but except

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "but except" is not correct and usable in written English.
It is generally not used together as they convey conflicting meanings; "but" indicates a contrast while "except" indicates exclusion. Example: "I like all fruits but except bananas."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

Liars use more upbeat words like "pal" and "friend" but fewer excluding words like "but," "except" and "without".

The New York Times

But, except for her boobs, she is not very interesting.

The New Yorker

But except for low-income couples, full relief never arrives.

The New York Times

But except for moments like this, that had mainly passed.

The New York Times - Magazine

But, except for Japan, the independent firms mostly ignored Asia.

The New York Times

But except in Japan, these problems have long since been fixed.

The Economist

But except in extreme cases, I don't think a spouse has much influence on votes.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

But excepting the Rev.

The New York Times - Arts

But all of them -- including Cayne, but excepting Molinaro -- were named individually as potential defendants in the Ambac case.

Huffington Post

But excepting a stint with a touring clog troupe as a child, Chaplin never formally trained his body.

Huffington Post

No pricing yet but Samsung excepts to ship in April.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "but except" in your writing. Instead, choose either "but" or "except for" to clearly express contrast or exclusion.

Common error

Don't combine "but" and "except" as they both serve to introduce exceptions or limitations. This creates an unnecessary and confusing phrase. Select the word that best fits the context to improve clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "but except" functions as a conjunction phrase, attempting to introduce an exception or contrast. However, Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically incorrect due to redundancy. The intended function is to limit or qualify a previous statement, but the combination of "but" and "except" is semantically flawed.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Encyclopedias

7%

Science

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "but except" appears in various sources, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect due to its redundant nature. Both "but" and "except" serve to introduce exceptions, making their combination unnecessary and confusing. It's advisable to use alternatives like "except for", "but not", or "other than" for clarity. Despite its common occurrence, especially in News & Media contexts, its incorrectness makes it unsuitable for formal writing. The expert rating underscores the need for caution when encountering or considering using this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

but not

Replaces "except" entirely, focusing on what is excluded after a general statement.

except for

Focuses solely on the exception, omitting the initial contrast implied by "but".

other than

Similar to "except for" but can introduce a slightly broader range of exceptions.

aside from

Another alternative to "except for", often used to introduce something supplementary or incidental.

with the exception of

More formal way of saying "except for", suitable for academic or business contexts.

excluding

Directly indicates exclusion, similar to "except", but used as a present participle.

apart from

British English equivalent of "aside from" or "except for".

save for

Less common, slightly archaic alternative to "except for".

not including

Explicitly excludes something from a list or category.

barring

Indicates something that prevents or obstructs, acting as an exception.

FAQs

Why is "but except" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "but except" "except" is redundant because "but" and "except" both introduce an exception or contrast. Using them together creates an unnecessary double negative or contradictory statement.

What are some better alternatives to "but except"?

Instead of "but except", use alternatives such as "except for", "but not", or "other than" to clearly indicate an exception.

How can I use "except for" correctly in a sentence?

Use "except for" to introduce a specific exclusion. For example, "I enjoy all fruits except for bananas".

Is there a situation where "but except" is acceptable?

No, "but except" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It is better to use clearer and more concise alternatives such as "except for" or "however" to avoid confusion.