except
High-frequency (C1 vocabulary profile)Formal to neutral; common in both written and spoken English
Definition
Meaning
to exclude or leave out; not including
used to introduce the only thing or person that is not included in a general statement; with the exclusion of
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often indicates an exclusion from a general rule or statement. As a preposition or conjunction, it introduces what is excluded. As a verb (formal/legal), it means to exclude.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both follow same grammatical patterns. Minor spelling differences in related forms (e.g., 'excepting' equally common). No major syntactic differences.
Connotations
Slightly more formal in American English when used as verb; slightly more common in British English as preposition in formal writing.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British academic texts; comparable in general usage.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
except + NPexcept + that-clauseexcept + wh-clauseexcept + infinitiveexcept + prepositional phraseVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “present company excepted”
- “no one excepted”
- “all except for”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in contracts and reports to specify exclusions: 'All departments except marketing met targets.'
Academic
Common in logical arguments and classifications: 'All mammals except monotremes give birth to live young.'
Everyday
Casual exclusions: 'I like all vegetables except Brussels sprouts.'
Technical
Used in programming (except clauses), law (excepted provisions), and mathematics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The rule excepts those over 65.
- They excepted historical buildings from the redevelopment plan.
American English
- The policy excepts employees hired before 2010.
- The law excepts religious organizations from certain taxes.
adverb
British English
- No adverb form in common use.
American English
- No adverb form in common use.
adjective
British English
- No adjective form in common use.
American English
- No adjective form in common use.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I like all fruits except bananas.
- Everyone is here except Tom.
- The museum is open every day except Mondays.
- I would lend you money except I don't have any.
- All candidates except those from EU countries require visas.
- The software works perfectly except when the system is overloaded.
- The treaty applies to all member states except where specific reservations have been lodged.
- His argument is persuasive except that it fails to account for recent demographic shifts.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
EXCEPT keeps things OUT – EX-CLUDES (excludes) everything except what follows.
Conceptual Metaphor
EXCLUSION AS REMOVAL (taking something out of a set)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'exception' (noun) – that's 'исключение'.
- Don't confuse with 'accept' (принимать) – opposite meaning.
- Russian 'кроме' maps closely, but 'except' is more formal than 'кроме'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'except' instead of 'besides' (which means 'in addition to').
- Incorrect: 'Everyone came except for John and Peter.' (redundant 'for' in some contexts)
- Using 'except' without 'that' before a clause: 'I would go, except I'm busy.' (correct) vs. 'I would go, except busy.' (incorrect).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'except' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In modern English, they are often interchangeable. 'Except for' is more common before nouns at the start of sentences ('Except for John, everyone came'). 'Except' alone is more common before clauses ('I would come except I'm busy').
As a preposition/conjunction, it's neutral and used in all registers. As a verb meaning 'to exclude', it's formal/legal.
No. 'Except' excludes; 'besides' includes (means 'in addition to'). 'Besides apples, I bought oranges' (apples included). 'Except apples, I bought oranges' (apples excluded).
Use 'except' + 'to' infinitive: 'She did nothing except to complain.' In informal English, bare infinitive is possible: 'He won't do anything except complain.'
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