except for crowds

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "except for crowds" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that a particular statement or condition does not apply to crowds or that crowds are an exception to a general rule. Example: "The park is usually quiet, except for crowds during the summer festival."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Travel

Sports

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Except for crowds.

The New York Times - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

In this year's report, for instance, the No. 6 line, one of the lines that has benefited from new trains, came out best over all, performing above average in all categories except for crowding.

The New York Times

That's why the crocodile tears shed by publishers and the open except for Flash crowd fail to resonate.

TechCrunch

Regarding "Breaking the mold on U.S. foreign policy" (Views, Oct. 2): Except for the interventionist crowd, Americans may well relate to Graham E. Fuller's excellent article arguing for the quiet "unraveling" of American exceptionalism and unilateralism.

The New York Times

There are no barriers shielding the crowd, except for snow fencing at the start and finish lines, and crowds tend to cluster around those quirks in the terrain that will offer the most thrills, like the rock pile jump where Saturday night's crash occurred.

The New York Times

There are no barriers separating the vehicles from the crowds, except for snow fencing at the beginning and end of the loop.

The New York Times

To balance these interests, musicians may perform anywhere in the park, except for small areas where crowds can become problematic, or where music can drown out the natural sounds of the park, like the area immediately around Bethesda Fountain.

The New York Times

"It's not a good-looking crowd, except for my girlfriend," said an uptown media executive named Brian who was standing on a banquette upstairs.

The New York Times

Not long after the scuffle, a brief tribute to the Olympic hockey tournament was shown on the scoreboard, to virtually no response from the crowd, except for some tepid applause for Ryan Callahan and Chris Drury of the Rangers, and loud boos for Crosby.

The New York Times - Sports

This rugged gem of a beach may be narrower, but it's rarely crowded, except for the tropical fish that you can see darting in the startlingly clear water.

The New York Times - Travel

"Mitt will get everyone in that crowd, except for one or two," said one business executive who had been watching closely to see if Mr. Christie got into the race, but who asked for anonymity to shed light on private discussions among the New Jersey governor's top supporters.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "except for crowds" to specifically highlight that a general statement does not apply when crowds are present, creating a clear and concise exception.

Common error

Avoid using "except for crowds" in situations where the presence or absence of crowds is not a relevant factor. Ensure the context logically relates to the impact or implications of crowd size.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "except for crowds" functions as a prepositional phrase, introducing an exception to a general statement. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is used to specify that a certain condition does not apply in the presence of crowds. Examples from Ludwig show its use in travel writing and news reports.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Travel

30%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "except for crowds" is a grammatically sound and frequently used prepositional phrase to introduce an exception related to crowds. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in various contexts. It is commonly found in news and travel writing. Consider alternatives like "aside from crowds" or "excluding crowds" for stylistic variation. Understanding its proper use and potential misuse ensures clarity in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excluding crowds

This alternative directly replaces "except for" with "excluding", maintaining the same meaning.

aside from crowds

This phrase uses "aside from" to convey a similar meaning of setting crowds apart as an exception.

apart from crowds

Similar to "aside from", this option uses "apart from" to indicate an exception.

but not crowds

This option offers a more direct and concise way of stating the exception.

other than crowds

This alternative uses "other than" to convey a similar meaning to "except for".

with the exception of crowds

This alternative provides a more formal and emphatic way of expressing the exclusion of crowds.

not including crowds

This choice explicitly states that crowds are not included in the general statement.

save for crowds

This is a slightly more archaic but still valid way of saying "except for".

barring crowds

This option offers a more concise way of stating the exception.

excluding the presence of crowds

This phrase is a more verbose alternative, emphasizing the absence of crowds.

FAQs

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

You can use "except for crowds" to indicate an exception to a general condition. For example, "The park is usually quiet, "except for crowds" during the summer festival."

What are some alternatives to saying "except for crowds"?

Alternatives include phrases like "aside from crowds", "excluding crowds", or "with the exception of crowds", depending on the desired level of formality.

Is "except for crowds" grammatically correct?

Yes, "except for crowds" is grammatically correct. The preposition "except for" is properly used to introduce an exception to a general statement.

What's the difference between "except for crowds" and "excluding crowds"?

While both phrases are similar, ""except for crowds"" implies a more general statement with a specific exception, whereas "excluding crowds" directly omits crowds from consideration from the start. The choice depends on the intended emphasis.