Accept and Except are at the top of the list of confusing words in English.
Both these words have distinct meanings which can help distinguish between them.
Let’s learn these differences today.
ACCEPT: It means to agree or receive something willngly.
- I accept your point of view.
- Janet accepted the gift I had got for her.
EXCEPT: It means apart from or with the exception of.
- Everyone except Ram is coming.
- I have all the ingredients except fennel seeds.
When to use Accept
Accept is a verb. Use it to agree with someone or receive something.
Incorrect: I except your offer.
Correct : I accept your offer.
When to use Except
Except can act as a preposition as well as a conjunction.
As a preposition, it means but.
As a conjunction, it means with the exception of and is often followed by that.
Incorrect: All my friends accept Siddharth will come.
Correct : All my friends except Siddharth will come.
Tip to Remember the Difference between Accept and Except
The easiest way to remember is to keep in mind the spellings and associate them with the meaning:
Accept = Agree
Except = Exclude