Hi, "Except" and "except for" are very similar, but here's a quick difference: Use "except" when you're excluding something from a group or general statement. Example: Everyone passed the test except John. Use "except for" when the exception slightly changes or limits the whole statement. Example: The essay was perfect except for a few spelling mistakes. (The essay was almost perfect, but the mistakes are a minor issue.)

On the Subtle Distinction Between “Except” and “Except For” Though often used interchangeably, except and except for differ in function and tone—distinctions that emerge more clearly under syntactic scrutiny. 1. “Except”: Direct Exclusion Except is used for succinct, categorical exclusion, typically when the item excluded is unambiguously part of the set in question: • Everyone attended the lecture, except John. • She enjoys all classical composers, except Mahler. In such cases, the exception is a straightforward subtraction—unadorned, direct, and economical. 2. “Except For”: Qualified Distinction Except for introduces nuance. It is preferred when the exception is marginal to the category, when the syntax calls for a softer transition, or when the exclusion carries conceptual complexity: • The manuscript was impeccable, except for a few minor punctuation errors. • I’ve traveled extensively—every continent, in fact, except for Antarctica. Here, the phrase serves as a tonal buffer, suggesting not mere removal but qualification—more like a footnote than a redaction. 3. Tonal Implications and Register Compare: • Everyone was silent, except John. • Everyone was silent, except for John. The former is sharper, more declarative. The latter carries a gentler cadence, subtly evoking not only exclusion but distinctiveness. In Summary: Use except when the exclusion is direct, the category clear, and brevity valued. Use except for when the exception is peripheral, nuanced, or when the tone benefits from softening.

"Except", unlike "except for" can be used as a conjunction. For example, you can say "Billy is a good runner, except he gets tired easily", but "except for" cannot be used that way.

There's a difference in their degree of formality : 'except for' is more formal and 'correct'. 'We all like football except for Jaime.' 'Except for Jaime we all like football.' However in casual speech we will often say: 'We all like football except Jaime.' 'Except Jaime we all like football.'