When is except a preposition

He likes it for other purposes. Teresa likes candy , but she can't eat it because of her diabetes. Except and but , in the examples below, express exclusion after a positive or negative generalization is made. They are both prepositions in this usage. An object pronoun him, her, them, us,me is used after except for.

And for can be omitted before a noun or a noun phrase. He likes all vegetables except for carrots. PP — placed end of clause. He likes all vegetables but carrots. Except for carrots , he likes all vegetables. PP — place before clause. Everyone except for him in our family likes vegetables. Everyone in our family except for him likes vegetables. Everyone in our family likes vegetables except for him.

Everyone in our family likes vegetables but him. OK Teresa eats liver. Nobody eats liver except for Teresa. Nobody eats liver but Teresa.

He usually eats sweets except when someone is looking. He often eats sweets. Prepositional Complements. Everyone in our family drinks coffee except at night. We have a sugary treat everyday except during Lent. He likes honey except as a sweetener in his tea. He likes it for all other purposes.

As — meanings. Teresa likes candy except that she can't eat it because of her diabetes. She doesn't eat candy. That Clause, Clause as Complement to Preposition. Also see Besides vs. Except for setting aside information—including or excluding and Prepositional Complements.

Nothing but is an expression meaning "only". It emphasizes the noun after it. Jack eats nothing but hamburgers. There was nothing but sugar in the "energy bar". He was nothing but trouble. All but expresses an exception or only this is left. He ate all but one hamburger. They sold all but two energy bars. The food is all but finished. Eating this seems all but impossible. If not for your help, I would never have finished on time.

But for your help, I would never have finished on time. I looked down the street, and luckily I found a parking space! I was walking down the street, and who should I see but Jack. I looked down the street, and what should I find but a parking space! View the pronunciation for except. Open Dictionary. Other entries for this word. Except can be used in the following ways:.

Synonyms and related words. Only, except and not including. Thesaurus Trending Words blue movie. Synonyms of the month gift. Find the answers with Practical English Usage online, your indispensable guide to problems in English. Join our community to access the latest language learning and assessment tips from Oxford University Press! Find out which words work together and produce more natural sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app.

Toggle navigation. Resources home Text Checker. Resources Resources home Text Checker. English American English. Enter search text.