English Grammar

Besides

besides = anyway

"I don't want to go to school today. Besides, I don't have any clean clothes to wear."

In this case, besides is used to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous statement. This person doesn't want to go to school, and besides not wanting to go, he doesn't have any clean clothes to wear, so that cements the fact that he should not be expected to go to school. (Whether or not this person should go to school anyway is covered in the parenting website.)

besides = also

"Besides apples, I need to buy oranges."

besides = apart from

"Besides dusting the furniture, I have the entire house cleaned."

besides = other than

"I have no homework left besides my science paper.

besides = as well as

"Besides choosing a wedding dress, she needs to decide on the flowers for her wedding."

NOTE: Do not confuse besides with beside. Beside is a preposition which means next to.