Grammar Tip 18: Exceptions

How do you express exceptions in English? Here are some possibilities:

Except

All parties are taking part in the election except (for) one fringe group.

The 'for' here is optional. However, 'except for' is more commonly used, with a comma, when the exception comes first in the sentence:

Except for one fringe group, all parties are taking part in the election.

'With the exception of' is also possible, but draws a bit more attention to the excepted item:

With the exception of one fringe group, all parties are taking part in the election.

'Excepting' is also possible, but less commonly used. It is usually reserved for single words or short two-word phrases:

Excepting public holidays, we are open every day of the year.

But for

But for one fringe group, all parties are taking part in the election.

'But for' is also used to mean 'If it were not for' in a conditional sentence:

But for my friend John's constant support, I would not have succeeded.

Barring

All parties are taking part in the election, barring one fringe group.

'Barring' is commonly used with single nouns:

Barring serious injury, the athlete should win four gold medals in the games.

This means: 'only serious injury will prevent the athlete from winning four gold medals'.

Save

All parties are taking part in the election, save one.

This is usually used with 'one' rather than a full phrase.

'Saving' is possible with short phrases, usually referring to something you can count or quantify:

Saving two enquiries in November, nobody has shown any interest in buying the house.

Only

Only one fringe group is not taking part in the election.

This usually comes at the start of a sentence and tends to highlight the excepted item more than 'except'. The excepted item becomes the subject of the sentence.

Alone/Lone

One fringe group alone is not taking part in the election.
One lone fringe group is not taking part in the election.

As with 'only' but more so, these two words highlight the excepted item from the others. 'Lone' as an adjective makes the excepted item sound very isolated, as in 'lonely'. It is used frequently to emphasise a single figure: 'lone gunman', 'the Lone Ranger', 'lone wolf'.

Sole

This is used also as an adjective and emphasises a single item:

Overwork was the sole reason he gave for not finishing the film.

Note: when you are writing don't get confused between 'excepting' and 'accepting'. They mean the opposite!

We are accepting applications for the job.
We are excepting applications for the job.