"Besides" and "Except": What's the Difference?
"Except" and "besides" are a pair of English words that can be easy for learners to confuse. At first, they seem to be used in similar ways, but there are important differences you should understand in order to use them correctly. This article will explain how you will hear them in daily conversations so you'll be ready to use them like a pro. Let's begin!
Besides
“Beside” and “Besides”
Before we explain this word, we first need to compare "besides" with "beside," because even these two are not the same!
"Beside" is a preposition meaning "next to," and it's used to mark something's position in relation to something else. For example:
The plants are beside the TV.
My partner stood beside me during the ceremony.
Now that we've explained that, we can move to "besides," which generally refers to something being separate from a group. It's a difference of only one letter, but remember that these are two unique words, so be careful not to get them confused!
As a preposition
As a preposition, besides means "in addition to" or "along with." It's usually followed by a noun or a noun phrase.
Have you visited anywhere in America besides New York and LA?
The speaker here is asking about cities the other person has visited in addition to New York and LA. (New York + LA + ?)
Who's coming to the party tonight besides Jane and Kate?
We know Jane and Kate are coming. The speaker is asking about additional people who may be coming. (Jane + Kate + ?)
No one wanted to go hiking in the rain besides me.
In this negative usage, there are no additions; the speaker is the only person who wanted to go hiking. (Speaker + no one)
As an adverb
Besides also functions as a conjunctive adverb, which means it connects two sentences or clauses. Similar to the previous usage, it means "in addition." This time, however, what is being added is a reason, not a person or a thing.
This usage is similar to "plus" or "on top of that," which are also common, so it's a good idea to learn these expressions as well.
I don't want to go there. Besides, it's too far.
This seems fun to try. Besides, it's free.
Both of the above examples start with one point and then add an extra one introduced with "besides."
I don't want to go there. Plus, it's too far.
This seems fun to try. On top of that, it's free.
Except
Now let's move on to "except." This preposition means "not including" or "other than." It refers to exclusion rather than inclusion, or addition.
“Except” and “Except for“
"Except" as a preposition often comes before nouns. In most cases, "except" and "except for" can be switched without a change in meaning. Also, both can come at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence.
My mom works every day except Monday.
Except for Paul, they were all young men.
My brother failed every subject in school except for math.
Except for his beat-up old car, he sold everything he owned.
All of these examples are about a group (of days, of people, of subjects, of items) with one thing that is separate or not included. The separated thing is indicated with "except (for)."
As a conjunction
As a conjunction, except means "other than (the fact that ~)."
The twins are identical except that Gina has longer hair.
These two shirts are the same except for their colors.
Wrap-up
Understanding these two words may be confusing at first, but just remember: are you talking about additions or things that are separate and not included? Thinking of that simple difference can help you choose which to use.
Once you understand this pair of words, there are others you should take a closer look at as well. Try continuing your study with this: What's the Difference Between These English Words?
