Accept and except are another pair of words that often are mistaken for each other. The root cause is the sound; their similarity in sound sometimes leads to what can only be called an identity crisis. The one’s exchanged for the other and has no idea what to do in the sentence because it isn’t the right word nor is it equipped to handle whatever responsibilities the sentence is trying to place on it.
Accept is a verb that means “receive.” Thus, I can accept your gift (What did you get me? A book? Shoes?). I might even accept your gift initially but take exception to it later. Such is the case with almost all white elephant gifts: feigned acceptance, future exception.
Except, too, can play the part of a verb. In such cases, it means to “leave out.” It’s not used very often; the following sentence simply sounds odd in American English: “I’m sorry you excepted Sally from the guest list. She had a gift for you.” Was it a good gift or one to which the person in charge of the guest list would have taken exception? No one knows, but, if Sally is invited to the next get-together, it’s more than likely that the gift will be one to be “excepted.”
While except can work as a verb, it more often fulfills the duty of preposition or conjunction. It means “but for” or “other than.” Thus, I can accept all the gifts given me except the golf clubs, or, in the case of the guest list, “Everyone was invited except Sally.” Sally, of course, now is a very sad girl. Someone should get her a present. She probably would appreciate and accept it.
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