Page 206 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

5 except + verb: he does nothing except eat
A common structure is do ... except + infinitive without to. He does nothing except eat all day.
I'll do everything for you except cook.
In other cases an -ing form is usually necessary.
She's not interested in anything except skiing.
You needn't worry about anything except having a great time.
6 except and without
Except (/or) is only used to talk about exceptions to generalisations. In other cases, without or but for may be better. Compare:
Nobody helped me except you.
Without / But for your help, I would have failed.
(NOT &Jeep,JVJr J'6l:tr help, I W61:t1ti have foiletl.) For !he use of bllt to mean 'except", see 116.
For !he difference between except, besides and apart from. see 102.
195 exclamations: structures
Exclamations are often constructed with how and what or with so and such;
negative question forms are also common.
1 exclamations with how
These are often felt to be a little formal or old-fashioned.
how + adjective Strawberries! How nice!
how + adjective/adverb + subject + verb How cold it is! (NOT {}8ft! it i'3 e81ti!)
How beautifully you sing! (NOT {{6ft! J'61:t sing betll:ttifttllyn how + subject + verb
How you've grown!
For the struCture of expressions like Holtl strange a remark. see 14.
2 exclamations with what
what alan (+ adjective) + singular countable noun
What a rude man! (N OT Wndt ffltie rlltin.~ What a nice dress! (NOT V!httt nice dressn What a surprise!
what (... adjective) ... uncountable/plural noun
What beautiful weather! (NOT Yihdt a bettl:ttiful wetttherl) What lovely flowers!
What fools!
what + object ... subject + verb (note word order)
What a beautiful smile your sister has! (NOT ••• htts J'6ur si'3ter'.~
exclamations: structures 195
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