Skill: Use beside and between

Look at the objects and find the reference object—the object you are talking about.

Example:

$$\text{cat}\quad \text{ball}\quad \text{dog}$$

1. Use beside when one object is next to another object.
   The ball is next to the cat, so we say:

   The ball is beside the cat.

2. Use between when one object is in the space separating two objects.
   The ball is in the middle of the cat and the dog, so we say:

   The ball is between the cat and the dog.

3. Check the number of reference objects:

   • Beside uses one reference object: beside the cat.
   • Between uses two reference objects: between the cat and the dog.

The words depend on which objects you name. In this picture, the cat is beside the ball, and the dog is also beside the ball.