except for sports

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "except for sports" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that all items or categories are included in a statement, with the exception of sports. Example: "I enjoy all types of physical activities, except for sports."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

He goes to bed early and, except for sports, is oddly disconnected from the culture.

The New York Times

Pelosi rarely watches television, except for sports, and she hasn't watched any of the Republican Presidential-candidate debates.

The New Yorker

Except for sports, for which Vivendi's master plan remains to be revealed, Vivendi's content operations are currently doing quite well.

The New York Times

"It would be like the Museum of Natural History, except for sports," he said, echoing a local sportscaster's assessment.

The New York Times

Risking death as a pastime would have seemed irrational, except for sports with origins in military prowess, such as hunting, boxing and fencing.

The Guardian - Opinion

Everyone, that is, except for sports bar owners, who have been able to parlay pinstripes into profits by showing the Yankee games through satellite subscription service.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

I've never been outside of England except for sport.

The New York Times - Sports

Considering the number of affected compartments, patients with lesions in more than one compartment showed higher and statistically significant improvements in IKDC and in all the KOOS subscales (except for sport) compared to patients with lesions only in one compartment.

Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics

There's no argument for it—such weapons are useless in sport, except for the sport of using them; they play no role in hunting, or not hunting anything except helpless people; and they protect no one from a tyrannical government, since the tyrannical government, if it would ever come to that, is hardly in need of small-arms fire to assert its will.

The New Yorker

Except for live sports.

The New Yorker

The plantation town is pretty much closed on Sundays, except for a sports bar where we popped in to watch part of the Super Bowl.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "except for sports", ensure it clearly defines the scope of exclusion. For example, "I enjoy all outdoor activities, except for sports" provides a clear boundary for the activities you do enjoy.

Common error

Avoid using "except for sports" when the exclusion isn't clear or relevant to the sentence. For example, "The weather was great, except for sports" is nonsensical unless the weather specifically impacted sporting events.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "except for sports" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun or clause by specifying an exception. Ludwig AI confirms this usage is common in various contexts. The phrase introduces a specific exclusion from a broader statement.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

4%

Social Media

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "except for sports" is a prepositional phrase used to introduce an exception, specifically excluding sports from a general statement. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is grammatically correct and frequently used across various contexts, including news, science, and general writing. Although it appears more commonly in news and media sources, its function remains consistent: to clearly define the limitations of a given statement by singling out sports as an exclusion. When writing using this phrase it's very important to ensure that the exclusion it makes is relevant and clear to avoid nonsensical constructs.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excluding sports

Direct synonym indicating sports are not included.

besides sports

Indicates sports are separate from what is being discussed.

apart from sports

Similar to "besides", suggesting sports are a separate consideration.

with the exception of sports

Formal way of stating that sports are not included.

save for sports

More literary way of saying "except for sports".

other than sports

General alternative indicating exclusion.

but not sports

Simple and direct way to exclude sports.

excluding athletic activities

Replaces "sports" with a broader category.

without considering sports

Focuses on disregarding sports in a particular context.

leaving out sports

Emphasizes the act of omitting sports.

FAQs

How can I rephrase the sentence using "except for sports"?

You can use alternatives like "excluding sports", "besides sports", or "apart from sports" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "excepting sports" instead of "except for sports"?

While "excepting" can function as a preposition, "except for" is more common and natural in contemporary English.

What is the difference between "except for sports" and "with the exception of sports"?

"With the exception of sports" is a more formal way of saying "except for sports" but they both serve the same purpose of excluding sports from a general statement.

How does the meaning of "except for sports" change if I use "including sports"?

Using "including sports" completely reverses the meaning. "Except for sports" excludes sports, while "including sports" adds sports to the list of things being considered.