Except/except for

Rules

Examples

After generalizing words or statements

all,

every,

no,

anybody,

nowhere,

everything,

whole, etc.

except or except for is used.

He ate everything on his plate except/except for the fish.

I have cleaned all the rooms, except/except for the bathrooms.

Nobody came except/except for my neighbours.

You could not hear anything except/except for the noise of lawnmower.

We are all ready except/except for her.

Everybody believes except/except for me.

After no generalizing words or before generalizing words except for is used.

I have cleaned the house except for the bathroom.

The house was quiet except for the noise of washing machine.

Except for my sister, nobody wished me good night.

The top was clean except for accessories and a few letters standing upright in a sorter.

The highway ahead of them was clear, except for one big truck coming their way... and a car approaching the highway to their right.

She is naked except for an old tee shirt of mine which, out of my benevolence I allowed her to wear.

Before prepositions and linking words (conjunctions) except is used.

It is the same everywhere except in Scotland.

He is good-looking except when he smiles.

Before verbs except is used.

Gerund or infinitive after except depends on what goes before except.

! ‘’To’’ for infinitives is not normally used.

He does nothing except eat all day.

She is not interested in anything except skiing.

Dinner and a movie did nothing for his sullen mood - except maybe make it worse.