except for a few instances

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "except for a few instances" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something is generally true, but that there are certain exceptions. For example, "The company has a strict dress code policy, except for a few instances where more casual clothing is allowed."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Except for a few instances from one of the five subjects tested, no social behaviors were observed with either the mirror or the control (Table 1).

Plosone

The overall degree of inter-method similarity rises marginally as the least robust edges are removed; the heatmaps aren't becoming substantially more yellow-red as the cutoff is increased, except for a few instances.

Plosone

The remaining representative OGs containing single pRF ORFs generally reflect the distribution reported by Gillespie et al. [28] based on BLASTP results, except for a few instances (italicized OGs in Table 13).

Plosone

Except for a few instances (7 disagreements), the two curators agreed on their common annotations (54 agreements).

Database : the journal of biological databases and curation

(Key Informant) Relationships between PLHIV and non-PLHIV groups were generally positive, except for a few instances cited by respondents of some unwillingness of non-PLHIV groups to engage with HIV groups.

AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

It's not really very rewarding, except in a few instances, and it depends upon who's written it.

The Guardian - Books

was concerned almost entirely with the problem of exposure of the actual members of the Communist Party, and did not deal, except in a few instances, with..

Cornell University

Except in a few instances when it didn't "pay off" emotionally and Geffen became super successfully controversial and feared.

Huffington Post

Except in a few instances where the fluorescence change was small (~10%), all fits were excellent, with very small errors (see Tables 1 3).

Biochemical Journal

What do I think of glory – except that in a few instances 'this mortal [George Eliot] has already put on immortality'".

The Guardian - Books

In a few instances, countries combined.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "except for a few instances" to acknowledge exceptions without undermining the general validity of a statement. This adds nuance and precision to your writing.

Common error

Avoid relying too heavily on "except for a few instances" as it can make your writing repetitive. Vary your language by using synonyms such as "with a few exceptions" or "save for a few instances" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "except for a few instances" primarily functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces an exception to a general statement. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "except for a few instances" is a versatile prepositional phrase used to qualify a general statement by acknowledging the existence of exceptions. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's grammatically correct and suitable for various writing contexts. While common in scientific, news, and academic writing, it is important to avoid overuse and consider synonyms like "with a few exceptions" to add variety. Remember, precision and nuanced language enhance clarity and credibility in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

with a few exceptions

Replaces the "except for" construction with a "with" construction, making it slightly more concise.

save for a few instances

Uses "save for" instead of "except for", providing a slightly more formal tone.

with limited exceptions

Emphasizes the limited nature of the exceptions.

apart from a few cases

Substitutes "except" with "apart from" and "instances" with "cases", offering a subtle change in wording.

excluding a handful of times

Replaces "few instances" with "handful of times", making it less formal.

barring a couple of situations

Uses "barring" and "situations" instead of "except" and "instances", resulting in a more conversational tone.

in rare instances

Focuses on the rareness of the exceptions, omitting the "except for" construction.

excluding some occasions

Changes "a few instances" to "some occasions", slightly shifting the focus.

on few occasions

Similar to "in rare instances", but emphasizes the infrequency of the occasions.

seldomly

Offers a more succinct way to convey the idea of rare exceptions using an adverb.

FAQs

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

Use "except for a few instances" to indicate that something is generally true, but there are some exceptions. For example, "The museum is open every day, "except for a few instances" during major holidays".

What are some alternatives to "except for a few instances"?

You can use alternatives such as "with a few exceptions", "save for a few instances", or "apart from a few cases".

Is it grammatically correct to say "except for a few instance" (singular)?

No, it is not grammatically correct. "Instances" should be plural because you are referring to more than one exception. The correct phrase is ""except for a few instances"".

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

The phrases are very similar and often interchangeable. However, ""except for a few instances"" might imply a slightly stronger general rule, while ""with a few exceptions"" can suggest a more flexible situation.