almost everything except

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "almost everything except" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that a statement or situation applies to nearly all items or cases, with a few specific exceptions. Example: "I enjoy almost everything except horror movies; they are just too intense for me."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

Kazan has been called almost everything, except boring.

The Guardian - Books

Large companies today are global in almost everything except their governance and their board.

The Economist

Twentieth-century construction had destroyed almost everything except natural Pleistocene subsoil.

The New York Times

I find this an unconvincing argument for almost everything, except perhaps crepes suzette.

The Economist

Mr. Livingston was charming and ebullient about almost everything — except politics.

The New York Times

that adequately conveys almost everything except Le Monde's magical and superior tone.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

The program included almost everything imaginable except Ives.

The New York Times - Arts

Darwin got almost everything right, except that he did view the human female brain as riding along on the evolutionary coat-tails of the male brain.

The New York Times - Science

In short, aside from the draft, all the "issues" in "Hair" seem to have to do with race, and the task of representing them falls on the overburdened black characters, who have to do almost everything here except tap-dance.

The New Yorker

Almost everything, in fact, except a hyena in petticoats.

The New York Times - Books

Sandberg has done almost everything in baseball except win the World Series.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "almost everything except" when you want to emphasize the broad scope of something while acknowledging specific exclusions, providing a balanced perspective.

Common error

Avoid vague exceptions. Instead of saying "almost everything except some things", be specific about what those 'some things' are to maintain clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost everything except" functions as a prepositional phrase that qualifies a statement, indicating a broad generalization with specific exceptions. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

15%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Science

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "almost everything except" is a grammatically sound and frequently used construction in the English language, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It serves to express a generalization while clearly specifying exceptions. Its versatility makes it suitable for a range of contexts, most notably in News & Media. When employing this phrase, ensure the exceptions are clearly defined. Alternatives such as "nearly all but" or "virtually everything barring" can be considered for stylistic variation. The phrase allows for nuanced communication, emphasizing inclusivity while acknowledging limitations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly all but

Focuses on the 'nearly all' aspect, directly specifying the exceptions.

almost all with the exception of

More formal and explicitly states that an exception exists.

practically everything excluding

Replaces 'almost' with 'practically' and 'except' with 'excluding'.

virtually everything barring

Uses 'virtually' to soften the generalization and 'barring' instead of 'except'.

just about everything save for

Informal, using 'just about' and 'save for' for a less formal tone.

largely everything apart from

Emphasizes the 'largely' aspect, indicating a significant portion.

mostly everything not including

Uses 'mostly' to indicate the majority and 'not including' to list exclusions.

generally everything aside from

Emphasizes the general nature of the statement, with specific items set 'aside from'.

all but a few things

Expresses the concept by specifying that 'all' is applicable 'but a few things'.

everything but these items

Directly states that everything is included with specific 'items' as the exception.

FAQs

How can I use "almost everything except" in a sentence?

Use "almost everything except" to indicate that a statement is generally true, but with specific exceptions. For example, "I enjoy "almost everything except" horror movies."

What's a more formal way to say "almost everything except"?

A more formal alternative is "almost all with the exception of". For instance, "Almost all with the exception of certain confidential documents are available for review."

Is it better to use "except for" or "except" after "almost everything"?

"Except" and "except for" are often interchangeable, but "except for" can provide slightly more emphasis on the exception. Both "almost everything except X" and "almost everything except for X" are grammatically correct.

What are some alternatives to "almost everything except" that still convey a similar meaning?

Alternatives include "nearly all but", "practically everything excluding", or "virtually everything barring" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.