Key Difference

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

In-Depth Explanation

1. Beside – Position or Placement

“Beside” is a preposition that refers to the physical position of being next to someone or something.

• Usage: Use “beside” when you want to describe something being physically next to or near another object.
• Examples:
  • “She sat beside her friend at the concert.” (She sat next to her friend.)
  • “The lamp is beside the bed.” (The lamp is next to the bed.)

📝 Pro Tip: If you can replace “beside” with “next to” without changing the sentence’s meaning, you’re using it correctly.

2. Besides – Addition or Exception

“Besides” is generally used in two main contexts: to mean “in addition to” or “apart from” (similar to “except”).

• Usage 1: “Besides” as “in addition to.”
  • Example: “Besides math, she also enjoys studying history.” (In addition to math, she enjoys history.)
• Usage 2: “Besides” as “except for.”
  • Example: “There’s nothing interesting on TV besides the news.” (The news is the only interesting thing on TV.)

💡 Remember: When you see “besides,” think of adding or excluding something.

Examples to Highlight the Difference

• “Beside” (next to):
  • “The dog lay beside its owner.” 🐕 (The dog is lying next to the owner.)
• “Besides” (in addition to / except for):
  • “Besides coffee, I also like tea in the morning.” ☕️ (In addition to coffee, I like tea.)

Practice Time! 🎉

Try filling in the blanks with the correct word: beside or besides.

1. She placed her bag _________ the chair.
2. _________ watching movies, he loves reading novels.
3. No one knew about the surprise party _________ us.
4. The cat curled up _________ the heater to stay warm.

Answers:

1. She placed her bag beside the chair.
2. Besides watching movies, he loves reading novels.
3. No one knew about the surprise party besides us.
4. The cat curled up beside the heater to stay warm.