except for less

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "except for less" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express an exception regarding a smaller quantity or degree, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "Everyone was invited to the party, except for less than five people who declined."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

But if you behave, boy, you'll get booked — except for less than the white cats that copy your playing and likely either the agent or owner'll pocket the difference".

The New Yorker

Subjects were included, and had their blood samples drawn, evenly over the calendar year, except for less recruitment in December and June, and none in July.

Cancer Causes and Control

Except for less frequent chronic heart disease and more frequent pleural effusion in polymicrobial pneumonia, there were no other significant differences between patients with monomicrobial and polymicrobial pneumonia in their baseline characteristics, inflammatory response or outcomes.

Critical Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

We combined the 2008 2010 MEPS files to estimate the average cost per event, except that for less common conditions or cost categories we combined the 2006 2010 MEPS files to obtain a larger sample and thereby produce more precise cost estimates.

Diabetes Care

Pooled results are shown in Table 3. Household socioeconomic status was not associated with any choice of provider except for the less poor, who were less likely to choose private clinics than CHWs (adjusted OR [aOR] = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.31 0.86) and the least poor, who were more likely to choose health facilities than CHWs (aOR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.02 4.04).

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

All except America Online trade for less than ten times sales and are off at least 75% from their 52-week highs.

Forbes

All patients presenting for dialysis therapy were included except patients dialysing for less than 90 days, who were considered to be acute.

BMC Nephrology

Across the board, emissions for transportation are increasing in every sector except rail, which accounts for less than 1percentt of total carbon dioxide emissions for the sector.

Huffington Post

I can think of no valid reason why someone would keep higher-cost funds when the same funds are available for less, except to generate fees.

Huffington Post

The plateau area of central and southeastern Oregon has climatic characteristics similar to the north-central plateau except for somewhat less precipitation and lower temperatures at higher elevations.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Botulinum dosage and side-effect profiles were similar in both groups except for significantly less dysphagia (p <.018) in the home group (7 vs 24 occasions).

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When indicating an exception related to quantity, use "except for fewer" for countable items and "except for less" only when referring to uncountable nouns. However, consider rephrasing for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "less" when referring to countable items; instead, use "fewer". For example, instead of "except for less than five students", say "except for fewer than five students".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "except for less" functions as a prepositional phrase that introduces an exception or qualification related to a quantity. It indicates that something is excluded or does not apply when a certain amount or degree is not reached.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "except for less" is used to express an exception or limitation related to a quantity or degree. While it appears in both news and scientific contexts, Ludwig AI signals that the phrase is not considered correct, thus requiring careful consideration. Grammatically, it functions as a prepositional phrase, but clarity can often be improved by using alternatives like "except for fewer" or rephrasing the sentence. Given its potential for misinterpretation, especially when referring to countable nouns, writers should exercise caution and prioritize clearer alternatives in formal writing. "Except for less" is rare, with limited examples mostly in the news and scientific fields. Always double-check for correctness when using.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

except for fewer

Focuses on countable items, emphasizing a smaller number as the exception.

with the exception of less

Adds formality while maintaining the core concept of an exception regarding quantity.

apart from less

Provides a simpler alternative to indicate an exclusion based on a reduced amount.

save for less

Offers a slightly archaic alternative to express a limitation regarding a smaller quantity.

excluding less

Directly indicates the exclusion of a smaller quantity.

barring less

Indicates that something is prevented except for a smaller amount.

other than less

Simple way to indicate something is different except for a limited quantity.

besides less

Adding "besides" is a way to indicate that something else exists apart from the quantity in question.

but for less

Uses 'but' to contrast with the main statement, indicating the exception regarding a smaller amount.

excepting less

A more formal synonym for except indicating the same exception based on quantity.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "except for less" in a sentence?

While "except for less" can be grammatically correct when referring to uncountable nouns, it's often clearer to rephrase. For countable nouns, use "except for fewer".

What alternatives can I use instead of "except for less" to improve clarity?

Consider alternatives such as "with the exception of", "apart from", or simply rephrasing the sentence to be more direct.

Is there a difference between using "except for less" and "except for fewer"?

Yes. Use "fewer" for countable nouns (e.g., "except for fewer people") and "less" for uncountable nouns (e.g., "except for less water"). However, even with uncountable nouns, "except for less" can sound awkward; rephrasing is often preferable.

When is it appropriate to use "except for less" in formal writing?

While grammatically permissible with uncountable nouns, "except for less" can be perceived as informal or unclear. In formal writing, opt for more precise and sophisticated alternatives to ensure clarity and professionalism.