except for a few exceptions

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "except for a few exceptions" is an idiomatic expression used in written English to indicate that something is generally true, but there are some notable exceptions.
For example, "Most animals hibernate during the winter months, except for a few exceptions, such as squirrels and mice."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Most of them, except for a few exceptions I discovered in my trials, work very, very well.

TechCrunch

Research that applies for approval from the U.S. FDA also must have been conducted according to FDA regulations which, except for a few exceptions, are essentially the same.

SEP

"Rouhani's speech has made the world happy, except for a few exceptions," another moderate paper, Mardom Salari, said in its editorial.

BBC

At the 10% level, also similar pattern was observed regarding CHE except for a few exceptions such as, older population of 60+ years, households who belong to the Hindu religious community and persons who died after the accidental injury, who incurred higher CHE.

Health Economics Review

While many fintech founders and investors have expressed concerns over the ambiguity and confusion of regulations, and there is such a thing as too much regulation, for the burgeoning financial technology industry — except for a few exceptions — too much might still be better than too little.

TechCrunch

The theater has had trouble filling seats except for a few exceptions in the past several seasons.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Overall, if we except species with a clear dispersal-dedicated apparatus [ 24, 45, 47, 58], evidence for genetic variation in dispersal syndromes and close dissections of trait associations are scarce (for a few exceptions [ 39, 41, 44], see also [ 38]).

BMC Evolutionary Biology

There were a few exceptions for virus attachment (Table).

Emerging Infectious Diseases

The gdh sequences were identical with published gdh sequences for each assemblage with a few exceptions.

Infection, Genetics and Evolution

With a few exceptions, the funding mechanisms for the specialized TB services remained unchanged.

Health Economics Review

The changes for elements with higher atomic number were generally smaller, with a few exceptions.

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "except for a few exceptions", ensure that the exceptions are genuinely few and do not undermine the general statement's validity. If the exceptions are numerous, consider rephrasing the main claim to be more accurate.

Common error

Avoid using "except for a few exceptions" when the exceptions are significant or common. This can weaken your argument and mislead the reader. Instead, qualify the main statement more directly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "except for a few exceptions" functions as a qualifier, modifying a preceding statement by indicating that it holds true in most cases but not universally. This is supported by Ludwig AI which sees it as idiomatic.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

41%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "except for a few exceptions" is a qualifier used to acknowledge minor deviations from a general statement. Ludwig AI says that is an idiomatic expression. It is grammatically sound and appears most frequently in news and scientific contexts. When using the phrase, it's important to ensure that the exceptions are truly limited and that listing these exceptions enhances clarity. Alternative phrases like "with some exceptions" or "barring a few exceptions" offer similar meanings but can subtly alter the tone or emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

with some exceptions

This alternative is shorter and more direct, omitting the "few" for brevity.

barring a few exceptions

This alternative uses "barring" to introduce the exceptions, adding a slightly more formal tone.

save for a few exceptions

This alternative employs "save for" which carries a similar meaning to "except for", maintaining a neutral tone.

apart from a few exceptions

This alternative uses "apart from" as a substitute for "except for", providing a slightly different phrasing.

excluding a few exceptions

This alternative substitutes "excluding" for "except for", directly indicating the items that are not included.

with limited exceptions

This alternative replaces "a few" with "limited", emphasizing the restricted number of exceptions.

subject to a few exceptions

This alternative uses "subject to" to indicate that the general rule is conditional on these exceptions.

aside from a handful of exceptions

This alternative uses "handful" to emphasize the small quantity of exceptions.

but there are some exceptions

This alternative is a more direct and less idiomatic way of expressing the same idea.

almost always

This alternative reduces the phrase to an adverb implying exceptions.

FAQs

How can I use "except for a few exceptions" in a sentence?

Use "except for a few exceptions" to indicate that a general statement is true, but there are some minor deviations. For instance, "All students passed the exam, "except for a few exceptions" who were absent."

What can I say instead of "except for a few exceptions"?

You can use alternatives like "with some exceptions", "barring a few exceptions", or "save for a few exceptions" depending on the context.

Is it okay to list the exceptions after using "except for a few exceptions"?

Yes, it is good practice to list the exceptions after using ""except for a few exceptions"" to provide clarity and avoid ambiguity. For example, "Most fruits are sweet, "except for a few exceptions", like lemons and limes."

What's the difference between "except for a few exceptions" and "with the exception of"?

"Except for a few exceptions" indicates a general rule with minor deviations, while "with the exception of" highlights specific exclusions. The former emphasizes the rule, and the latter emphasizes the exceptions.