1. Preposition: This is the most common use. It means "beside" or "at the side of."
* Example: "The ship sailed alongside the island."
2. Adverb: It can also function as an adverb, meaning "in addition to" or "at the same time."
* Example: "Alongside his job, he volunteers at the animal shelter."
3. Adjective: While less common, "alongside" can sometimes be used as an adjective, usually in a phrase like "alongside duties."
* Example: "The new employee will be responsible for alongside duties."
To determine the correct part of speech, look at the context of the sentence and how "alongside" is used.