except for a good

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "except for a good" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to indicate an exception, but it lacks context to be used effectively. Example: "Everyone was invited to the party, except for a good friend who was out of town."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Except for a good classic Caesar, other salads were blah.

The New York Times

The plateau de fruits de mer was our entire meal, except for a good grand cru Chablis Les Preuses 1998 from Réné Dauvissat and for dessert, granité de pommes -- a grainy apple sorbet -- doused with Calvados.

The New York Times - Food

There is very little up-front investment for self-published authors except for a good story and a little HTML gumption and Amazon, PayPal, and Barnes & Noble (and Apple) made it easy to publish anything, any time.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

But there is no need and no reason to express superiority regarding the losers of a game - especially not for the fans, who didn't do anything (except for creating a good mood, perhaps) to achieve the victory.

The Guardian - Sport

Except for A Few Good Men (1992), the films made by Brown's own company, The Manhattan Project, Ltd, were less impressive at the box office.

Independent

Every year since 1992, except for a moderately good year in 1995, the rainfall has been below average.

Pastoralism: Research, Policy and Practice

It is an awful, awful, terrible place, filled with grifters and whores and the touring cast of Mamma Mia, and terrible overpriced food, except for a few good brunch places out in the county where tourists do not go.

Huffington Post

(I especially like the nods to the musical "Funny Girl," first in Deloris' "I'm the Greatest Star -like anthem. No Star -likeout the second reference, except to santhemmakes for a good laugh).

Los Angeles Times

All a body needed for a good workday except good work.

The New Yorker

We're not meant to ask such things as why a retired computer entrepreneur like Don Johnston would live in what appears to be a forlorn upstate New York town; or why he has no interests or friends except for a chattering, good-hearted busybody, Winston Jeffrey Wrightt), who lives next door.

The New Yorker

Four hours had passed since we first set out, and there was little to show for it except a good buzz and a stack of nudie mags.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating an exception, clarify what specific quality or characteristic is being considered 'good'. For example, 'except for a good reason' or 'except for a good effort'.

Common error

Avoid using "except for a good" without specifying the noun. This creates ambiguity. Instead of saying "The movie was bad except for a good", specify what was good: "The movie was bad except for a good performance by the lead actor".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "except for a good" functions as a qualifying phrase, indicating an exception to a general statement. However, it is considered grammatically incomplete because it lacks a specific noun following "good". Ludwig AI highlights the lack of clarity with this phrase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "except for a good" is grammatically questionable, often requiring a noun to complete its meaning. Ludwig AI considers it incorrect due to its lack of clarity and context. While it appears in various contexts like News & Media and Science, it is infrequent and should be used cautiously. It's crucial to specify what is considered 'good' to avoid ambiguity. Consider using alternatives like "except for a good reason" or specifying a particular attribute for clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

aside from a decent

Replaces "good" with "decent" while retaining the sense of exception, focusing on an adequate quality.

apart from a fine

Substitutes "except" with "apart", keeping the focus on a positive quality exception.

excluding a superior

Replaces "except" with "excluding", highlighting a high-quality exception.

save for a positive

Uses "save for" instead of "except", focusing on an affirmative exception.

but for a quality

Employs "but for" to indicate exception, emphasizing the characteristic of quality.

other than a superb

Replaces "except" with "other than", highlighting a highly impressive exception.

with the exception of a great

Expands the phrase to be more explicit about the exclusion of something "great".

besides a wonderful

Uses "besides" to introduce an exception, emphasizing the delightful quality.

leaving out a remarkable

Focuses on the act of "leaving out" a noticeable or exceptional thing.

not counting a first-rate

Uses "not counting" to set aside a "first-rate" element.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "except for a good" to be more grammatically sound?

You can use phrases like "except for a good reason", "except for a good cause", or specify what exactly is 'good' about the exception.

Is "except for a good" grammatically correct in English?

The phrase "except for a good" is generally considered grammatically incomplete. It typically requires a noun or more context to be considered correct.

What does "except for a good" imply when used in a sentence?

It implies that there is an exception based on something that is considered of good quality, but without specifying what that good thing is, the sentence remains vague.

Which is a better alternative: "except for a good reason" or "except for a good"?

"Except for a good reason" is significantly better as it provides a clear and complete thought, specifying the nature of the exception, while "except for a good" is incomplete.