doing everything except

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "doing everything except" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to indicate that all actions are being taken except for one specific thing. Example: "She was doing everything except studying for the exam." Alternative expressions include "doing all but" and "doing everything but."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Obama was doing everything except winning.

The New York Times - Magazine

"They're doing everything except make people laugh, and that is actually the hardest thing to do.

The Guardian

The F.D.A. seems to be interested in doing everything except what they are responsible for".

The New York Times

Holmgren joked about opening a bookstore, but more than that, the year ahead will serve to gauge his reaction to doing nothing, or doing everything except the one thing he has always done.

The New York Times - Sports

He devotes all of his time and all of his attention to trying to finish his movie — reëditing, shooting additional footage, reconceptualizing — doing everything except actually finishing it, and using the need to finish it as a justification for doing nothing else, in his art, but, especially, in his life.

The New Yorker

"It's getting harder and harder to use the toilets in the bars because there are so many people in the toilets doing everything except using the toilets," said Jason, 45, who said he first tried cocaine two years ago at a Manhattan party.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

It's already everywhere, does everything-except sell at 50.

Forbes

He will do everything except play.

The New York Times - Sports

He did everything except play basketball.

The New York Times - Sports

They did everything except muzzle Steven Gerrard.

The Guardian - Sport

I do everything except the merch table.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "doing everything except" to emphasize the comprehensive nature of actions taken, while highlighting a specific exclusion for strategic or practical reasons.

Common error

Avoid using "doing everything except" if the scope of actions is limited or unclear; this can lead to confusion about what is actually being done.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "doing everything except" functions as a verb phrase that introduces an exception to an otherwise comprehensive action. This is supported by Ludwig AI, which confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

90%

Science

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "doing everything except" is a grammatically correct and useful construction to emphasize a broad range of activities while specifying a single, notable exception. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's validity and versatility across various contexts. Predominantly found in news and media sources, it maintains a neutral tone suitable for diverse communication needs. When employing this phrase, ensure the exception is clearly defined to maintain clarity. Related phrases such as "performing all actions except" and "handling everything but" offer nuanced alternatives depending on the intended emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

performing all actions except

Focuses more on formal execution than general activity.

handling everything but

Emphasizes managing tasks rather than just doing them.

taking care of everything apart from

Highlights responsibility and care in completing tasks.

attending to everything excluding

More formal; emphasizes careful attention and precision.

managing everything save for

More formal and literary; emphasizes control and oversight.

addressing all issues except

Highlights problem-solving and resolution in specific scenarios.

completing every task except

Focuses on the successful finish of all duties, minus one.

executing all but one action

Emphasizes the active implementation of various tasks.

doing all things but

A more concise and direct phrasing, less common in modern usage.

undertaking all tasks with one exception

Emphasizes a deliberate and comprehensive approach to tasks.

FAQs

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

You can use "doing everything except" to indicate that a comprehensive set of actions is being performed, with one specific action excluded. For example, "He was "doing everything except studying" for the exam".

What phrases are similar to "doing everything except"?

Similar phrases include "doing all but", "handling everything but", or "taking care of everything apart from", each emphasizing a comprehensive action with a specific exclusion.

Is it grammatically correct to say "doing everything except"?

Yes, "doing everything except" is grammatically correct. It's a commonly used phrase to express that all actions are being taken apart from one specific action.

What's the difference between "doing everything except" and "doing almost everything"?

"Doing everything except" specifies one particular action that is not being done, while "doing almost everything" implies that a few unspecified actions are not being done. The former is more precise.