Collocations for exceptional - adj.

be
remain
consider sb/sth
The teacher considers Jamie's performance truly exceptional.

do sth

highly, pretty, really, very
quite, truly, wholly (esp. BrE)

nothing exceptional
There is nothing exceptional about east London
The food was quite tasty, but nothing exceptional.

something exceptional
We will have to do something exceptional to win.
I realized I was watching something exceptional.

Exceptional is used with these nouns:
ability, bravery, case, circumstance, clarity, degree, merit, performance, quality, record, talent