What’s the difference between accept and except?

This week we are looking at two words which are sometimes confused: accept and except.

accept

Accept /əkˈsept/ is a verb. If someone offers you something and you accept it, you agree to take it.

I never accept presents from clients.

Your old clothes will be gratefully accepted by the organizers.

except

Except /ɪkˈsept/is a preposition or conjunction. You use it to show that a statement does not include a particular thing or person.

They were all chatting about the holiday except Paul.

Ida would not speak to him except to answer questions. 

Find out more in our English Usage article.

This blogpost is based on Collins COBUILD English Usage, written for learners of English. For more examples of English usage points, please visit:  https://grammar.collinsdictionary.com/english-usage.

All opinions expressed on this blog are those of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company, HarperCollins.

Related Articles

Other Articles

British and American English spelling differences

While the British and the Americans understand each other the vast majority of the time, there are still many important differences between British and US English, which can lead to confusion or humorous misunderstandings. On paper, the most obvious difference between British and American English is the spelling (just as… Read More

What’s the difference between its and it’s?

Its and it’s are homophones that are often confused by learners and native speakers of English alike. Here is a short guide to help understand the difference between them. its Its is a possessive determiner. You use its to show that something belongs or relates to a thing, place, animal, or child. The… Read More

What’s the difference between their, there and they’re?

Their, there and they’re are homophones that are often confused by learners and native speakers of English alike. Here is a short guide to help understand the difference between them. their Their is a possessive determiner. You use their to show that something belongs or relates to a thing, place, animal, or child. Read More