Post by moon125 on Nov 4, 2024 3:45:50 GMT -5
Either ⇔ Or | Neither ⇔ Nor : These two pairs of conjunctions can be confusing to use when we don't understand their correct function and application in an English sentence.
If you have trouble identifying when to use either and or or neither and nor to express alternative ideas, keep reading this article. Below, we will establish some key concepts and example sentences to make it easier to understand.
either neither
To begin with (as you may already know), neither corresponds to the negative form of either , in the same way that nor is the negative form of or . So far so good.
The tricky part to understand, however, is the following fact: the words either and neither are not always conjunctions accompanied by or and nor . In addition, they can also play different roles in an English sentence, such as : adverbs, determiners, pronouns and adjectives .
Do you want to know how to use these terms correctly in all the cases above and how to recognize each of them?
Understand below.
Conjunction Role
As conjunctions, the pair either and or is used to introduce an idea of “both (x), or (y)”.
The pair neither and nor , in a similar way, is commonly used as a conjunction to express something like “neither (x), nor (y)”.
So, in short, the main difference between these two pairs of conjunctions is that either/or are used in a positive way to indicate that one action or another will be done.
For example:
“I will either leave early or I won't go to the event.”“ I either leave early or I won’t go to the event.”
The pair neither/nor , on the other hand, presents these alternatives in a negative way – that is, neither one nor the other action will be performed.
For example:
→ “She's neither American nor Canadian.”“She is neither American nor Canadian.”
Adverb Role
When used as adverbs, the words neither shopify website design and either function as connectives. Thus, they can be used to agree with a negative statement that has been said.
In this case, both words serve the same purpose, but are used differently.
For example, in the case of neither , the term is used followed by the affirmative form, in order to deny it (thus, the opposite of what was said is denied):
→ “I don't like crowded places.”
→ “ Neither do I.”
“I don't like crowded places.”
"Me either ."
→ “I don't come to this place often.”
→ “No, neither do I.”
“I come to this place often.”
“No, me neither .”
To agree with a negation using either , the sentence is used in the negative form followed by “either”, to express the idea of agreeing with that negation:
→ “I don't like his friends.”
→ “I don't like them either .”
“I don't like his friends.”
“I don’t like them either .”
→ “I don't eat in the morning.”
→ “I don't either .”
“I don’t eat in the morning.”
"Me either ."
Adjective Role
As adjectives , either and neither can be used before a noun. In this form, they mean “each one” ( either ), or in the negative form “neither” ( neither ).
For example:
→ “The building has an elevator at either end.”
“The building has an elevator at each end.”
→ “This is a war which neither side can win.”
“This is a war that neither side can win.”
Pronoun Role
As pronouns, neither and either are always followed by the term “of” before the noun. Thus, the words can be used to designate one of the elements of the context.
In this case, either expresses the idea of “some of…” and neither the idea of “none of…”.
For example:
→ “Does either of these buses stop at the main street?”
“ Do any of these buses stop on the main street?”
→ “ Neither of these people is willing to help.”
“ None of these people are willing to help.”
Determinant Role
When used in the form of determiners, either indicates a choice between two possibilities (any of the, one of the, one of the, etc.). Neither allows you to make a negative statement about two things or people at the same time (none of the).
For example:
→ “ Either of your parents can come to the meeting with the school board.”
“ Any of your parents can come to the meeting with the school board.”
→ “ Neither of my two watches are working anymore.”
“ Neither of my two watches are working.”
→ “Which one of your two pens can I borrow?” “You can borrow either pen.”
“Which of your two pens can I borrow?” “You can borrow either pen .”
→ “Which of these two dresses do you like best?” “ Neither .”
“Which of these dresses do you like best? Neither .”
And so, now it's much easier to understand how to apply these terms in different situations in English, right?
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Marco Castello
CEO & Founder of Essential. Follow me on Instagram for daily English content!