Excluding means “not counting; leave this outside.” You use it when you give a group, a price, or a total, then take something off: The fee is 3,000 dollars, excluding lunch. Everyone may come, excluding Year 1. It is the -ing form of the verb exclude, but in this use it often sits in front of a noun like a small preposition — a door that shuts one item out of the count. You will see it on tickets, menus, hotel boards, and contracts, often paired with including, which opens the door the other way. Though actually, everyday speakers are just as happy with “not including” or “except.” Except can take a clause (except when it rains); excluding usually wants a noun after it. Ads print both words in the same small type, which is useful and a little dangerous: one adds, one takes away.