Either… Or

Neither… Nor
Both … And
 Either…… Or
• The expression either … or means to
make a choice between the first one
or the second one.

• E.g. Cassie has to decide. She can either play

soccer or baseball.
 Either…… Or
• Either… or is used to exclude.

• E.g. We could either go to the beach or to the

mountains.
 Either…… Or
• Either is always followed by or.

• E.g. We could choose either sushi or noodles

from the menu.
 Either…… Or
• Either … or is used in a sentence in the
affirmative sense when referring to a choice
between two possibilities.

• E.g. We can either eat now or after the movie.

You decide.
 Either…… Or
• If both elements are singular, then
the verb is singular too.

• E.g. Either the father or the mother has to

attend the meeting. (father and mother are
singular; so the verb has, is singular too)
 Either…… Or
• If one of the elements is plural, then use a
plural verb.

• E.g. Either Sue or the girls are going to

prepare dinner tonight. (the girls is plural; so
the verb are, is plural too)
 Neither … Nor
• Neither … nor is used to join two
negative ideas.

• E.g. I neither smoke nor drink.

 Neither … Nor
• Sometimes more than two ideas are
connected by neither . . . nor.

• E.g. He neither smiled, spoke, nor looked at

me.
 Neither … Nor
• Neither is always followed by nor.

• E.g. Neither Tom, nor Peter could solve the

problem.
 Neither … Nor
• Neither . . . nor is used to deny two
possibilities.
• Neither must be preceded by a positive
statement as we never use two negative
forms in the same sentence.

• e.g.: Wednesday is neither the first nor the last

day of the week.
 Neither … Nor
• Neither . . . nor is used in the
negative sense when you want to say
that two or more things are not true.

• E.g. Neither my mother nor my father went to

university.
 Neither … Nor
• If both elements are singular, then
the verb is singular too.

• E.g. Neither Leila nor Nancy is going to write

the report. (Leila and Nancy are singular; so
the verb is, is singular too)
 Neither … Nor
• If one of the elements is plural, then
use a plural verb.

• E.g. Neither the teacher nor the students

were in the classroom this morning. (the
students is plural; so the verb were, is plural
too)
 Both . . . And
• Both is used to talk about two
people, things, places or actions
within the same context.

• e.g.: Both Peter and Jennifer are from the

United States.
 Both . . . And
• Both refers to the first AND the
second choice.

• E.g. I take both milk and sugar in my coffee.

• This means: 'I take sugar. I also take milk.'