When to Use Accept vs. Except: A Comprehensive Guide

The English language has a lot of words that sound alike but mean different things.

Two words that often confuse people, even those who speak English all the time, are “accept” and “except.”

Even though they sound similar, they have different meanings and are used in different ways in sentences.

I will help clear up the confusion about these two words and show you how to use each one the right way.

Understanding the Basics

Before we dive into the nuances and specific use cases, let’s start with the fundamental definitions of these two words:

Accept (verb): To receive willingly; to agree to; to believe or regard as true.

Except (preposition/conjunction/verb): To exclude; to leave out; with the exception of.

At their core, “accept” is about receiving or agreeing, while “except” is about excluding or making exceptions.

This basic distinction is crucial to understanding their proper usage.

Deep Dive into “Accept”

Let’s explore “accept” in more detail, including its various forms and uses.

Forms of “Accept”

“Accept” is primarily used as a verb and can take different forms:

Base form: accept
Third-person singular: accepts
Past tense: accepted
Present participle: accepting
Past participle: accepted

Common Uses of “Accept”

a) To receive something willingly: “I accept your generous gift with gratitude.” “The committee accepted all the proposals submitted before the deadline.”

b) To agree to something: “After much deliberation, she accepted the job offer.” “We accept the terms and conditions of the contract.”

c) To believe or regard as true: “Scientists generally accept the theory of evolution.” “The court accepted the witness’s testimony as factual.”

d) To tolerate or endure: “You’ll have to accept the fact that not everyone will agree with you.” “He had to accept defeat gracefully.”

e) In social contexts, to welcome or admit: “They were finally accepted into the exclusive club.” “The university accepts only a small percentage of applicants each year.”

Idiomatic Expressions with “Accept”

“Accept” is used in several idiomatic expressions:

“Accept the challenge”: To agree to take on a difficult task.
“Accept responsibility”: To acknowledge one’s role or fault in a situation.
“Accept defeat”: To acknowledge and come to terms with losing.
“Accept the consequences”: To be willing to face the results of one’s actions.

Common Collocations with “Accept”

Certain words frequently appear alongside “accept”:

Accept an apology
Accept criticism
Accept an invitation
Accept a compliment
Accept defeat
Accept responsibility

Understanding “Except”

Now let’s turn our attention to “except” and its various applications.

Forms of “Except”

“Except” can function as a preposition, conjunction, or verb:

As a preposition: “Everyone except John came to the party.”
As a conjunction: “I would have gone, except that I was ill.”
As a verb (less common): “To except something from a rule.”

Common Uses of “Except”

a) To exclude or leave out: “The store is open every day except Sundays.” “All the students passed the exam except for two.”

b) To state an exception to a rule or general statement: “Pets are not allowed in the building, except for service animals.” “The beach is accessible to the public, except during high tide.”

c) To introduce a statement that contrasts with what was previously said: “I would join you for dinner, except that I have a prior engagement.” “He would have won the race, except he tripped near the finish line.”

Idiomatic Expressions with “Except”

“Except” appears in several idiomatic phrases:

“Except for”: Used to introduce an exception or contrast. “The trip was perfect, except for the rainy weather.”
“Present company excepted”: Used to exclude the people you’re speaking to from a general statement. “All lawyers are greedy, present company excepted, of course.”
“With the exception of”: Another way to introduce an exception. “With the exception of the goalkeeper, all players must not touch the ball with their hands.”

Common Collocations with “Except”

Words and phrases that often appear with “except”:

Except when
Except that
Except if
Except in cases of
Except under circumstances

Comparing “Accept” and “Except”

Now that we’ve explored each word individually, let’s compare them directly to highlight their differences and help avoid confusion.

Part of Speech

The primary difference in usage comes from their parts of speech:

“Accept” is primarily a verb.
“Except” is most commonly used as a preposition or conjunction, though it can sometimes be a verb.

Meaning

Their core meanings are quite different:

“Accept” is about receiving, agreeing, or believing.
“Except” is about excluding or making exceptions.

Sentence Structure

The way these words fit into sentences differs:

“Accept” usually takes a direct object: “I accept your apology.”
“Except” is often followed by a noun or noun phrase: “Everyone came except John.”

Pronunciation

While they sound similar, there is a subtle difference in pronunciation:

“Accept” is pronounced /əkˈsept/
“Except” is pronounced /ɪkˈsept/

The initial vowel sound in “accept” is a schwa (ə), while in “except” it’s a short “i” sound (ɪ).

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Despite their differences, “accept” and “except” are often confused.

Here are some common mistakes and tips to avoid them:

Mistaking One for the Other

The most common error is simply using one word when you mean the other.

For example:

Incorrect: “I will except your offer.”

Correct: “I will accept your offer.”

Incorrect: “Everyone accept John agreed.”

Correct: “Everyone except John agreed.”

Tip: Remember that “accept” is about receiving or agreeing, while “except” is about excluding.

Confusion with Similar-Sounding Words

Sometimes, “accept” and “except” are confused with other similar-sounding words:

“Expect” (to anticipate or look forward to something) Incorrect: “I except the package to arrive tomorrow.” Correct: “I expect the package to arrive tomorrow.”
“Access” (the ability to approach or enter a place) Incorrect: “The building has wheelchair accept.” Correct: “The building has wheelchair access.”

Tip: Pay attention to context. If you’re talking about anticipation, use “expect.” If you’re referring to entry or approach, use “access.”

Misuse in Idiomatic Expressions

Using the wrong word in an idiomatic expression can change its meaning entirely:

Incorrect: “Except for the fact that it’s raining, it’s a beautiful day.”

Correct: “Except for the rain, it’s a beautiful day.”

Incorrect: “I except responsibility for the error.”

Correct: “I accept responsibility for the error.”

Tip: Learn common idiomatic expressions as whole phrases rather than individual words.

Verb Form Confusion

Sometimes, people try to use “except” as a verb when they mean “accept”:

Incorrect: “Please except my sincere apologies.”

Correct: “Please accept my sincere apologies.”

Tip: Remember that while “accept” is commonly used as a verb, “except” is rarely used this way in modern English.

Practical Examples and Exercises

To reinforce your understanding, let’s look at some practical examples and exercises.

Example Sentences:

“I’m willing to accept constructive criticism, except when it’s delivered in a harsh manner.”
“The conference accepts papers on all topics except those that have been previously published.”
“Everyone is invited to the party except those who haven’t RSVP’d.”
“I can’t accept your explanation; there must be more to the story.”
“The new policy applies to all employees except those in the marketing department.”

Exercise:

Fill in the blanks with either “accept” or “except”:

All major credit cards are _____, _____ for American Express.
I would _____ your invitation, _____ that I already have plans.
The museum is open every day _____ Mondays.
Please _____ my apologies for the inconvenience.
Everyone _____ the winner seemed disappointed with the results.

(Answers: 1. accepted, except; 2. accept, except; 3. except; 4. accept; 5. except)

Advanced Considerations

As you become more comfortable with the basic uses of “accept” and “except,” it’s worth exploring some more advanced considerations.

“Except” as a Verb

While less common, “except” can be used as a verb meaning “to leave out” or “to exclude.” This usage is mostly found in formal or legal contexts:

“The contract excepts certain liabilities from the general indemnification clause.”

“Accepting” vs. “Excepting”

The -ing forms of these words can sometimes cause confusion:

“Accepting” is the present participle of “accept”: “By accepting this award, she acknowledged years of hard work.”
“Excepting” can be used as a preposition meaning “except for”: “Excepting a few minor details, the plan was flawless.”

Noun Forms

Both words have noun forms, but they’re used differently:

“Acceptance” (noun form of “accept”): “His acceptance of the situation showed great maturity.”
“Exception” (noun form of “except”): “There are always exceptions to the rule.”

In Compound Words

“Accept” and “except” appear in different compound words:

“Accept” compounds:

- Acceptable
- Unacceptable
- Self-acceptance

“Except” compounds:

- Exception
- Exceptional
- Except-that

Conclusion

Learning how to use “accept” and “except” correctly is a key part of improving your English skills.

Even though they sound alike, they have different meanings and roles in sentences.

“Accept” means to receive, agree with, or believe in something, while “except” means to leave something out or make an exception.

Remember these key points:

“Accept” is primarily a verb, while “except” is most often a preposition or conjunction.
“Accept” is about inclusion; “except” is about exclusion.
Pay attention to context and sentence structure to determine which word is appropriate.
Be aware of common idioms and expressions that use these words.

If you practice and pay close attention, you’ll be able to use “accept” and “except” correctly in your writing and speaking.

Just like with other things you learn, the secret is to read a lot, practice often, and feel free to ask questions if you’re confused.

By choosing to tackle these tricky words, you’re making a big move in your language skills.

And don’t forget, making mistakes is totally okay — it’s a normal part of learning.

Keep at it, and before you know it, using “accept” and “except” will feel easy and natural!