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Near to, Near, and Next to: What Are They? Distinguishing Between Near to, Near, and Next to

"Near to," "Near," and "Next to" all mean "close," but each has different structures and usage. Let’s explore them together in the article below!

I. What is Near?

"Near" is pronounced /nɪr/ and serves as an adverb, adjective, verb, preposition, and prefix, meaning: close or almost. For example:

Role & Usage	Example
Adverb	The store is open, so we can stop by near.
Adjective: Near (indicating geographical distance). In formal contexts, "near" is used similarly to "soon," meaning close in time, and it often appears at the end of a sentence.	Jack lives in the near village. Bank interest rates are expected to rise in the near future.
Verb: approaching (in time), getting closer (in space)	The train is nearing the station.
Preposition	Maria stood near the window.
Prefix, for example: Near-disaster /nɪər dɪˈzæstər/: A situation that is close to being a disaster, potentially causing great harm. Near-hysterical /nɪər hɪˈstɛrɪkəl/: Almost in a state of hysteria, extremely agitated or emotionally overwhelmed.	The pilot's quick thinking averted a near-disaster when the plane experienced engine failure shortly after takeoff. Jennie was near-hysterical by the time I arrived there.

II. What is Near to?

"Near to" is a phrase used in English to indicate closeness in distance or time between two objects. For example:

The school is near to my house.
We are near to the deadline.

The phrase "near to" often has a similar meaning and usage to "near," but the addition of "to" makes the sentence clearer or emphasizes the proximity.

Note: When expressing movement closer, we often use "near to" instead of "near." For example: She moved near to her office, making her commute much shorter.

III. What is Next to?

1. Concept

"Next to" is an English phrase used to describe two people or objects that are very close to each other without any distance between them. For example:

The library is next to the coffee shop.
Lisa sat next to me during the meeting.

2. Next to’s collocations

Next to’s collocations	Meaning	Example
next to last	Near the end, just before the last one.	He finished next to last in the race.
the next to last	Near the end, just before the last one. (Similar to "next to last")	He was the next to last person to leave the office.
next door to someone/something	Right next to someone or something; adjacent.	They live next door to us.
cleanliness is next to godliness	Cleanliness is almost sacred, emphasizing the importance of maintaining hygiene.	My mother always said that cleanliness is next to godliness.
in next to no time	Very quickly, in a very short amount of time.	We'll be there in next to no time.

3. Next to’s synonyms

Next to’s synonyms	Meaning	Example
Beside /bɪˈsaɪd/	Next to or at the side of; in close proximity to.	Anna sat beside her best friend during the concert.
Along /əˈlɔŋ/	Moving in a constant direction on (a path or any linear object); in a line or in a direction parallel to something.	We walked along the riverbank, enjoying the scenery.
Alongside /əˈlɔŋˌsaɪd/	Next to or parallel with; beside.	The new road runs alongside the railway line.
Adjoining /əˈdʒɔɪnɪŋ/	Located next to or having a common boundary; adjacent or contiguous.	They rented the adjoining apartment for more space.
Adjacent /əˈdʒɔɪnɪŋ/	Next to or adjoining something else; neighboring.	The library is adjacent to the school.
Neighboring /ˈneɪbərɪŋ/	Láng giềng, gần kề.	We often visit the neighboring town for shopping.
Bordering /ˈbɔrdərɪŋ/	Being located next to or near another; situated in close proximity.	The garden is bordering the forest.
side by side /saɪd baɪ saɪd/	Being adjacent to a boundary or border; situated along the edge of something.	The two companies worked side by side on the project.
Shoulder to shoulder /ˈʃoʊldər tə ˈʃoʊldər/	Positioned next to each other; together in close proximity.	The soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder in the face of the enemy.
At someone's elbow /æt ˈsʌmwʌnz ˈɛlboʊ/	Very close together, often used to describe people working together in unison or solidarity.	The assistant was always at the manager's elbow, ready to help.

IV. The Difference Between Near to, Near, and Next to

Let's join PREP to differentiate between Near to, Near, and Next to right below!

	Near	Near to	Next to
Meaning	"Near" is often used as a preposition or adverb to indicate closeness in terms of distance or time.	"Near to" also has a similar meaning to "near," indicating proximity in distance or time, but the addition of "to" can make it clearer or emphasize closeness, especially when highlighting movement closer.	"Next to" is used to indicate an adjacent position, right beside with no significant distance in between.
Example	The school is near my house.	The school is near to my house.	The library is next to the coffee shop.

V. Exercises to Distinguish Near to, Near, and Next to

To better understand the usage and differences between Near to, Near, and Next to, let’s complete the exercise below together!

1. Exercise: Fill in the blanks with "near," "near to," or "next to" as appropriate.

The restaurant is ______ the park.
He lives ______ the grocery store, so he can easily walk there.
She moved ______ her office, making her commute much shorter.
The school is ______ the library and the community center.
My house is ______ the train station, only a five-minute walk away.
The coffee shop is ______ the bookstore, so we can visit both easily.
His office is ______ the top floor, giving him a great view.
They built a new playground ______ the school.
Our meeting room is ______ the reception area.
The project deadline is ______, and we need to speed up.

2. Answer keys

Near/near to
Near/near to
Near to
Next to
Near/near to

Next to
Near/near to
Next to
Near/near to
Near

In this article, PREP has shared with you the concepts, usage, and differences of Near to, Near, and Next to. Be sure to follow PREP regularly to stay updated with more valuable English knowledge!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.