Vocabulary
B1–B2
5 min read
Updated 10 June 2026
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.
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
Mistake 1 — Using besides when describing physical position
✗ She was sitting besides the window.
✓ She was sitting beside the window.
Mistake 2 — Using beside when adding an extra item
✗ Beside English, I also speak Spanish.
✓ Besides English, I also speak Spanish.
Mistake 3 — Writing "besides the point" instead of "beside the point"
✗ That remark is completely besides the point.
✓ That remark is completely beside the point.
Mistake 4 — Writing "besides herself" instead of "beside herself"
✗ She was besides herself with grief.
✓ She was beside herself with grief.
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding with these interactive exercises on LexFizz:
More Confusing Words
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between beside and besides?
Beside is a preposition meaning next to or at the side of: "She sat beside me" means she sat in the seat next to me. Besides is a preposition or adverb meaning in addition to or furthermore: "Besides English, I speak French" means I speak English and also French. The single letter s completely changes the function — beside describes location; besides adds information.
Is it "beside the point" or "besides the point"?
The correct fixed phrase is "beside the point." It means irrelevant or not related to the matter being discussed, and it uses beside in a figurative sense (off to the side of the main topic). "Besides the point" is a very common error. Similarly, "beside oneself" (overwhelmed by emotion) never takes the extra s. Both idioms are frozen expressions that always use beside without the s.
Can besides be used at the beginning of a sentence?
Yes — besides is commonly used as an adverb at the start of a sentence or independent clause to mean furthermore or moreover: "I don't want to go. Besides, it's late." In this position it is usually followed by a comma. It adds a supporting reason or extra point. Beside cannot be used this way because it is only a preposition (it always needs a noun phrase to follow it).
What part of speech is beside?
Beside is always a preposition — it can never stand alone as an adverb. It must always be followed by a noun or noun phrase: "beside the river," "beside her," "beside the point." It is never used at the start of a sentence without an object following it. This contrasts with besides, which can function as both a preposition (besides the fee) and an adverb (furthermore, besides, it was raining).
What part of speech is besides?
Besides functions as both a preposition and an adverb. As a preposition it means "in addition to" and is followed by a noun or noun phrase: "Besides the main course, there was dessert." As an adverb it means "furthermore" or "moreover" and can introduce a clause or sentence: "The hotel was expensive; besides, it was far from the centre." This dual role makes besides more flexible than beside.
Is "beside" ever used to mean "in addition to"?
In modern standard English, beside does not mean "in addition to" — that meaning belongs exclusively to besides. In older or archaic English, beside was sometimes used with the sense of apart from or in addition to, but this usage is now obsolete and would be considered an error in contemporary writing. Always use besides (with the s) when you mean "in addition to," "apart from," or "as well as."
How can I remember when to use beside vs besides?
Use the substitution test: if you can replace the word with "next to," use beside (no s). If you can replace it with "in addition to" or "furthermore," use besides (with s). A second trick: beside contains the word "side" — it's about being at someone's side. Besides has an extra s, which stands for "something more." These two checks catch the vast majority of errors learners make with this pair.
Can besides mean "except for" or "apart from"?
Yes — in some contexts besides can mean "apart from" or "other than," often in negative or interrogative sentences: "There was nobody there besides us" (= nobody apart from us); "Who can help besides the teacher?" (= who other than the teacher). This usage is interchangeable with "apart from" or "other than." The context makes it clear whether besides means "in addition to" or "apart from."
What is the difference between "besides" and "in addition to"?
Besides and "in addition to" are very close in meaning when besides is used as a preposition. Both introduce an extra item: "Besides the fee, there is a deposit" = "In addition to the fee, there is a deposit." However, besides can also work as an adverb (furthermore), while "in addition to" is always a preposition. "In addition to" is slightly more formal in written English; besides is more common in both spoken and written contexts.
Is "beside" used in formal English?
Yes — beside is neutral in register and suitable for both formal and informal contexts. It appears in academic writing ("the data set beside the control group"), journalism, literature, and everyday speech. The idiomatic phrases "beside the point" and "beside oneself" are also widely used in formal writing. Neither beside nor besides is restricted to informal use; both are standard prepositions found across all levels of English writing and speech.