The Usage of Both and And, Not Only and But Also, Either and Or, Neither and Nor
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The document explains the use of various conjunctions such as 'both and', 'not only and but also', 'either and or', and 'neither and nor' in English grammar. It provides examples to illustrate how these conjunctions affect verb agreement and sentence structure, emphasizing the importance of using the correct form based on the subjects connected. Additionally, it includes the use of 'either' as an adverb in negative contexts.
The Usage of Both and And, Not Only and But Also, Either and Or, Neither and Nor
- 2. Both and And Two subjects that are connected by both and and take a plural verb. Example: Both my mother and my sister are here.
- 3. Not Only and But Also When two subjects are connected by not only and but also, the subject that is closer to the verb determines to use singular or plural verb. Example: Not only my sister but also my parents are here. Not only my parents but also my sister is here.
- 4. Either and Or Either is used as conjunction with or to imply a choice of alternatives. Example: You can either play on the computer or watch TV. It means that you can do one of two things: play on the computer or watch TV.
- 5. Either and Or When either and or are used to connect two subjects, the subject that is closer to the verb determines the usage of singular or plural verb. Example: Either my sister or my parents are here. Either my parents or my sister is here.
- 6. Neither and Nor Neither is used with nor to negate both parts of a statement. Example: I can neither dance nor swim. It means that I cannot dance or swim.
- 7. Neither and Nor When neither and nor are used to connect two subjects, the subject that is closer to the verb determines the usage of singular or plural verb. Example: Neither my sister nor my parents are here. Neither my parents nor my sister is here.
- 8. The Parallel Structure The same grammatical form should follow each word of the pair. Example: 1. The research project will take both time and money. (both + noun + and + noun) 2. Yesterday it not only rained but also snowed. (not only + verb + but also + verb) 3. I’ll take either chemistry or math next semester. (either + noun + or + noun). 4. That book is neither interesting nor accurate. (neither + adjective + nor + adjective).
- 9. Either as an Adverb When either is used alone, it can be used as an adverb with the meaning also following negative expressions. Example: If you don’t go, I won’t go either. A: I don’t want to go to the party. B: Me, either.