我們知道,except,except for和excepting都有"除……外"的意思,但在用法上卻有所不同.現(xiàn)將其分述如下：
一、 except用于表示同類事物之間的關(guān)系,其意為"除……以外"、"除去".
1.except后面可接名詞、代詞、動詞、副詞、介詞短語和從句等.如：
We have an English lesson every day except Sunday.除星期天外,我們每天有一堂英語課.(接名詞)
They all went to the park last Sunday except him.除了他以外,上星期天他們都去公園了.(接代詞)
Every day Mary does nothing except watch TV.每天瑪麗除了看電視以外什么都不干.(except后接動詞時,一般為帶to的動詞不定式.但如果except前面有謂語動詞do或其相應(yīng)形式時,后面通常接省略to的動詞不定式.如此句.)
He always goes to work by bike except recently.除最近外,他一般都騎自行車上班.(接副詞)
After breakfast the students went nowhere except to school.吃完早餐,學(xué)生們除了上學(xué)就不到別處去了.(接介詞短語)
My father usually goes to work by bike except when it rains.除下雨天外,我爸爸通常騎自行車上班.(接從句)
2.except常用在all,whole,any,every,no等詞,及anything,anybody,anyone,everything,everybody,everyone等不定代詞之后.如：
She ate everything on the plate except the carrots.除胡蘿卜外她把盤子里的東西都吃了.
I've cleaned all the rooms except the toilet.除了廁所,我清掃了所有房間.
二、 except for用于表示對主要部分的肯定和對局部的否定.它不表示同類事物之間的關(guān)系,其意思為：
1."除了……以外".如：
Smith is a good man,except for his bad temper.史密斯除了脾氣不好外,是個好人.
The movie was good except for the ending.這部電影除了結(jié)尾之外都很好.
2."除去為了……".如：
Mother wouldn't give him any money except for books and stationery.除了買書和文具外,媽媽不給他任何錢.
3."如果不是","若非".如：
Except for you,I would pass the exam.如果不是你,我就會通過考試.
4."except for+名詞"結(jié)構(gòu)一般可以改寫成"except+that從句".如：
This will do except for the length.= This will do except that it is too long.如果不是它太長的話,這會很好.
All are here except for the absence of Tina.= All are here except that Tina is absent.除了蒂娜以外,大家都在這里.
三、 except與except for的互換
1.except與except for有時可以通用,不過,一般情況下,except for可置于句首,而except則不能.如：
Everyone is here except Tom.(或：Except for Tom everyone is here.)除湯姆外,大家都到了.
2.except與except for在句中也可互換.
一般來說,否定句中用except,肯定句式可以用except for來替換.如：
This article has no blunders except a few mistakes.這篇文章除了一點(diǎn)小錯外沒有大錯.
此句可改為：This article is instructive except for a few blunders.這篇文章除了有些錯誤外,是有教育意義的.
不過,在前后有相稱的同類詞語時,應(yīng)用except,否則用except for.如：
We come to school every day except Sunday.除星期天外,我們天天上學(xué).(句中every day與Sunday同類)
This dress is ready except for the buttons.衣服做好了,只是鈕扣未縫上.(句中ready與buttons不同類)
四、 excepting是由動詞轉(zhuǎn)化而來的分詞介詞,用法較正式,含有較強(qiáng)的動態(tài)意味,意為"把……除外",與except在用法上有不同之處：
1.可用于句首,或用于not,without,always等詞后；
2.其后常常用名詞或代詞.如：
Bruce answered all the questions excepting the last one.除了最后一個問題外,布魯斯都答出來了.
Excepting Sundays,the library is open daily.除了星期天外,圖書館天天開放.
I think we must keep improving our English not excepting those who have mastered it.我認(rèn)為我們必須不斷提高我們的英語水平,對那些已掌握了英語的人也不例外.
All the people in my family go to work every day,always excepting my youngest sister.我家所有的人每天都上班,除了我那個最小的妹妹以外.