guys except for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "guys except for" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a specific group of people is being excluded from a larger group referred to as "guys." Example: "Everyone is invited to the party, guys except for those who haven't RSVP'd."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

A handsome Dutch F.T.M. says that he's decided not to reveal his trans status on Internet dating sites, because it's better when girls "meet you and see that there's absolutely almost no difference between you and other guys except for one really shallow kind of thing".

The New Yorker

He's cut me off of all social networks and he won't let me talk to my friends (who are mostly guys) except for my best friend.

Huffington Post

You get the sense that these guys (except for maybe David Stern) speak in bland press-release duckspeak even when ordering lunch, or talking about the weather, or explaining that suspicious rash to their doctors.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"We've never known anything about the guy, except for what we see on big and little screens," he said.

The New York Times

"I was starting to feel like an old guy, except for on my best days, but this has really taken a load off," he said.

The New York Times - Tech

The author met Blanchflower while he was living in nearby Hanover, and has written a story about their escapades in which he notes: "Danny's a real smart guy, except for one thing.

The Guardian - Business

I was the only East Coast guy, except for Shane [Obedzinski, who played Tommy Timmons] who's in Florida.

Huffington Post

Most of the time, to win the approval of some guy (except for those of you of the lesbian persuasion who are doing it for another woman).

Huffington Post

Pretty normal guy, except for the fact that he's just one of the best guitarists of all time (if you care about musicians who play actual instruments).

Huffington Post

Ford seems like a good guy, except for the fact that he owns slaves and exploits the inhuman system that held an entire race of people in bonds against their will.

Huffington Post

It's obviously not a choice most of the guys — well, all of the guys came except for Tim.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "guys except for", ensure the context clearly defines who 'guys' refers to, avoiding ambiguity. For example, specify the group (e.g., "all the developers, guys except for John and Mike").

Common error

Avoid using "guys except for" when the 'guys' group isn't explicitly defined or understood by the audience. Without clear context, the phrase can become confusing or exclude unintended individuals.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "guys except for" functions as a conjunctive phrase, indicating an inclusion with specific exclusions. It specifies that a group is included in a general statement or action, except for those individuals mentioned after "except for", Ludwig AI confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "guys except for" serves as a useful construction to indicate a group inclusion with specific exclusions. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically sound and can be found in various sources, mainly "News & Media". While "guys" lends an informal tone, "except for" introduces a degree of formality. Alternatives such as "all guys but" or "men with the exception of" can be used based on the desired register. In essence, using the phrase effectively requires awareness of context to prevent ambiguity and clarity in its scope.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

all guys but

Replaces "except for" with "but", creating a slightly more informal tone.

guys excluding

Uses "excluding" to convey the act of leaving certain individuals out.

guys not including

Similar to excluding but uses "not including" to specify who isn't part of the group.

guys with the exception of

Substitutes "except for" with the more formal "with the exception of".

guys save for

Employs the phrase "save for" which indicates an exception.

every guy besides

Uses "besides" to mean apart from or with the exception of.

every guy other than

Replaces "except for" with "other than", indicating someone or something distinct from the rest.

guys aside from

Uses "aside from" to indicate an exclusion from the group.

men except for

Substitutes "guys" with the more formal "men".

everyone except for the guys

Reverses the construction to emphasize the broader group from which the "guys" are excluded.

FAQs

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

You can use "guys except for" to indicate that everyone in a group of males is included, with specific exceptions. For instance, "All the players are attending the banquet, guys except for Tom, who is injured".

What is a less casual alternative to "guys except for"?

For a more formal tone, you might say "all men with the exception of". For example, instead of "The meeting is for the guys except for interns", you could say, "The meeting is for all men with the exception of interns".

What does "guys except for" mean?

The phrase "guys except for" means that all males are included in a statement or situation, with noted exceptions of specific individuals. It specifies who is not included in the group being referred to.

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

Alternatives include phrases like "all "guys but"", "all of the guys excluding", or "all the "guys save for"", depending on the level of formality you want to convey.