along side (alongside)

The correct form is alongside (one word). Splitting it into "along side" or hyphenating it as "along-side" is nonstandard and weakens writing. Use alongside whether you mean physical proximity ("next to") or addition/co-occurrence ("in addition to" / "together with").

Quick answer

Write alongside as one word. Don't use "along side" or "along-side". If you mean physical position, think "next to" or "beside." If you mean addition or co-occurrence, think "in addition to" or "together with."

Core explanation: why alongside is one word

Modern dictionaries and style guides list alongside as a single lexical item. It serves two main functions:

Preposition (physical): alongside = next to, beside. Pattern: [noun] + alongside + [noun]. Example: The cart sat alongside the gate.
Adverbial / conjunctive (additive): alongside = together with, in addition to. Pattern: Alongside + [phrase] or [phrase] + alongside. Example: Alongside the report, include the appendix.

Wrong → Right: Wrong: I set the package along side the door. -
Right: I set the package alongside the door.
Wrong → Right: Wrong: He worked along-side the team. -
Right: He worked alongside the team.

Spacing and hyphenation

"Along side" (two words) and "along-side" (hyphenated) usually appear because writers parse the compound incorrectly. Both are nonstandard in formal writing. "Alongside of" shows up regionally or colloquially; prefer alongside or along with in formal contexts.

Use alongside (one word).
Avoid along side (two words) and along-side (hyphenated).
For formal text, replace alongside of with alongside or along with as appropriate.

Wrong: She walked along-side her client. -
Right: She walked alongside her client.
Wrong (colloquial): The truck pulled alongside of the curb. - Better: The truck pulled alongside the curb.

Grammar and sentence patterns: quick tests

Decide the sense by substituting: if "next to" fits, alongside is spatial; if "in addition to" fits, alongside is additive. If neither fits, try along with, beside, or rephrase.

Preposition check: Replace alongside with "next to": The car parked next to the curb. (works = spatial)
Adverbial check: Replace alongside with "in addition to": In addition to the report, include the spreadsheet. (works = additive)
If substitution fails, reword: use along with, beside, or an explicit phrase like "in addition to."

Example (school): The testing lab sits alongside the engineering building. (spatial)
Example (work): Alongside finalizing the grant, she prepared the presentation. (additive)

Real usage and tone: when to choose alongside, along with, or beside

Alongside is neutral and slightly formal. Along with is fine for conversational or list-like sentences. Beside or next to emphasizes physical placement and can be clearer for locations.

Formal reports or proposals: prefer alongside. - Example: Alongside the quarterly results, include a risks summary.
Conversational email or checklist: along with feels natural. - Example: Along with the slides, can you bring the handouts?
Clear spatial description: use beside / next to. - Example: The bench was placed next to the path.

Examples: wrong/right pairs across contexts

Use these direct rewrites as templates-swap in your nouns, verbs, and objects.

Work 1: Wrong: I left the financials along side the conference room. -
Right: I left the financials alongside the conference room.
Work 2: Wrong: The vendor worked along-side our team on integration. -
Right: The vendor worked alongside our team on integration.
Work 3: Wrong: The architect collaborated along side the city planners. -
Right: The architect collaborated alongside the city planners.
School 1: Wrong: Along side submitting the paper, include your data files. -
Right: Alongside submitting the paper, include your data files.
School 2: Wrong: The biology lab sits along side the lecture hall. -
Right: The biology lab sits alongside the lecture hall.
School 3: Wrong: Along side drafting the essay she reviewed sources. -
Right: Alongside drafting the essay, she reviewed sources.
Casual 1: Wrong: He kept his keys along-side his wallet. -
Right: He kept his keys alongside his wallet.
Casual 2: Wrong: He parked along-side the bike rack. -
Right: He parked alongside the bike rack.
Casual 3: Wrong: Along side planning the party, she made a playlist. -
Right: Alongside planning the party, she made a playlist.

Rewrite help: templates and copyable fixes

When you spot along side or along-side, replace it with alongside. If the sentence still feels off, switch to along with, next to, or rephrase using an explicit construction.

Template (physical): "[Subject] [verb] alongside [object]." - The boat docked alongside the pier.
Template (addition): "Alongside [X], [Y]." - Alongside the summary, attach the raw data.
Alternative: Use "[Subject] [verb] with [object]." or "[Subject] [verb] next to [object]." when clearer.

Rewrite 1: Original: I stacked the boxes along side the door. -
Rewrite: I stacked the boxes alongside the door.
Rewrite 2: Original: Along-side finishing the report, she scheduled a review. -
Rewrite: Alongside finishing the report, she scheduled a review.
Rewrite 3: Original: If alongside feels clumsy: Along side managing the launch, he handled press. -
Rewrite: In addition to managing the launch, he handled press.

Fix your own sentence: a short self-edit checklist

Search for "along side" and "along-side."
Replace with "alongside."
Read the sentence and test substitution: can you say "next to" (spatial) or "in addition to" (additive)?
If neither works, try "along with," "beside," or an explicit rephrase like "in addition to..."
For long documents, run find-and-replace, then skim each replacement to confirm meaning.

Check 1: Problem: Along side the rollout, we must train staff. - Fix: Alongside the rollout, we must train staff.
Check 2: Problem: He stood along-side the exhibit. - Fix: He stood alongside the exhibit.
Check 3: Problem: Along side bringing the cake, bring napkins. - Fix: Along with bringing the cake, bring napkins. (clearer)

Memory trick and three quick rules

Mnemonic: See the word as a single long side-"aLONGside." That visual keeps it together as one word.

Rule 1: Keep it one word: alongside.
Rule 2: Don't hyphenate: not along-side.
Rule 3: If meaning is unclear after the fix, test with "next to" or "in addition to" and switch to "beside" or "along with" as needed.

Similar mistakes to watch for

Nearby confusions often appear with alongside errors. Choosing the right alternative preserves nuance.

alongside vs along with - both indicate accompaniment; alongside is more neutral/formal, along with is more conversational.
alongside vs beside / next to - use beside/next to for clear spatial descriptions.
alongside of - a colloquial form; avoid in formal writing.
besides - often means "in addition," but can sometimes imply "except"; check context.

Example: Wrong: Alongside of the exhibit, there was a demo. - Better: Alongside the exhibit, there was a demo.
Comparison: Alongside the team, she handled logistics. (neutral) - Along with the team, she handled logistics. (slightly more informal)

FAQ

Is "along side" ever correct?

In standard written English, no. "Along side" (two words) is a spacing error. Keep it as alongside.

Can I use "alongside of"?

"Alongside of" appears in some dialects. Editors usually prefer alongside or along with in formal writing.

When should I choose "along with" instead of "alongside"?

Use alongside for a neutral or formal tone and when you want concise phrasing. Use along with in conversational writing or when listing items. For pure spatial clarity, use beside or next to.

Why did my spellchecker accept "along-side"?

Some older or customized dictionaries might not flag hyphenation errors. Current usage guides list alongside as the standard single-word form.

How can I fix "along side" across a long document quickly?

Use find-and-replace to change "along side" and "along-side" to "alongside", then skim each replacement to confirm the intended meaning. Search separately for "alongside of" and decide whether to keep it or replace it with alongside or along with.

Try your own sentence

Paste a sentence into the widget below or run your editor's search to locate suspect forms. Context usually makes the right choice obvious.

Quick check before you submit

Scan for "along side" and "along-side", replace with alongside, and test with "next to" or "in addition to" when you need to confirm meaning. A single-word fix is small but noticeable-get it right to keep your writing sharp.