except for him

USAGE SUMMARY

'except for him' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that someone or something is excluded from the group you are referring to. For example, "Everyone was invited to the party except for him."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

"Everyone had left except for him.

The Guardian

The terrace is empty except for him.

The New Yorker

(a) "We both had our legitimacy questioned, except for him".

The New Yorker

No one had anything going except for him.

The New York Times - Sports

I don't know what else could have been done except for him to be more patient".

The New York Times

"Politics" is Bloomberg-speak for what everybody running for office does — except for him.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

30 human-written examples

Nothing could beat it for him". Except a Philadelphia Eagles game.

The New York Times

Nothing could be done with this burden except wait for him to die — one more cold night.

The New Yorker

Except that for him, it involves twice the words, twice the season-defining matches and a level of email traffic he has not got around to quantifying.

Independent

But, the way he sees it, except for torturing him, his country would have nothing to do with him.

Los Angeles Times

The number of events per sample was 5,000, except for the him-8 analysis where 1,000 events were read.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "except for him", ensure that the context makes it clear who "him" refers to. If the reference is unclear, revise the sentence to avoid confusion.

Common error

Avoid using "except for him" when you intend to exclude multiple people. If you need to exclude several individuals, use a phrase like "except for them" or list the individuals specifically.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "except for him" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a statement by introducing an exception. It singles out a particular male individual from a larger group or situation.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Academia

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "except for him" is a prepositional phrase used to explicitly exclude a male individual from a broader statement. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly employed across diverse contexts such as news, academia, and general conversation. While alternatives like ""apart from him"" or ""excluding him"" exist, understanding the nuances of each alternative ensures accurate and effective communication. Pay attention to the scope of exclusion and avoid ambiguity by specifying who is being referenced by "him".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

apart from him

Replaces "except for" with "apart from", maintaining a similar meaning of exclusion but with a slight shift in emphasis.

excluding him

Uses a gerund form to express the act of excluding someone, which can be more direct in certain contexts.

with the exception of him

Offers a more formal and emphatic way of indicating an exclusion.

save for him

Provides a slightly archaic alternative, implying that only he is the exception.

other than him

Indicates a difference or deviation, similar to "except for", but may imply a broader range of differences.

besides him

Can also mean 'in addition to him', so context is important to ensure it implies exclusion.

not counting him

Offers an informal way of excluding someone from a count or consideration.

but him

A more concise, though less formal, way to indicate exclusion.

without including him

Clearly states that someone is not part of a group being discussed.

omitting him

Focuses on the act of leaving someone out, which may be useful in specific contexts.

FAQs

How to use "except for him" in a sentence?

You can use "except for him" to exclude a male individual from a general statement, for example: "Everyone enjoyed the movie, "except for him"."

What can I say instead of "except for him"?

Alternatives include "apart from him", "excluding him", or "with the exception of him", depending on the desired formality and context.

Which is correct, "except for him" or "except him"?

"Except for him" is the correct usage. "Except him" is grammatically incorrect in standard English. You need the preposition "for" to introduce the exception.

What's the difference between "except for him" and "besides him"?

"Except for him" indicates exclusion, meaning someone is not included in a group or statement. "Besides him" can mean 'in addition to him', indicating inclusion. Therefore, context is crucial to differentiate their meaning.