This sentence uses the words either and or to show the two alternatives for how you can get to the grocery store. We can go to either greece or spain for our holiday. A common grammatical mistake that occurs when using the correlative conjunction neitheror is subject. For example, neither the engine nor the fuel tank leaks any fluid. Correlative conjunctions are pairs such as neither. When you have sentences that take the neither nor construction, the verb that follows should be singular when the alternatives are singular or when the second alternative is singular. The eighth and largest group, which in its enormous numbers was to the others as ninetynine to one, consisted of men who desired neither peace nor war, neither an advance nor a defensive camp at the drissa or anywhere else, neither barclay nor the emperor, neither pfuel nor bennigsen, but only the one most essential thingas much advantage. Grammar exercise either or neither nor my english pages.
But these two can be used in so many different contexts that their meanings can become confusing. Neither the blue one nor the red is available in size 4. My grandpa neither likes nor cares about the technology. The phrase either or eitheror and the phrase neither nor neithernor are called correlative conjunctions. When neither is used in a sentence, a singular verb is used as well as a singular noun. But either and neither are still singular, even when followed by a prepositional phrase containing a plural object. Neither makes a negative statement about two people or things. How to use either, neither, or, and nor correctly the write practice.
Using both and, either or, neither nor english study here. Most of the time we want to be grammatically correct. Two singular nouns connected by or or nor take a singular verb neither charles nor benjamin was present there neither he nor his dad is good at driving when one of the nouns connected by or or nor is plural, the verb must be plural, and the plural subject must be placed next to the verb neither peter nor his parents were aware of this. You may either go to the library or a book store to get a copy of the required reading materials. According to context and to the grammar book you consult, they can be considered as quantifiers, adjectives, pronouns, correlating coordinators or adverbs. They say the place where you are born is not a choice, and neither is the family into which you are born. Complete the sentence with or, nor, eitheror, neithernor or verb agreement. Standard dictionaries generally accept the use of either or neither. Real sentences showing how to use either correctly. Pullum, say the two terms can be used in multiple as well as the more common binary coordination.
In my examples above, i use do because the first sentence is in the present simple tense. I have neither the time nor the patience to listen to your stories. Either jacy or myra will help you with your children. She has neither eaten anything nor slept in two days. If you dont want to go to the concert, neither do i. This structure, neither nor, is used to connect the same kind of word or phrase in the sentence. While either has a positive connotation, neither holds a negative significance. Neither, neither nor and not either english grammar today. Whether you are using either or neither, you can only frame two alternativeselements. In this lesson, learn how to use the phrases either. I do not have the time and i do not have the patience to listen to your stories. Either is always paired with or, and neither is always paired with nor.
Neither nor is used when the choice is negative or the person wants to say that more than one thing is not true. Although not a major grammatical error, the grouping of more than two things is frowned upon by followers of some style conventions. Compare your responses to the feedback by clicking the check or check 110 button. The pairings eitheror and neither nor can be used to group two people or things. He neither attends the class regularly nor learns his lessons. These conjunctions connect two balanced clauses, phrases, or words. How to use either, neither, nor and or kaplan blog. You may well have come across sentences like these. You can choose either cereal or toast for your breakfast. Neithernor is used when the choice is negative or the person wants to say that more than one thing is not true.
Neithernor when two subjects are joined by neithernor or eitheror, choosing the right. Goods that are neither consumed nor placed into this technology will perish. The verb agrees with the noun that is closer to it. Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
Singularplural when using neither nor constructions. On the other hand, the word neither is used before a singular noun when there is no article. If you are matching either and nor, i hate to break it to you, but youre doing it wrong. The problem is that both, either and neither and in particular both have different functions. Both john and fred dont like doing the dishes i want neither the red shirt nor the blue shirt. Those that truly sound wrong are the examples with the preposition of of your daughters, of yours following either or neither. Neither either and neither represent a pair of words frequently used in the english vocabulary. The verb after so or neither changes depending on the tense of the verb in the first sentence. Each phrase deals with an alternative of two people or two sets of people within the same sentence. So far, so straightforward but you might have some questions about using either or and neither nor correctly. Free exercises on the use of either or neither nor.
The two elements that correlative conjunctions connect are usually similar in length and grammatical structure. Either and neither, singular or plural the editors blog. He will neither come here nor send a representative. If a verb is already in the negative then either or is used and not neither nor. Eitheror and neithernor beware double negatives the pairings eitheror and neithernor can be used to group two people or things. Additionally, nor is generally not used where neither is not also used. Either and neither download this explanation in pdf here. Neither the green dress nor the pink dress is available for now in our shop.
We use it to say not either in relation to two things. So neither nor either too when someone expresses a statement, we can simply use phrases like me neither, neither do i, nor can cats, james doesnt either, so does my dad etc. We can either eat now or after the show its up to you 2. We can either go to the movies or stay inside and watch netflix. Jay proclaimed as frank stared at the python coiled on the branch over his head. Neither my mother nor my father went to university. In addition, they are also used wrongly quite often, so everything becomes even more unclear. What is different between rather than and neither, and between nor and either in english.
In this sentence, the author uses either or because. So, too, neither and either perfect english grammar. Neither my friends nor my relatives could help me when we were in the hospital. I used to like playing bothfootball andbasketball when i was young. What are the differences between rather than, neither, nor. Neither is used as a determiner before a single noun.
Neither is defined as not one nor the other of two things actually happened or was true. Eitheror and neithernor are correlative conjunctions. Grammar lessons either or and neither nor my english pages. If youre presenting two alternatives, youll often use an either or or a neither nor construction. They say the place where you are born is not a choice, nor is the family into which you are born. The correlative conjunction eitheror is used to join two positive options. Neither is used in the negative sense, when youre presenting things that arent true or valid. So, too, neither and either so do i and neither do i download this explanation in pdf here. Neithernor when they are used together, they negate both parts of the statement. In all examples below, a and b are the same parts of speech. But for the negative case, i would use and neither. 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. Either or used in a sentence in the affirmative sense when referring to a choice between two possibilities.
Plural or singular form of the verb subject verb agreement. I will neither call you nor send you a message before midday. Either the clerk or the secretary has the keys to the rover. Home page for english grammar today on cambridge dictionary. Neither nor used in a sentence in the negative sense when you want to say that two or more things are not true. Examples you can either drive your car to the grocery store or ride your bike. Neither sarah nor peter was to blame for the mistake.
Casey cagle is polling, or some rival candidate considers him the man to beat in the 2018 race for governor. We can either eat now or after the show its up to you. If one of the nouns is singular and the other one is plural, we need to go to the noun that is closer to the verb. Remember, when using either it is always paired with the word or and not nor, and when using neither it is always paired with the word nor and not or. He either keeps the keys himself or leaves them with his wife. Neither the school nor the parents want to take responsibility for the problem. From the american copy editors society a tricky agreement problem. As a conjunction, it is used with nor to negate both parts of a statement.
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