What does beyond mean?
Word: Beyond
Part of Speech: Preposition
Meaning: Beyond means on the far side of something, or further than a point or limit. It can also mean too hard or too much for someone.
Synonyms: past, further than, outside
Antonyms: inside
How do you spell beyond?
Syllables: be - yond
Tricky part: The y is the letter that slips out: said fast, the word sounds as if it had none, so students write beond.
Watch out for: beond, biyond
Memory tip: Think of a Y-shaped signpost where the road splits, one arm pointing to the hills beyond: the Y is the letter people forget.
Idioms and Phrases
- beyond doubt: completely certain. Example: "The video showed beyond doubt that the ball had crossed the line."
- go above and beyond: to do much more than you are expected to do. Example: "Our librarian went above and beyond, staying late to help us find books for the project."
Beyond in a sentence
Example 1: Our village lies just beyond that range of hills.
Example 2: The last sum in the worksheet was beyond me, so I asked my teacher for help.
Example 3: The party went on beyond midnight.
Fun Fact
'To infinity and beyond!' became famous as the catchphrase of Buzz Lightyear in the 1995 film Toy Story.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Three words in the list are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word.
1. beyon 2. accommodate 3. silhouette 4. exaggerate
a) a dark outline seen against a lighter background
b) on the far side of something
c) to make something sound bigger or worse than it is
d) to provide a room or space for someone
Show answer
b) on the far side of something. Accommodate, exaggerate and silhouette are all spelt correctly; beyon has lost the d at its end.
Word Connection
Choose the word opposite in meaning to beyond as used in the sentence:
The price of the new laptop was beyond our budget, so we waited for the festival sale.
a) across
b) above
c) within
d) over
Show answer
c) within. A price beyond the budget is more than we can pay; a price within the budget is the opposite.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
Snow-capped peaks rose far ybdeon the green valley.
a) boyhood
b) bonded
c) beyond
d) bygone
Show answer
c) beyond. Bygone needs a g, bonded has two d's and boyhood needs an h and a second o, so the jumble can only be beyond.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
beyound
a) n
b) u
c) y
d) o
Show answer
b) u. Beyond has no u: take it out and the o runs straight into the nd.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. 'The broken watch is beyond repair' means the watch ____.
a) was repaired last week
b) cannot be mended any more
c) needs only a small repair
d) is waiting at the repair shop
Show answer
b) cannot be mended any more
2. In which sentence does beyond mean 'too difficult for'?
a) The shop is beyond the bridge.
b) There is a field beyond the wall.
c) This crossword is beyond me.
d) We stayed beyond nine o'clock.
Show answer
c) This crossword is beyond me.
