Beside Or Besides? Examples Of Using In Sentences

It is truly remarkable that two words that are so similar - just one letter differentiating one from the other - can actually have different meanings. This similarity can be confusing for students, leading them to misuse the words in their writing. When editing an essay paper, it is important to carefully read through the paper to ensure that all words are used properly, as this can make a huge difference in the overall quality of the paper.

Still, you are going to need to figure out the proper use of besides or beside correctly, particularly when writing academic papers. This PapersOwl's guide will provide you with the proper guidelines to ensure that you are able to use them properly, depending on the specific situation.

To begin with, however, let’s first take a look at the difference between beside and besides by considering their individual definitions:

  • Beside: this word is a preposition – it can mean either "next to" or "at the side of".
  • Besides: this is both a linking verb and a preposition. It is most commonly used to mean "also" or "in addition".

Now, you may also have come across the term “besides that” while reading. Considering how similar it is to besides, you may be wondering whether there is any correlation between the words. Or, you may want to know how to use it, at the very least.

Well, if you are trying to figure out “what does besides that mean?”, the answer is rather simple. This phrase means “apart from” or “in addition to that”. So, while it may look the same as besides, it is used in a rather different way.

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Examples of Writing Beside

In this section, you will be able to find examples of how beside is actually written in a sentence. This knowledge can go a long way in teaching you how to be a successful student and get good grades. Not to mention, it will also emphasize even more differences between these two words. For instance, how you can use beside and also in the same sentence:

I know it is a bad habit but I keep my phone beside my bed and also keep the volume on high.

The best friends sit beside each other for every class.

You should always place the water beside your plate when eating

Another thing that you may be wondering about regarding this word is a popular saying. As such, it may be confusing for you whether you should write beside the point or besides the point. The correct use of this word is “beside the point”.

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Examples of Using Besides in Sentences

Finally, let’s see how you can use besides in a sentence. This can be a little trickier for some, considering the definition of the word. Thus, you may speculate about “How to use the word besides correctly?” The following examples should clear it up for you:

I don’t want to go dancing tonight; besides, I don’t have the right shoes for it.

Do you have any juice besides the orange and mango?

And if another question that you had was, “Can we start a sentence with the word besides?”, the answer to this question would be yes. Just make sure to always place a comma after the word when doing so.


It doesn’t matter if you are still struggling with the use of these words, despite the tutorial above. They do take a great deal of practice to master. However, if you do need to use them in your essays or academic papers, then you should essay order online for some guidance. This will give you a better idea of when and where to use these words in your writing.

The best way to get more comfortable with using beside and besides is to read and write as much as you can. Also, ask for academic assistance from essay helpers, where you can figure out how to use these words even more quickly.  

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