Understanding “Accept,” “Except,” and “Expect”

History of the Words

The word “accept” comes from Latin “acceptare,” which means to receive. “Except” comes from Latin “exceptus,” meaning to take out. “Expect” is from Latin “expectare,” which means to look out for or wait for.

How to Use Each Word

Accept

“Accept” means to receive something willingly or to agree to something.

• I accept your gift with gratitude.
• She accepts the invitation to the party.
• Will he accept the job offer?
• We must learn to accept our differences.
• They accept that the weather changes often.

Except

“Except” is used to show that something is not included in a group. It often means “but not.”

• Everyone is going to the park except Tom.
• I love all fruits except bananas.
• The store opens every day except Sunday.
• She did all the homework except the last question.
• They ate everything except the salad.

Expect

“Expect” means to think something will happen. It is about looking forward to something.

• I expect the bus to arrive soon.
• We expect sunny weather tomorrow.
• Do you expect a letter from her?
• The teacher expects students to listen.
• He expects to win the game.

Tricks to Remember the Difference

• Accept and Agree both start with “A” – accept is to agree.
• Except and Exclude both start with “Ex” – except is to leave out.
• Expect and Look both have “look” idea—expect is to look forward to something.

Summary of Usage

In summary, “accept” is to receive or agree, “except” is to exclude, and “expect” is to look forward to something happening. Remembering these meanings helps in choosing the right word when speaking or writing.