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Fraserpan Posted 20 years ago
Vocabulary
except for or except?
Could anyone tell me when to use except and when to use except for? What's the difference? Thanks!
Top answer
This is actually a bone of some contention. An abstract of a journal article on the 'problem' concludes: both " 'except' and 'except for' can be used to mean 'with the exception of', but when it is used to mean 'if it were not for' only 'except for' can be used. ' " Several dictionaries treat the phrase as an idiom: Idiom: except for: Were it not for: 'I would join you except for my cold' .
- This is actually a bone of some contention.
- An abstract of a journal article on the 'problem' concludes: both " 'except' and 'except for' can be used to mean 'with the exception of', but when it is used to mean 'if it were not for' only 'except for' can be used.
- ' " Several dictionaries treat the phrase as an idiom: Idiom: except for: Were it not for: 'I would join you except for my cold' .
- To me, it seems sufficient to remember that except can be a preposition or a conjunction, but except for is only a preposition.
- Therefore, except in the case of following clauses, either will work.
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1 Answers
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This is actually a bone of some contention. An abstract of a journal article on the 'problem' concludes: both "'except' and 'except for' can be used to mean 'with the exception of', but when it is used to mean 'if it were not for' only 'except for' can be used. Also, it is not advisable to begin a sentence with 'except' unless it is followed by 'for.' "
Several dictionaries treat
Several dictionaries treat
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