Neither / nor 12. either / or 13. 2. Neither / nor 2. either 3. either 4. nor 5. Define neither ... nor. “Either” means “X OR Y” (but not both): “Was either of the drivers hurt in the accident?” “Either John OR Carol can do the job.” neither…nor gives a negative meaning to verbs. (neither …nor is also used to refer to two things or people) Here are some examples: Neither Sarah nor Peter was to blame for the mistake. Either he or she cooks dinner. They are both busy at the moment. We could use either blue paint or red paint. They can be pronouns; and if so, they are always singular. Grammarians differ on this point, but there’s a long history of both “either … or” and “neither … nor” being used for three or more items. Hello, everyone! They will be glad to help you with your questions and walk you through practical applications of, Using Either, Neither, Nor, and Or in English (+Examples), Case study: I Improved My English to Work for a Startup, “I learned my partner’s language for love — and you can too”, Case Study: How I Learned to Speak English in 6 Months, Case study: How Preply’s English classes helped me relocate to New York, Guide to Symbols in English: List + How to Use Them, Present Tense in English: What It Is, How to Use It & Examples, 8 Rules for Using the Article The in English, Between vs. This tells us about two negative ideas, but it's quite formal. Either-or and neither-nor with more than two alternatives Use an either-or formulation to present two possibilities. “He didn’t run, and he didn’t walk” is definitely correct, and by a slight restructuring of the second clause, you can get “(and not) did he walk” which would work if that “and not” became “and neither”. 12. •You can either call me at home or the office. The first two items in the quick rules of thumb seem incomplete…? For example, they can be used as adverbs, determiners, pronouns or conjunctions. If you want to present two alternatives that are essentially the same thing, use a single noun combined with "either" or "neither." He will neither come here nor send a representative. You don't always need to combine "either" and "neither" with "or" or "nor." While 'either' has a positive connotation, 'neither' holds a negative significance. Neither will the workers go off strike, nor negotiate until they receive a higher pay. He wasn’t wearing either a shirt or a coat. Here are some quick rules of thumb to remember about “either … or” and “neither … nor”: Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? I can definitely see the progress. 1. For example, see the following sentences: In instances where either and neither are used as determiners (giving additional information about the subject without describing it. Neither can be used as conjunction, pronoun, and adjective. 6. It's more normal just to use 'not + or'. “Either or” vs “Neither nor” Either/or. In this English lesson we’ll walk through the various ways of using these words, along with the relevant grammar rules and some example sentences. When they act as pronouns, either means “one or the other,” while neither means “not one or the other.”. He neither smiled, spoke, nor looked at me. It often makes sense to have a sentence without the word “either”, such as: The boys or the girls have hidden the sweets. Neither goes before singular countable nouns. It can be tricky to figure out verb agreement when you’re using these constructions. Very Patient, Relevant and culturally aware with a lot of International Experience, Certified English teacher with over 10 years experience. For example: Both these roads go to Rome so that you can go either way. I feel that “He didn’t run, nor did he walk” is perfectly acceptable, grammatically speaking, is it not? 4. If so, don’t worry – you’re not alone: these two pairs of words can be tricky to use and can be a difficult part of learning English . Other English exercises on the same topic : Agreement/Disagreement:Both, so do I, neither do I | All our lessons and exercises Neither is also singular. First things first:If you are matching either and nor, I hate to break it to you, but you’re doing it wrong.Additionally, nor is generally not used where neither is not also used. neither ... nor synonyms, neither ... nor pronunciation, neither ... nor translation, English dictionary definition of neither ... nor. Determiners also point to who owns an object or point to the item itself. You will always see these words together, and in this order: In this English lesson we’ll walk through the various ways of using these words. Neither, neither … nor and not … either — English Grammar Today — ein Nachschlagewerk für geschriebene und gesprochene englische Grammatik und Sprachgebrauch — Cambridge Dictionary She prefers the countryside. (The mother didn’t come and the father didn’t come.) Either coffee or tea is fine. Free grammar resources online. Importance of Reading: Why Reading is Such an Important English Language Skill, Learning English for Business? I don’t like either Stephen or Peter. end. – Либо мама, либо папа приедет за тобой. My friend’s car is neither green nor brown. The words either, neither, and both are all used to talk about how two objects relate to each other. Read more about correlative conjunctions. There is neither bread, milk, nor jam. The main difference between these two pairs of words is that either & or are used when you are faced with a positive decision about what you will do (“I will do, that”), while neither & nor are used when you are faced with a negative decision and are describing things you won’t do (“I will do, When these words function as adverbs, then both, “I don’t like mushrooms.” “No, I don’t like them. I don’t either. My name is Carol and I am one of the English teachers on Preply. Do you still have doubts about how to use these phrases? They will be glad to help you with your questions and walk you through practical applications of English grammar. Either… or is a correlative conjunction.We use either … or for connect things which are the same types, phrases, clauses or words. An individual learning path is shorter and leads to faster and better results, Learning from your kitchen table? (Wrong. Neither … nor This structure, “neither … nor”, is used to connect the same kind of word or phrase in the sentence. Either … OR I like neither Stephen nor Peter. I like neither coffee nor … Neither 6. or 7. neither / nor 8. As an adjective, it indicates not one or the other, none of the two. You can either play on the computer or watch TV. How to Use Neither. Examples •Neither Mark nor … You can do this by making sure that the verb and the noun that is closest to the verb agree with each other. Neither 6. or 7. neither / nor 8. Either refers to any one of the two things or people. There is a different convention called the Proximity Rule. neither= not A and not B (zero out of two things or people). Get our free English language course and take your career to the next level! ''Neither, nor'' are the opposite of ''both, and'' but the verb must be positive. You may well have come across sentences like these: This isn’t grammatically correct. of my classmates is strong enough to win this competition. Using Either …or. "Either" and "neither" can … Either and neither used on their own can also mean 'one or the other', 'whichever of the two' / 'not this one and not the other one', or 'not one of the two': There are boats on either side of … Or have you finally figured it out? First of all, either and neither can be used in various ways. If so, don’t worry – you’re not alone: these two pairs of words can be tricky to use and can be a difficult part of, can be used in various ways. 2. If you’re writing for a particularly formal publication, though, you might want to stick to just two items when you’re using “either … or” or “neither … nor”. Compare your responses to the feedback by clicking the "Check" or "Check 1-10" button. She will buy either some apples or some oranges. I am an English native speaker and love English so much that I studied it at degree level. I am neither a conservative nor a liberal. Either and neither are masters of disguise! If one or both of the alternatives are plural, use a plural verb: Either the boys or the girls have hidden the sweets. Or they can be part of a two-part conjunction (either … or, neither … nor) joining two or more subjects. Neither / nor 2. either 3. either 4. nor 5. 5. Either refers to any one of the two things or people. And while either has a positive connotation (adding an appraisal to the primary meaning), neither has a negative connotation. has a negative connotation. When it comes to movies, I like neither comedies nor romances. They can either have breakfast or have a shower. When using either/or and neither/nor, be sure to maintain subject-verb agreement. John didn’t pass the test, and Peter didn’t either. Often when either and neither are used as conjunctions, they are used together with the words or and nor. [sing.sing.] 10. We can either eat now or after the show - it's up to you. ), they are placed before the noun. Treat a pairing like either/or or neither/nor as singular if the elements are singular, but treat the pairing as plural if one of the elements is plural. You don’t like apples. Unlike an adjective, they do not tell us about the properties of the object, but merely indicate whether a known or unknown object is being spoken, all or a part of it, or indicate its quantity or its absence. Neither makes a negative statement about two people or things. Determiners also point to who owns an object or point to the item itself. So far, so straightforward – but you might have some questions about using “either … or” and “neither … nor” correctly. There is a different convention called the Proximity Rule. Copyright © 2020 Daily Writing Tips . )“I fear neither man nor beast!” Jay proclaimed as Frank stared at the python coiled on the … After years of only using ... For my new job, I needed to be able to bring more nuance to my conversations. Using Either … or & Neither … nor in English. both, either, neither – grammar chart . I like being able to share my passion with the subject with others. 8. The sentence should be rewritten as I’m neither angry nor upset. Example Sentences: You add either one or two cloves of garlic. Either is always considered singular in a sentence. This video covers how to use either/or, neither/nor, and both/and. Either he or his wife may attend the function. (if the verb is negative, use either, or.) If studying on your own is not yielding the results you’d like, you can always ask an experienced teacher or a native English speaker. Mary didn’t turn up and neither did Ruth. Either example: "You can choose either kitten." No problem, Featured Tutors out of 5297 English Teachers Online. Some Additional Rules for “Either … Or” and “Neither … Nor” It can be tricky to figure … 3. Let’s look at how to use these words in English correctly. Neither the van nor the cars are fast enough. He either keeps the keys himself or leaves them with his wife. Place "either" or "neither" immediately in front of the noun it modifies. We use it to say ‘not either’ in relation to two things. Either is singular. As we mentioned above, there are 4 general ways that these terms are used, and we’ll go through all of them. If you would like me to help you improve your English, contact me through my tutor profile on Preply. He will neither come here nor send a representative. Neither is used in the negative sense, when you’re presenting things that aren’t true or valid. When it comes to movies, I like neither comedies nor romances. If you’re writing for a particularly formal publication, though, you might want to stick to just two items when you’re using “either … or” or “neither … nor”. You should focus on not having grammatical errors or at least, typographical errors when writing about this subject. Neither 14. or 15. either Grammar Note: (From the American Copy Editors Society) A tricky agreement problem: Neither-nor When two subjects are joined by neither-nor or either-or, choosing the right ; Either is always considered singular in a sentence. Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence. 9. This tells us about two negative ideas, but it's quite formal. Subject/verb agreement can be confusing when we use either…or or neither…nor couplets.As we’re presenting a noun phrase with multiple objects, it seems natural to use a plural, but the verb may often be in the singular.This depends on the nouns included; the option between two (either one or the other) does not create a plural on its own.Here’s why. When these words function as adverbs, then both either and neither act as connecting words. Either - neither - both: worksheets pdf, handouts, printable exercises. Neither the radiator nor the water pump leaked. Either/or – used together to offer a choice between two things. You'll also get three bonus ebooks completely free. I don’t like either Stephen or Peter. He didn’t remember and neither did I. either= A or B (one thing/person or the other thing/person). Neither 9. Neither of them invited me so I didn’t go. are used as determiners (giving additional information about the subject without describing it. The view at the top of mountain was neither spectacular nor very visible. Here’s what you need to know: If the alternatives presented are both singular, then use a singular verb, like this: Either James or Mary has hidden the sweets. The view at the top of mountain was neither spectacular nor very visible. Among: How to Use Each in English (+Examples), English Verbs of Motion: Take, Ride, Drive, Walk, Get, 8 Best Netflix Shows to Learn English Easily [+Tips], Learning English on Your Own: What Will Help You Succeed, English Podcasts: 12 Best Podcasts for Learning English in 2020, English Exam Study Guide: Advice From Experienced Tutors on How to Ace Your Exams, How to Easily Improve Your English Pronunciation and Sound Like a Native, Interjections Guide: List of Most Common Interjections & Examples, 300 Most Common English Words (and How to Learn Them Fast), Learn English by Reading These 15 Classic Stories. journalist could finish their articles, as there wasn’t enough time. I don't like coffee or tea. are used as conjunctions, they are used together with the words. Duolingo vs Babbel: Which should you use to learn a language? Neither of them seemed interested in the offer. Just as “either” can stand by itself as a pronoun, so can “neither.” Neither of the desserts seemed very appealing. The main difference between these two pairs of words is that either & or are used when you are faced with a positive decision about what you will do (“I will do either this or that”), while neither & nor are used when you are faced with a negative decision and are describing things you won’t do (“I will do neither this nor that”). Neither of my classmates is strong enough to win this competition. Neither 9. (This refers to parts of the house, perhaps a front and back entrance.). are used as pronouns, the sentence structure will be as follows: Both these roads go to Rome so that you can go. It's more normal just to use 'not + or'. (It is quite harsh to mark this as wrong, but grouping three things is an unpopular practice.) 4. ; We use either/or for connecting things which are the same types, phrases, clauses or words. Neither this nor that. neither/nor – Когда они в паре — они отрицают обе части утверждения. Either is singular. However, using “neither … nor” can sound unduly formal or even a little archaic. In informal usage, more than two possibilities are sometimes presented, but this is generally avoided in formal writing. All Right Reserved. 6. Either is used in the affirmative sense, when you’re presenting possibilities that are both true or valid. You will always see these words together, and in this order: either/or and neither/nor. For example, they can be used as adverbs, determiners, pronouns or conjunctions. Neither, on the other hand, is used as a determiner, pronoun and an adverb. Neither … nor This structure, “neither … nor”, is used to connect the same kind of word or phrase in the sentence. คงมีหลายๆ คนที่ยังไม่รู้ว่า เราควรจะใช้ Either…or และ Neither…nor เมื่อไหร่? Neither the van nor the car is fast enough. Well, I think she’s either Russian or Polish. I like neither coffee nor … Can You Use “Either … Or ” and “Neither … Nor” With More ThAT Two Items? They can either have breakfast or have a shower. Treat a pairing like either/or or neither/nor as singular if the elements are singular, but treat the pairing as plural if one of the elements is plural. 3. Now, I'm calmer when I take part in large meetings with other managers ... Have you had difficulty using either/neither and or/nor? It is possible to find examples in print or on the web where these words are comparing many alternatives, but this should be avoided whenever possible. On Preply, you can meet and learn from thousands of native speakers and professional tutors. I feel that “and neither” in a “not… and neither” statement, serves the same purpose as “nor” in a “neither… nor” statement, and so could fit in, similarly to how one could say “Neither did he run nor walk, and neither did he ride his bike” as an alternate to “Neither did he run, walk, nor ride his bike”. Just as “either” can stand by itself as a pronoun, so can “neither.” Neither of the desserts seemed very appealing. Neither 10. either 11. Example Sentences. •You can either call me at home or the office. Neither / nor 12. either / or 13. – when they are used together, they negate both parts of the statement. “I see progress myself, and my colleagues give me feedback about my improvement. Huddleston and Pullum give these examples: “either Kim, Pat, or Alex” and “neither kind, handsome, nor rich.” Standard dictionaries generally accept the use of “either” or “neither” to introduce a series of more than two items. along with the relevant grammar rules and some example sentences. 5. If studying on your own is not yielding the results you’d like, you can always ask an experienced teacher or a native English speaker. Certified Canadian English tutor with 10 years of experience and a Master's in Applied Linguistics. Also, either is used as a conjunction , adverb , determiner and a pronoun . You will improve your English in only 5 minutes per day, guaranteed! Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! – used together to offer a choice between two things. Neither the forwards nor the scrumhalf, all of whom were within 10 metres of the tackle, nor the crowd appealed for a foul. Preview this quiz on Quizizz. Is… or, neither… correlative coordinators (Huddleston 15 2.3) Nor… “don`t press one or the other.” The two are not 2 There is no coordinator (connective) that needs an additional verb holder when placed at the beginning of the clause. He neither came nor called. Neither …nor. Subject/verb agreement can be confusing when we use either…or or neither…nor couplets.As we’re presenting a noun phrase with multiple objects, it seems natural to use a plural, but the verb may often be in the singular.This depends on the nouns included; the option between two (either one or the other) does not create a plural on its own.Here’s why. If you want to avoid that, consider rewriting the sentence (e.g. 1.Either / or - used in a sentence in the affirmative sense when referring to a choice between two possibilities. When they act as pronouns, either means “one or the other,” while neither means “not one or the other.”. Have you had difficulty using either/neither and or/nor? Neither makes a negative statement about two people or things. Neither is also singular. I had neither considered your offer, the location, nor the position yet. Neither parent came to meet the teacher. 1. He wasn’t wearing either a shirt or a coat. We can also use 'neither + noun + nor + noun'. Either coffee or tea is fine. Either-or and neither-nor with more than two alternatives Use an either-or formulation to present two possibilities. Neither 10. either 11. And while. Grammarians differ on this point, but there’s a long history of both “either … or” and “neither … nor” being used for three or more items. You can find a tutor here. Download full-size image from Pinterest We use both, either and neither to talk about two things or people.. both= A and B (the two things or people). You might wonder whether sentences like these are permissible: She will have to choose either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. 7. How do these word pairs change the meaning of a sentence? You will always find them paired up this way: either/or and neither/nor. neither, nor; nor, nor; In positive sentences you can use ''neither, nor'' to talk about two things. Just 6 months ago I could only say "My name is..." Now I can speak fluent English! Singular in a sentence my conversations was neither spectacular nor very visible beast! Jay... Re presenting things that aren ’ t remember and neither one thing nor the red are available in size.!, neither/nor, be sure to maintain subject-verb agreement … either this or that often when either and neither nor! Need to combine `` either '' or `` neither '' with `` or '' or `` Check or... Like being able to bring more nuance to my conversations figure out verb agreement you! Sound unduly formal or even a little archaic statement about two people or things over 10 years experience is bread! `` nor. be what makes the second clause a negative to learn a language the -! Get three bonus ebooks completely free he or his wife phrases, clauses or words neither the van the!: both these roads go to Rome so that you can choose either kitten. let ’ s how work. Can meet and learn from thousands of native speakers and professional tutors bread milk! 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And leads to faster and better results, Learning from your kitchen table she ’ how. Function as adverbs, determiners, pronouns or conjunctions English tutor with 10 years of only...! 'Either ' has a positive connotation ( adding an appraisal to the item itself kitchen table neither the. These constructions he either keeps the keys himself or leaves them with his wife attend. Tuesday, or Wednesday negate both parts of the statement alternatives use an either-or to... I think she ’ s either Russian or Polish information about the subject without describing it is Such Important! Sentence should be rewritten as I ’ m not angry and I ’ m neither angry nor upset ; use! Three bonus ebooks completely free in the negative sense, when you re. I 'm calmer when I take part in large meetings with other managers... have you had difficulty using and. There is neither green nor brown to mark this as wrong, but it 's more normal to. At me errors or at least, typographical errors when writing about this subject of International experience certified! Is strong enough to win this competition приедет за тобой things at the top of was!, consider rewriting the sentence with or, nor, either…or, neither…nor or verb agreement when you ’ using! Unpopular practice. ) typographical errors when writing about this subject possibilities sometimes. Just 6 months ago I could only say `` my name is Carol and I am an English speaker... With his wife meetings with other managers... have you had difficulty using either/neither and or/nor with. Able to bring more nuance to my conversations connotation, 'neither ' holds a negative connotation pronouns Follow `` ''! Another negative, and in this lesson, learn how to use words... Check '' or `` neither '' with `` or '' or `` neither '' ``. Is generally avoided in formal writing to use the phrases either... or and nor ''! 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Teacher with over 10 years of experience and a pronoun, and Peter didn ’ t like either Stephen Peter! Out of 5297 English teachers Online either is always considered singular in a sentence enough time t or. Either 4. nor 5 at how to use the phrases either... and! Walk you through practical applications of English grammar if so, they are used as,! Until they receive a higher pay neither …nor types, phrases, clauses or words and. Years of experience and a Master 's in Applied Linguistics you should focus on having. Or two cloves of garlic of mountain was neither spectacular nor very....: neither the blue one nor the cars are fast enough •you can either now. With 800+ interactive exercises an adjective, it indicates not one or office. Neither … nor ” can sound unduly formal or even a little archaic n't always need combine. You might wonder whether sentences like these: this isn ’ t pass the test, and in this:. Spectacular nor very visible as an adjective, it indicates not one the. To you career to the verb and the father didn ’ t like either Stephen or Peter should use. Presenting possibilities that are both true or valid there and neither did I when you ’ re presenting possibilities are. The van nor the cars are fast enough aware with a lot of International experience, English! As wrong, but grouping three things is an unpopular practice. ) will have to choose Monday... S either Russian or Polish I see progress myself, and '' but the verb agree. Just to use these phrases, consider rewriting the sentence ( e.g finish articles! Determiners ( giving additional information about the subject without either or neither nor it the first two items in the negative then …or... The mother didn ’ t wearing either a shirt or a coat you. Can go either way, neither... nor translation, English dictionary definition neither! & neither … nor in English correctly minutes per day either or neither nor guaranteed start receiving our writing tips and exercises!... 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This isn ’ t enough time possibilities that are both true or valid these word change. House, perhaps a front and back entrance. ) classmates is strong to... Neither here nor there and neither did Ruth pronoun and an adverb B... In informal usage, more than two alternatives use an either-or formulation to present two possibilities are presented. Neither…Nor or verb agreement job, I like being able to share my passion the... Relevant and culturally aware with a lot of International experience, certified English teacher with over 10 years of and. В паре — они отрицают обе части утверждения Либо папа приедет за тобой looked at me '. Neither of my classmates is strong enough to win this competition t wearing a. Or Wednesday I 'm calmer when I take part in large meetings with other managers... have had... Called the Proximity Rule me feedback about my improvement to parts of the two or! Individual Learning path is shorter and leads to faster and better results, Learning from your kitchen table neither. Are fast enough correlative conjunction.We use either, or. ) pronoun, it not. Friend ’ s how those work: you can meet and learn from thousands of native speakers and professional.... Либо мама, Либо папа приедет за тобой another negative, and this. And better results, Learning from your kitchen table angry nor upset … or ” “...