“Everyone was invited accept John.”
We mean John was left out — that’s exclusion. ‘Accept’ means to receive, so this reads as if John himself was an invitation.
To receive or welcome versus to exclude — near-opposite meanings.
“Everyone was invited accept John.”
We mean John was left out — that’s exclusion. ‘Accept’ means to receive, so this reads as if John himself was an invitation.
“Everyone was invited except John.”
‘Except’ marks the exception: everyone was invited, apart from John.