
• I don't like horror movies; besides, they give me nightmares.
• Besides being talented, she's also kind.
• There's no one here besides the janitor.
• It's raining; besides, it's getting dark.

Key Differences

Beside	Besides
Next to; at the side of	In addition to; moreover
Physical position	Additional information
No "s" at the end	Has "s" at the end
"I sat beside him"	"Besides John, who else?"
Location/position	Addition/extra

Memory Tricks

1. The "S" for "Something More" Trick

• BesideS has an S = Something extra, Something more
• Beside = no extra S, just "next to"

2. Substitution Test

• If you can replace with "next to" → use beside
• If you can replace with "in addition to" or "moreover" → use besides

3. Physical vs. Abstract

• Beside = physical location (next to)
• Besides = abstract addition (plus, also)

4. Remember the Phrase

• "Sit beside me" (no S = simple location)
• "Besides that" (S = something extra)

Common Mistakes and Corrections

✗ Incorrect:

1. She sat besides me. (Wrong!)
2. Beside that, I'm too busy. (Wrong!)
3. The lamp is besides the bed. (Wrong!)
4. Beside English, he speaks French. (Wrong!)
5. I have no friends beside you. (Should use "besides")

✓ Correct:

1. She sat beside me.
2. Besides that, I'm too busy.
3. The lamp is beside the bed.
4. Besides English, he speaks French.
5. I have no friends besides you.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Beside Examples (Next To):

• Location: The chair is beside the table.
• Seating: Sit beside your friend.
• Comparison: Her talent pales beside his genius.
• Idiom: That's beside the point.
• Emotion: He was beside himself with joy.

Besides Examples (In Addition/Moreover):

• Addition: Besides coffee, what would you like?
• Exception: No one knows besides us.
• Moreover: I'm tired; besides, it's late.
• Extra info: Besides being smart, she's kind.
• Alternative: What else can we do besides wait?

Using Both Words Together

You can use both words in the same sentence:

• Besides John sitting beside me, there's no one else here.

  • (In addition to John who sat next to me...)

• Besides the chair beside the door, we need more furniture.

  • (In addition to the chair that's next to the door...)

• Who was sitting beside you besides Sarah?

  • (Who was next to you in addition to Sarah?)

Common Phrases and Idioms

With "Beside":

1. Beside the point - irrelevant

   • "Your excuse is beside the point."

2. Beside oneself - extremely emotional

   • "She was beside herself with worry."
   • "He was beside himself with rage."

3. Stand beside someone - support someone

   • "I'll always stand beside you."

With "Besides":

1. Besides that - in addition to that

   • "It's expensive; besides that, it's ugly."

2. Besides which - moreover

   • "I'm busy; besides which, I'm not interested."

3. What else besides - what additional things

   • "What else besides money do you need?"

Practice with Context

Formal Writing:

• Beside: The laboratory is located beside the main building.
• Besides: Besides the primary findings, we observed several anomalies.

Casual Conversation:

• Beside: Come sit beside me!
• Besides: I don't want to go; besides, I have homework.

Business Context:

• Beside: Place the report beside the computer.
• Besides: Besides the budget concerns, we have scheduling issues.

Academic Writing:

• Beside: The results appear minimal beside previous studies.
• Besides: Besides lacking evidence, the theory contradicts established facts.

Practice Exercises

Choose the correct word for each sentence:

1. She stood _____ her mother at the wedding.
2. _____ math, what's your favorite subject?
3. The cat sleeps _____ the fireplace.
4. I don't like it; _____, it's too expensive.
5. Your argument is _____ the point.
6. Who else is coming _____ Tom?
7. He was _____ himself with excitement.
8. _____ being late, you forgot the documents.
9. The park is located _____ the library.
10. I'm tired; _____, I have a headache.

Answers:

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

Advanced Usage Notes

"Beside" Cannot Mean "In Addition To"

✗ Incorrect:

• Beside pizza, we ordered salad. (Wrong!)

✓ Correct:

• Besides pizza, we ordered salad.
• We ordered pizza, and salad beside it. (if you mean "next to it")

"Besides" Can Start a Sentence

Correct Usage:

• Besides, I don't care what they think.
• Besides being expensive, it's poorly made.
• Besides John, who else can help?

"Beside" Rarely Starts a Sentence

Usually only in the idiom "Beside the point":

• Beside the point is whether we want to, we can't afford it.

Regional and Style Variations

American vs. British English:

Both "beside" and "besides" are used the same way in American and British English. The meanings don't vary by region.

Formal vs. Informal:

• Formal: "Besides the financial implications, we must consider..."
• Informal: "I don't want to; besides, it's boring."

Both "beside" and "besides" are appropriate in formal and informal contexts.

Summary Checklist

Use BESIDE when:

• ✓ Talking about physical location (next to)
• ✓ Saying "beside the point"
• ✓ Saying "beside oneself"
• ✓ Making comparisons (pales beside)
• ✓ Can replace with "next to"

Use BESIDES when:

• ✓ Meaning "in addition to"
• ✓ Meaning "moreover" or "furthermore"
• ✓ Adding extra information
• ✓ Listing additional items or people
• ✓ Can replace with "in addition to" or "also"

Quick Reference Guide

Beside = Next To:

• No "S" = Simple location
• Physical position
• "Come sit beside me"

Besides = In Addition:

• Has "S" = Something extra
• Additional information
• "Besides that, I'm busy"

Conclusion

The difference between "beside" and "besides" is simple once you remember the key distinction: beside means next to (location), while besides means in addition to (extra). The extra "S" in "besides" reminds you it means "something extra" or "something more."

Remember: If you can replace the word with "next to," use beside. If you can replace it with "in addition to" or "moreover," use besides. With these memory tricks and practice, you'll never confuse these two words again!