Accept is a verb and it means to take something that has been offered to you, a gift, an idea, a statement or fact:
- They offered me the job and I accepted.
- Many people today accept the fact that they were lied to by our governments.
Except is a preposition and means ‘used to introduce the only person, thing, action, fact or situation about which a statement is not true. Except is also used as a conjunction as in the second example below:
- I don’t take any drugs whatsoever, except paracetamol for a cold.
- I have boots just like that, except they are brown.
Libertad tip on knowing which one to use – try replacing accept with the word ‘agreed’ and the word ‘apart from’ for except.
- Many people today agreed the fact that they were lied to by our governments. (accept)
- I have boots just like that, apart from they are brown. (except)
Never get confused again, try these Libertad practice questions:
- When Bob asked Sally to marry him, she happily …………………….. (accepted/excepted).
- The dog likes all vegetables, ………………………… (accept/except) lettuce.
- All the class …………………… (accept/except) William attended the reunion.
- Will you ………………………. (accept/except) my gift?
- He’s nice ……………………… (accept/except) he smells bad.
Advanced Libertad tips:
Accepted can be used as an adjective to mean ‘normal’. For example:
- In some countries, having more than one wife is an accepted
Excepted can be used as a verb to mean ‘excluded’, in American English. For example:
- Because Maria had a broken arm, she was excepted from the gym. (AmE)
- Because Maria had a broken arm, she was excused from the gym. (BrE)