Quick answer: Beside (preposition) means physically next to something: "She sat beside me." Besides (preposition / adverb) means in addition to or furthermore: "Besides English, I speak French." The key test: if you can replace the word with next to, use beside; if you can replace it with in addition to or moreover, use besides. For a fuller definition, see the Cambridge Dictionary entry for ‘besides’.
Comparison Table
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| beside | preposition | next to; at the side of | He stood beside the window. |
| besides | preposition / adverb | in addition to; also; furthermore | Besides French, she speaks Italian. |
Using Beside (Preposition)
Beside is always a preposition meaning next to or at the side of. It describes physical position or proximity. Think of it as pointing to a location: one thing is placed directly alongside another.
She sat beside her friend during the lecture.
The café is beside the post office.
He knelt beside the injured dog.
Leave your bags beside the door.
Beside can also appear in a small number of fixed expressions where "next to" is the underlying idea:
Common Phrases with Beside
- beside oneself (overwhelmed with emotion: She was beside herself with worry.)
- beside the point (irrelevant, not related to what is being discussed)
- side by side (a near-synonym phrase implying the same proximity)
Note that beside oneself and beside the point are idiomatic and do not use besides — even though learners often want to add the s.
Using Besides (Preposition / Adverb)
Besides works in two ways. As a preposition, it means in addition to or apart from — introducing an extra item. As an adverb, it means furthermore or moreover — adding a further point to an argument or sentence.
Besides as a Preposition (= in addition to)
Besides English, she speaks French and Italian.
There were several other applicants besides me.
Besides the entrance fee, there is a parking charge.
Who else is coming besides Tom?
Besides as an Adverb (= furthermore / moreover)
I don't want to go out; besides, it's raining.
The task took too long. Besides, the results were poor.
She was tired. Besides, she had no money for the taxi.
When besides is used as an adverb at the start of a sentence or clause, it is usually followed by a comma. It introduces an additional reason or point, similar to also, furthermore, or what is more.
Common Phrases with Besides
- besides that (in addition to that fact)
- besides which (formal; and furthermore)
- besides the fact that (apart from the consideration that...)
Memory Trick
The most reliable mnemonic: beside ends without an s — just like the word side. It describes being at someone's side: standing beside = standing at the side of. Besides has an extra s at the end — think of that s as standing for something extra or something more. Every time you see the final s, remind yourself: “there is something more to add.”
A second trick: substitute test. Ask yourself: "Can I replace this with 'next to'?" If yes → beside. "Can I replace this with 'in addition to' or 'furthermore'?" If yes → besides.
Common Mistakes
✗ She was sitting besides the window.
✓ She was sitting beside the window.
✗ Beside English, I also speak Spanish.
✓ Besides English, I also speak Spanish.
✗ That remark is completely besides the point.
✓ That remark is completely beside the point.
✗ She was besides herself with grief.
✓ She was beside herself with grief.
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding with these interactive exercises on LexFizz:
- Grammar Quiz — choose beside or besides in multiple-choice questions.
- Complete the Sentence — type the correct word to complete each sentence.
- Cloze Dropdown — fill the blank from a dropdown menu.
- True or False — decide if sentences with beside/besides are used correctly.
More Confusing Words
- Bare vs Bear — homophones with very different meanings.
- Brake vs Break — common spelling confusion explained.
- Passed vs Past — verb versus preposition/adjective.
- Weather vs Whether — homophones with completely different grammar.
- Affect vs Effect — verb and noun often mixed up.
- Between vs Among — another pair of closely related prepositions.
Beside or Besides?
Three questions — choose the correct word for each sentence.
1. “He stood ___ the window.” (next to)
2. “___ French, she speaks Italian.” (in addition to)
3. “She sat ___ me.”