How to Use Neither. Or they can be part of a two-part conjunction (either … or, neither … nor) joining two or more subjects. You should focus on not having grammatical errors or at least, typographical errors when writing about this subject. 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. neither= not A and not B (zero out of two things or people). 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, 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. Here are 7 powerful reasons to try online tutoring, Guide to Business English Negotiation: Preparation, Vocabulary & Phrases, English for the Call Center: How to Improve Your Language Skills, English for Business Communication: Best Courses & How to Improve, Business English Films: 3 Movies That will Help You Learn Business English. 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”. ''Neither, nor'' are the opposite of ''both, and'' but the verb must be positive. – when they are used together, they negate both parts of the statement. 4. You don’t like apples. Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence. When using either/or and neither/nor, be sure to maintain subject-verb agreement. Using Either …or. Here’s an example:“I fear man nor beast!” Jay proclaimed as Frank stared at the python coiled on the branch over his head. We use it to say ‘not either’ in relation to two things. Either/or and neither/nor. They can either have breakfast or have a shower. Neither / nor 12. either / or 13. How do these word pairs change the meaning of a sentence? 3. Place "either" or "neither" immediately in front of the noun it modifies. You don't always need to combine "either" and "neither" with "or" or "nor." Neither can be used as conjunction, pronoun, and adjective. They will be glad to help you with your questions and walk you through practical applications of English grammar. 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. (Wrong. I can definitely see the progress. 1.Either / or - used in a sentence in the affirmative sense when referring to a choice between two possibilities. Define neither ... nor. Importance of Reading: Why Reading is Such an Important English Language Skill, Learning English for Business? Got enough negatives in there for you? Neither is also singular. 1. This tells us about two negative ideas, but it's quite formal. has a positive connotation (adding an appraisal to the primary meaning). OR I like neither Stephen nor Peter. Either is used in the affirmative sense, when you’re presenting possibilities that are both true or valid. Often when either and neither are used as conjunctions, they are used together with the words or and nor. Examples •Neither Mark nor … “Either or” vs “Neither nor” Either/or. For example, either way, neither here nor there and neither one thing nor the other. are used as determiners (giving additional information about the subject without describing it. Or have you finally figured it out? This tells us about two negative ideas, but it's quite formal. Neither parent came to meet the teacher. You can find a tutor here. We could use either blue paint or red paint. He will neither come here nor send a representative. They are both busy at the moment. They can either have breakfast or have a shower. Example Sentences. Now, I'm calmer when I take part in large meetings with other managers ... Have you had difficulty using either/neither and or/nor? 10. 8. As we mentioned above, there are 4 general ways that these terms are used, and we’ll go through all of them. Preview this quiz on Quizizz. In informal usage, more than two possibilities are sometimes presented, but this is generally avoided in formal writing. The sentence should be rewritten as I’m neither angry nor upset. In this lesson, learn how to use the phrases EITHER...OR and NEITHER ...NOR correctly in English sentences. He wasn’t wearing either a shirt or a coat. He didn’t remember and neither did I. Neither of them seemed interested in the offer. 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. An individual learning path is shorter and leads to faster and better results, Learning from your kitchen table? 2. are used as pronouns, the sentence structure will be as follows: Both these roads go to Rome so that you can go. He neither smiled, spoke, nor looked at me. Here’s how those work: You can choose either cereal or toast for your breakfast. They can be pronouns; and if so, they are always singular. Neither 9. ), they are placed before the noun. 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 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 singular. When these words function as adverbs, then both either and neither act as connecting words. However, using “neither … nor” can sound unduly formal or even a little archaic. "Either" and "neither" can … 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. Either example: "You can choose either kitten." Boost your business English skills in 6 days. Neither will the workers go off strike, nor negotiate until they receive a higher pay. Neither … nor This structure, “neither … nor”, is used to connect the same kind of word or phrase in the sentence. And while. (It is quite harsh to mark this as wrong, but grouping three things is an unpopular practice.) Example Sentences: You add either one or two cloves of garlic. neither ... nor synonyms, neither ... nor pronunciation, neither ... nor translation, English dictionary definition of neither ... nor. I like neither coffee nor … Neither / nor 2. either 3. either 4. nor 5. I like being able to share my passion with the subject with others. Compare your responses to the feedback by clicking the "Check" or "Check 1-10" button. “I’m not angry and I’m not upset.”). Neither, on the other hand, is used as a determiner, pronoun and an adverb. Neither 9. 9. Neither goes before singular countable nouns. You may well have come across sentences like these: This isn’t grammatically correct. 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. Neither makes a negative statement about two people or things. I don’t like either Stephen or Peter. He will neither come here nor send a representative. neither…nor gives a negative meaning to verbs. If you want to avoid that, consider rewriting the sentence (e.g. You will improve your English in only 5 minutes per day, guaranteed! Neither of my classmates is strong enough to win this competition. 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. Shirt or a coat take part in large meetings with other managers... have you had difficulty using either/neither or/nor. Must agree with the nearer subject this lesson, learn how to use 'not + or ' nor! 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