Side, Aside, Alongside, Beside, Besides: What to choose

Introduction

The English language is often complicated by words that appear similar but carry distinct meanings and uses. Among these commonly confused terms are “side,” “aside,” “alongside,”  “beside,” and “besides.” In this comprehensive guide, these terms will be thoroughly examined, and their proper usage will be explained through practical examples.

Understanding “Side”

Meaning

• One of the two outer surfaces of something.
• A particular aspect or viewpoint.
• A position in a competition or conflict.

Definition and Basic Usage

It is primarily understood as a position or surface that extends from a central point or line. This versatile noun can be employed in numerous contexts:

• Physical locations
• Geometric descriptions
• Metaphorical positions
• Lateral dimensions

Common Applications

This word is frequently encountered in these situations:

1. Physical Descriptions
   • The left side of the building
   • The sunny side of the street
   • The side of a mountain
2. Positional References
   • The winning side
   • Taking someone’s side
   • The other side of an argument
3. Mathematical Usage
   • The sides of a triangle
   • Equal sides of a square
   • The adjacent side

Example:

• “The side of the house facing the street.”
• “I see your side of the argument.”
• “Which side are you on?”

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Exploring “Aside”

Meaning

• To or towards one side.
• In addition to; apart from.
• A short remark made by an actor to the audience, that other actors on stage are not supposed to hear.

Primary Function

“Aside” functions both as an adverb and a noun, typically indicating:

• Movement to the side
• Separation from the main subject
• Something supplementary

Key Uses of “Aside”

1. As an Adverb
   • Step aside
   • Put aside money
   • Set aside time
2. As a Noun
   • A theatrical aside
   • A brief aside in conversation
   • An editorial aside
3. Common Phrases
   • “Aside from that…”
   • “Setting aside the obvious…”
   • “Leave aside the details…”

Example:

• “Step aside, please.”
• “Aside from the rain, the picnic was enjoyable.”
• “The actor whispered an aside to the audience.”

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Exploring “Alongside”

Meaning

• Next to or at the side of: This emphasizes physical proximity.
• In company with: This implies association or cooperation.

Definition and Core Function

“Alongside” functions as both a preposition and an adverb, primarily indicating:

• Parallel positioning
• Cooperative movement
• Concurrent existence or action
• Collaborative relationships

Principal Applications

1. Physical Proximity with Movement
   • Ships sailing alongside each other
   • Running alongside the river
   • Walking alongside a friend
2. Professional or Social Context
   • Working alongside experts
   • Growing alongside peers
   • Developing alongside technology
3. Temporal Relations
   • Events occurring alongside each other
   • Projects developing alongside main initiatives
   • Stories running alongside the main plot

When to Use “Alongside”

1. Parallel Movement
   • Use when describing objects or people moving in parallel
   • Appropriate for concurrent processes or developments
2. Collaborative Scenarios
   • Ideal for describing teamwork or cooperation
   • Suitable for parallel professional relationships

Example sentences:

• “The car parked alongside the curb.”
• “She worked alongside her colleagues on the project.”
• “Compared alongside other brands, this product is more affordable.”

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Understanding “Beside”

Meaning

• Next to; at the side of.

Core Meaning

“Beside” serves as a preposition, primarily indicating:

• Physical proximity
• Next to something
• Adjacent positioning

Principal Applications

1. Spatial Relationships
   • Sitting beside someone
   • The house beside the lake
   • Standing beside the window
2. Comparison
   • Your problems seem minor beside theirs
   • His achievements pale beside hers
3. Common Expressions
   • Beside the point
   • Beside oneself (with emotion)
   • Beside the mark

Example:

• “The book is beside the lamp.”
• “She sat beside him on the bench.”

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Exploring “Besides”

Meaning

• In addition to; apart from.
• Moreover; furthermore.

Essential Function

“Besides” operates as both a preposition and an adverb, typically expressing:

• Addition to something
• In addition to
• Moreover

Primary Uses

1. As a Preposition
   • Besides me, no one attended
   • What besides money motivates you?
   • Besides the obvious reasons
2. As an Adverb
   • Besides, I wasn’t planning to go
   • The matter is closed; besides, it’s late
   • I’m tired; besides, it’s raining

Example:

• “Besides the cake, there were also cookies.”
• “Besides, it’s too late to go now.”

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Comparative Analysis

Side vs. Aside

Key distinctions between these terms are observed in:

1. Grammatical Function
   • “Side” primarily functions as a noun
   • “Aside” serves as both adverb and noun
2. Usage Context
   • “Side” indicates position or surface
   • “Aside” implies separation or movement

Aside vs. Beside

1. Meaning
   • “Aside” means To or towards one side. In addition to; apart from.
   • “Besides” suggests Next to; at the side of.       
2. Focus
   • “Aside” is Movement, additional information
   • “Beside” is Physical proximity or location.

Explore more: Tying or Tieing: What is Correct?

Alongside vs. Beside

1. Dynamic vs. Static
   • “Beside” typically indicates stationary positioning
   • “Alongside” often implies movement or progression
2. Context Applications
   • “Beside” is more commonly used for fixed positions
   • “Alongside” is preferred for describing parallel processes or movements
3. Confusion with Similar Terms
   • Don’t use “alongside” when “besides” (meaning “in addition to”) is needed
   • Avoid using “alongside” for static positions where “beside” is more appropriate

Beside vs. Besides

Notable differences include:

• Meaning
  • “Beside” indicates physical proximity
  • “Besides” suggests addition or exception
• Application
  • “Beside” is strictly a preposition
  • “Besides” functions as both preposition and adverb

Summary of Differences:

• Side: Refers to a surface, viewpoint, or position.
• Aside: Indicates movement to one side, additional information, or a stage whisper.
• Alongside: Indicates physical proximity or parallelism.
• Beside: Means next to or at the side of.
• Besides: Means in addition to or apart from.

Word	Example Sentence
Side	The side of the house facing the street is painted blue. I understand your side of the argument. Which side are you on in the game?
Aside	Step aside, please. Aside from the rain, the picnic was enjoyable. The actor whispered an aside to the audience.
Alongside	The car parked alongside the curb. She worked alongside her colleagues on the project. Compared alongside other brands, this product is more affordable.
Beside	The book is beside the lamp. She sat beside him on the bench.
Besides	Besides the cake, there were also cookies. Besides, it’s too late to go now.

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Common Mistakes and Corrections

Frequent Errors

1. Confusion between “beside” and “besides”
   • Incorrect: “Besides the tree” (when meaning next to)
   • Correct: “Beside the tree”
2. Misuse of “aside”
   • Incorrect: “Aside the building”
   • Correct: “Beside the building” or “Set aside the issue”
3. Confusion between “beside” and “alongside”
   • Don’t use “alongside” when “besides” (meaning “in addition to”) is needed
   • Avoid using “alongside” for static positions where “beside” is more appropriate

Tips for Proper Usage

1. Context Checking
   • Consider whether you’re indicating position or addition
   • Determine if movement or separation is being expressed
2. Substitution Testing
   • Try replacing with “next to” for “beside”
   • Test with “in addition to” for “besides”
3. Redundancy
   • Avoid phrases like “alongside with”
   • Don’t combine with other proximity prepositions

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Defining words interchangeably

This section is a unique take on defining these words. The phrases below provide the meanings using these words interchangeably amongst themselves. For example, the word “aside” can be defined in terms of “side” in the form “to the side”. Similarly, “besides” can be replaced by “aside from”.

Aside

• to the side
  • She set the book aside.
  • She set the book to the side.
• away from the side
  • He stepped aside to let the ambulance pass.
  • He stepped away from the side to let the ambulance pass.
• on one side
  • Let’s put that discussion aside for now.
  • Let’s put that discussion on one side for now.
• to one side
  • She brushed his concerns aside.
  • She brushed his concerns to one side.

Alongside

• at the side of
  • The car parked alongside the building.
  • The car parked at the side of the building.
• along the side
  • The children walked alongside the river.
  • The children walked along the side of the river.
• side by side
  • The soldiers marched alongside each other.
  • The soldiers marched side by side.
• run beside
  • The road is alongside the river.
  • The road is running beside the river.

Read more: Appealing or Appalling? Choosing the right word!

Beside

• by the side of
  • The dog sat beside its owner.
  • The dog sat by the side of its owner.
• on the side of
  • The house stands beside the river.
  • The house stands on the side of the river.

Besides

• aside from
  • Besides the cake, we also had ice cream.
  • Aside from the cake, we also had ice cream.

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Synonyms for “Side”, “Aside”, “Alongside”, “Beside”, and “Besides”

Side:

• Surface: One of the outer faces of something.
• Flank: The side of a person or animal.
• Edge: The outer part or margin of something.
• Aspect: A particular point of view or way of considering something.
• Faction: A group within a larger group, especially in politics.

Aside:

• Apart: Separately; in addition to.
• Separately: Not together; individually.
• Additionally: In addition to; furthermore.
• Moreover: Furthermore; in addition.
• By the way: Incidentally.

Alongside

• Next to: Similar to “beside,” highlighting proximity.
• Adjacent to: Indicating something is close to or touching.
• Near: A more general term for being close to something.
• Contiguous to: Suggesting something is touching or in direct contact.
• Parallel to: Emphasizing a side-by-side arrangement.
• In company with: Highlighting association or cooperation.
• Together with: Suggesting joint action or shared experience.

Beside:

• Next to: Close to; adjacent to.
• Alongside: Next to; at the side of.
• Adjacent: Next to or adjoining something.
• Near: Close to; not far away.

Besides:

• Apart from: In addition to; except for.
• Moreover: Furthermore; in addition.
• Furthermore: In addition to what has already been mentioned.
• Additionally: In addition to.
• Also: In addition to; as well.

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Conclusion

Understanding the distinctions between “side,” “aside,” “beside,” “alongside,” and “besides” is crucial for effective communication in English. These terms, while similar in appearance, serve different grammatical functions and convey distinct meanings. Through careful study and practice, their proper usage can be mastered, leading to more precise and effective communication.

Key Takeaways

1. “Side” primarily functions as a noun indicating position or surface
2. “Aside” implies separation or movement
3. “Beside” denotes physical proximity
4. “Alongside” denotes physical proximity with parallelism
5. “Besides” expresses addition or exception

By maintaining awareness of these differences, speakers and writers can ensure their message is accurately conveyed and properly understood.

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