except -except for

except + infinitive without to
except + me/him etc

1 When we put a verb after except, we usually use the infinitive without to.

• We can Y do anything except wait


• He does nothing except eat all day.

2 After except, we put object pronouns (me, him etc), not subject pronouns.

• Everybody understands except me
  


• We're all ready except her

but- except

except and except for

1 We can use except or except for
after all, any, every, no,
anything/body/ one/where,
everything/body/one/where,
nothing/body/one/where, and whole
that is to say, words which suggest the idea of a total.
In other cases we usually use except for, but not except.

• He ate everything on his plate except (for) the beans.
  


• He ate the whole meal except (for) the beans.
  


• He ate the meal except for the beans. (NOT . . . except the beans.)


• I’ve cleaned all the rooms except (for) the bathroom.


• I've cleaned the whole house except (for) the bathroom.


• I've cleaned the house except for the bathroom.c(NOT . . . except the bathroom.)


• We're all here except (for) John and Mary.


• Except for John and Mary, we're all here.
  (NOT Except John and Mary, . . .)

2 We use except, not except for, before prepositions and conjunctions.

• It's the same everywhere except in Scotland.
  


• She's beautiful except when she smiles.