One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
"Accept" means to receive, agree to, or approve something offered or proposed. You accept an invitation, an apology, or a condition.
She accepted the job offer immediately.
The committee accepted all three proposals.
I accept full responsibility for the error.
"Except" excludes: it means "all but" or "with the exclusion of". It points to what is left out of a group.
Everyone was invited except Maria.
The store is open every day except Sunday.
I like all vegetables except Brussels sprouts.
Common mistake
Trick to remember it
Quick rule
Did you know?
"Except" can actually function as a verb in formal English: "present company excepted" means "excluding the people here". It sounds old-fashioned today and mostly appears in legal texts and classic literature, but it remains an elegant turn of phrase in formal contexts.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
Everyone laughed at the joke _____ Tom. He had heard it before.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
She was so happy when the university _____ her application.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
'Allowed' is the past tense of 'allow' (to permit); 'aloud' means making an audible sound.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy