Grammatically Correct 10/12/04
A weekly grammar tip created by Academic Center Peer Writing Tutors.
University of Houston-Victoria
3007 N. Ben Wilson
Victoria, TX 77901
Accept versus Except
by Kelli Trungale

Accept and except are often confused with one another because they are homophones. Homophones are words that are pronounced alike but have different spellings and meanings.

Accept is a verb. It is normally associated with the phrase “to receive.”

Ex: In a letter to Hollywood’s Friar’s Club, Groucho Marx said, “Please accept my resignation. I don’t care to belong to any club that will have me as a member.”
Ex: The candidate’s views were not widely accepted.

Note that in the above sentence “accepted” is used to mean “to agree that something is right.”

Except is most often used as a preposition. In this sense, it means “with the exclusion of.”

Ex: Mike brought everything on the camping trip except his kitchen sink.

Except is occasionally used as a verb. In this sense, it means “to leave out.”

Ex: It is unfair to except Susan from the graduation ceremony.


Definitions

Accept (v)
To take something that is offered

Accept (v)
To agree that something is true or right

Except (p)
Also except for, used before naming the people and things that are not included in a statement

Except (v)
To exclude someone or something

Definitions are adapted from the Longman Advanced American Dictionary and Merriam-Webster’s Online.
Recommended Grammar Website of the Week
by Kelli Trungale
Along with our website, we recommend the following site: Webgrammar.com. This site contains useful grammar basics, dictionaries and various writing resources. It also allows visitors to sign up for a monthly newsletter that provides grammar tips, computer usage hints, and valuable resource recommendations.
Test Your Knowledge
by Kelli Trungale
Test your understanding by choosing the correct word in each of the following sentences.

1. Everyone (accept/except) Tracy attended the company’s career fair.

2. Robby was (accepted/excepted) from the race after he wrecked his car.

3. Jamie’s manager gave her one week to (accept/except) the job offer.

Answers

1. Everyone except Tracy attended the company’s career fair.

2. Robby was excepted from the race after he wrecked his car.

3. Jamie’s manager gave her one week to accept the job offer.

 

Grammatically Correct is a grammar tip of the week created by Academic Center Peer Writing Tutors at the University of Houston-Victoria in Victoria, Texas.

Comments about this newsletter should be directed to Summer Leibensperger, leibenspergers@uhv.edu.

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