Beside & Besides Preposition Examples with Usage in Sentences

Beside Preposition Examples: Beside and Besides are commonly confused with each other despite the differences in their meanings. However, as we know, they are spelt almost similarly, but each is used differently. Beside is a preposition that defines something ‘close to’ or ‘next to.’ Besides it is used to define “in addition to” or “apart from.” To cover more about the beside & besides prepositions, continue reading the blog post below. 

Meaning of Beside

Beside is a preposition indicating the place. The preposition beside physically places two nouns side by side. It can be used to indicate the location of something. For example, “Your shoes are beside mine.” 

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Beside Preposition Examples

Here are some examples explaining the usage of beside prepositions: 

1. She sat beside her friend during the movie.
2. The book is beside the lamp on the table.
3. The cat slept beside the fireplace.
4. His performance pales beside hers.
5. She felt insignificant beside her older siblings.
6. The new restaurant doesn’t compare beside the old one.

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Using Beside in a Sentence

Here’s a sentence using “beside” along with an explanation:

Example: “The child stood beside his mother, clutching her hand tightly.”

Explanation: In this sentence, “beside” is used as a preposition to indicate the location of the child about his mother. It means that the child is positioned next to or alongside his mother. Simply put, the word “beside” helps to provide context and spatial information, showing the proximity between the child and his mother.

Using Besides in a Sentence

Here’s a sentence using “besides”:

Example: “I don’t have time to watch TV tonight; besides, I have a lot of homework to finish.”

In this sentence, “besides” is used to introduce an additional reason or factor. It indicates that in addition to not having time to watch TV, there is also the obligation of completing homework.

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Difference Between Beside & Besides

Beside is a preposition however, beside can function both as a preposition and an adverb. They also differ in meaning. Check the table below and uncover basic differences between the two. 

Features	Beside	Besides
Part of Speech	Preposition	Preposition and Adverb
Meaning	A preposition is followed by a noun or pronoun. Adverbs are typically at the beginning of a phrase or clause but can be used elsewhere.	In addition, apart from, moreover or furthermore (adverb)
Position in Sentence	Always followed by a noun or pronoun	A preposition is followed by a noun or pronoun. Adverbs is typically at the beginning of a phrase or clause but can be used elsewhere.
Example	The book is beside the vase.	We need milk, besides eggs and bread.

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