The phrase with the exception of is wordy. In most cases, it could be shortened to except, except for, aside from, or apart from.
Examples
For example, the wordy phrase could be shortened in each of these sentences:
The entire commodity sector, with the exception of oil and precious metals, should be good shorts. [Forbes]
He had no job, and, with the exception of a few words, he couldn’t speak English either. [Hamilton Spectator]
This time the quake hit the north of the country, which, with the exception of the million-strong city of Sendai, is relatively sparsely populated. [The Guardian]
Just as how-to-write books usually (with the exception of Stephen King’s excellent On Writing) inspire cynicism in many writers, so do their software equivalents … [The Atlantic]
With the exception of breakfast, gentlemen are required to wear a jacket and tie in the dining room. [The Australian]
