except that it describes

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "except that it describes" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate a specific exception to a general statement, particularly in discussions or analyses. Example: "The theory is generally accepted, except that it describes phenomena that are not observable in practice."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

At the same time as we submitted the ECFP fingerprint capabilities to the CDK project, we also made available the FCFP equivalent, which is identical except that it initially describes each atom by whether it is an H-bond donor/acceptor, positive/negative charge center, aromatic and/or halogen.

Journal of Cheminformatics

The name and symbol of a molecular variant will carry the name and symbol of the corresponding gene, similar to the convention for an allele, except that it carries the suffix described above and is written in all caps due to the fact that no allelic behavior can be assigned to these sequenced variants (Table 3).

Rice

In M. incisa, all of the enzymes except ZISO that are described in the lycopene formation process were successfully identified (Additional file 2).

BMC Genomics

History over, it was time to limp back in for dinner -- a buffet too excessive to describe, except that it seemed to be a breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet all rolled into one, with as many cold salads as hot dishes and the inevitable great haunch being carved at one end.

The New York Times - Travel

The product was purified as previously described except that it was ethanol precipitated instead of Sep-pak desalted.

ACS Chemical Biology

As previously described (except that it was previously denoted C*), πs was set to a value of 0.80, reflecting the results reported here.

BMC Infectious Diseases

She also had guts — I don't know how to describe it except that it's like that old school of comedy where you're just balls-to-the-wall.

The New Yorker

Plants were treated with GA as described above, except that it was applied once a week for a total of 10 weeks.

AoB PLANTS

Note: This method is essentially the same as the one described above, except that it wastes a significant amount of water.

WikiHow

As with the alleged Filipino prostitute, one might be tempted to borrow George's "funny" flash card to describe his encounter, except that it's not.

The New Yorker

The destination vector pTKan-pIRX5-GWR3R2 was made as described [ 1] except that it had attR2 and attR3 recombination sites.

BMC Plant Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "except that it describes", ensure that the descriptive element introduced by the exception is clearly relevant to the main statement. This helps maintain clarity and prevents the exception from appearing disconnected.

Common error

Avoid using "except that it describes" when the descriptive element is merely supplementary or incidental. The description should introduce a significant differentiation or clarification, not just an additional detail.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "except that it describes" functions as a conjunctive adverbial phrase, connecting two clauses while introducing an exception that includes a descriptive element. It modifies the main clause by specifying a condition under which it is not entirely true, as Ludwig AI's analysis indicates.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

27%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "except that it describes" is a conjunctive phrase used to introduce a descriptive exception to a main statement. It is grammatically correct and appears most frequently in scientific and news contexts. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase functions to provide nuanced qualifications. When using this phrase, ensure that the descriptive element adds meaningful differentiation. Consider alternatives like "but it details" for conciseness or "save that it specifies" for formality. While the phrase is generally acceptable, it should be used judiciously to maintain clarity and relevance in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

but it details

Replaces "except that" with a direct contrast using "but", and "describes" with "details" for a more concise expression.

save that it specifies

Uses "save that" to introduce the exception and "specifies" instead of "describes" to emphasize precision.

aside from its detailing of

Transforms the phrase into a prepositional phrase, focusing on what is additionally provided.

with the exclusion of its depiction

Emphasizes the exclusion of a particular depiction or description.

excluding its portrayal of

Similar to the previous but uses "portrayal" to refer to its description.

other than that it illustrates

Replaces "except" with "other than" and "describes" with "illustrates" to highlight the descriptive aspect.

apart from the fact it characterizes

Uses "apart from the fact" for emphasis and replaces describes with characterizes.

however it delineates

Utilizes "however" for contrast and "delineates" to emphasize precision in description.

yet it elaborates on

Uses "yet" to introduce a contrast and "elaborates on" to indicate a detailed description.

but it offers an account of

Replaces "describes" with "offers an account of" to introduce a narrative or descriptive element.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "except that it describes" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you can use alternatives like "with the exception that it details", "save that it specifies", or "aside from its detailing of". These options provide a more sophisticated way to introduce the descriptive exception.

What's a simpler way to say "except that it describes"?

In simpler terms, you could say "but it details", "except it explains", or "besides that it shows". These alternatives maintain clarity while using more common vocabulary.

How does "except that it describes" differ from "except that it is"?

"Except that it describes" introduces a descriptive element as the exception, while "except that it is" simply states a different state or condition. The former focuses on what is being described, whereas the latter focuses on the existence of something.

Is it correct to use "except that which describes" instead of "except that it describes"?

While grammatically valid, "except that which describes" sounds more archaic and less natural in contemporary English. "Except that it describes" is generally preferred for its directness and clarity. For example: "The guide is helpful, "except that it describes" the outdated method, the new book is useful except that it is unavailable."