It’s understandable that people might confuse the use of these words when writing - they sound pretty much the same. But they are indeed quite different.
Accept is a verb that means ‘to agree or receive’. Accept is a verb. A verb is an action word. Accept and Action both start with the letter A. There’s your trick to remember how to use it!
Example: I had no choice but to accept the terms of service in order to download the app.
(I agreed to the terms of service)
Except is usually used as a conjunction or a preposition. A preposition often expresses a relation of one noun to another. As a preposition, except means ‘not including’.
Example: I generally like all music except rap.
(I don’t like rap music)
Except can also be used as a conjunction, which while similar in meaning as the preposition, where it appears in a sentence is different. A conjunction connects independent clauses or sentences. Words like “and” and “but” are conjunctions. As a conjunction, except means ‘other than’.
Example: I didn’t say much except to say I loved him.
(All I really said was that I loved him)
Note:
Accepted is either the past participle of the verb accept, or an adjective. As an adjective, it means ‘generally approved or believed to be true’.
Example: Climate change is accepted by many as fact since it is backed up by many scientists who know more about the subject than non-scientists.
(Climate change is generally believed to be a real and factual phenomenon)
Accept is a verb that means ‘to agree or receive’. Accept is a verb. A verb is an action word. Accept and Action both start with the letter A. There’s your trick to remember how to use it!
Example: I had no choice but to accept the terms of service in order to download the app.
(I agreed to the terms of service)
Except is usually used as a conjunction or a preposition. A preposition often expresses a relation of one noun to another. As a preposition, except means ‘not including’.
Example: I generally like all music except rap.
(I don’t like rap music)
Except can also be used as a conjunction, which while similar in meaning as the preposition, where it appears in a sentence is different. A conjunction connects independent clauses or sentences. Words like “and” and “but” are conjunctions. As a conjunction, except means ‘other than’.
Example: I didn’t say much except to say I loved him.
(All I really said was that I loved him)
Note:
Accepted is either the past participle of the verb accept, or an adjective. As an adjective, it means ‘generally approved or believed to be true’.
Example: Climate change is accepted by many as fact since it is backed up by many scientists who know more about the subject than non-scientists.
(Climate change is generally believed to be a real and factual phenomenon)
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