except表示“從所提到的人或事物中除去,即從整體中除去一部分”,表示遞減的概念,含義是否定的.
We all went except him.
除他之外,我們都去了.(他沒有去)
except for主要有三層含義：
①表示對整體主要部分的肯定和對局部的否定起部分修正主要意思的作用.
eg.Your composition is quite excellent except for several spelling mistakes.
②表示非同類事物進行比較.
eg.The street is empty except for several cars.
③置于句首,表達except的含義.
eg.Except for thiseverything is in order.
except for后接名(代)詞可以轉(zhuǎn)移為except＋從句或其他介詞短語.
eg.The climate here is good except for some rainy days.(except when it rains；except that it sometimes rains；except on the rainy days)
注意：二者用于否定句時含義相同,意思是一樣的.
eg. He did nothing besides (＝except) this.
除這件事外,他什么事也沒做.
從形式上看,except后面不僅可以接短語,還可以接that引導(dǎo)的從句,而except for后面只能接名詞短語.