Last Update: Jan 03, 2023
This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!
Asked by: Eduardo Marquardt
Score: 5/5
(61 votes)
The definition of both is one and the other one. An example of both used as an adjective is in the sentence, «I had the cheesecake and chocolate mousse; both desserts were tasty,» which means that the cheesecake and the chocolate mousse were tasty.
Is both an adjective or noun?
both. adjective. Definition of both (Entry 3 of 3) : being the two : affecting or involving the one and the other both feet both his eyes both these armies.
What word type is both?
Both can be a determiner or a conjunction.
Can two be used as an adjective?
The words are used in very different ways: two is a number that can be used as a noun or an adjective, to is most commonly used as a preposition, and too is an adverb.
Is both an adjective of number?
Definite Numeral Adjective:
Both cardinals and ordinals number come under it such as one, first, two, second, four, third, three, seven, eighty five, one third, double, triple two fifths, half, seventh, etc. For example: There are nine persons in a group. He is first to join sports in the class.
43 related questions found
What are adjectives give 10 examples?
Examples of adjectives
- They live in a beautiful house.
- Lisa is wearing a sleeveless shirt today. This soup is not edible.
- She wore a beautiful dress.
- He writes meaningless letters.
- This shop is much nicer.
- She wore a beautiful dress.
- Ben is an adorable baby.
- Linda’s hair is gorgeous.
Is the word my an adjective?
«My» expresses possession and is acting as an adjective because it is modifying the noun «sister.» Other possessive pronouns that act as adjectives in sentences are your, his, her, its, our, and their. The word «my» is a pronoun called a possessive adjective .
Is how many an adjective?
The word many has two common functions: A) It is often used as an adjective that describes a plural noun and tells us that there is a large number of that noun, as in these examples: She worked hard for many years.
Can a sentence have more than one adjective?
In English, it is common to use more than one adjective before a noun. … When you use more than one adjective, you have to put them in the right order, according to type. It is correct to write, «I have a small red car», but it is not correct to write, «I have a red small car».
Is big an adjective or noun?
Big has many other senses as an adjective and a few as an adverb and a noun. Big can describe things that are tall, wide, massive, or plentiful. It’s a synonym of words such as large, great, and huge, describing something as being notably high in number or scale in some way.
What is the verb for both?
When «both» is used with two nouns, then the verb is always plural. However, if you just have one singular or uncountable noun and use «both» for a pair of adjectives, then the verb is singular.
Does both mean each?
As the subject of a sentence, both is plural (although it should never refer to more than two) and each is singular. Both of the writers are going to a workshop, but Each of the writers is going to a workshop. In short, both of these words can be confused or misused, but each of them serves a distinct purpose.
How do you use both correctly?
When we use both as part of a subject or object which is a pronoun, it may be followed by of + an object pronoun:
- We both dislike soap operas. ( subject pronoun + both) or Both of us dislike soap operas. ( …
- She looked at both of us.
- He shouted at both of them. …
- That’ll be so nice for both of you.
Is both an adverb?
Both is a focusing adverb; and is a coordinator. Together, they are a «correlative conjunction».
Is both a preposition?
The word ‘both’ functions as an adjective (describes nouns), a pronoun (words that take the place of nouns), or a conjunction (connector word), but it…
Is both a conjunction word?
As a conjunction, ‘both’ should only be used with ‘and’; its use with other conjunctive phrases (e.g., “as well as” and “along with”) is not preferred. … In the examples below, “both…and” is used as a conjunction relating two nouns, two adjectives, and two verbs, respectively.
What are the 2 adjectives?
Adjectives come in three forms: absolute, comparative, and superlative. Absolute adjectives describe something in its own right. Comparative adjectives, unsurprisingly, make a comparison between two or more things.
What is a 2 adjective sentence?
2A sentences have 2 adjectives before a noun: The glamorous, intelligent princess kissed the grotesque, warty frog. adjective. comma.
Is the word most an adjective?
adjective, superlative of much or many, with more as comparative. in the greatest quantity, amount, measure, degree, or number: to win the most votes.
Are years nouns?
«Year» is a noun because it is the term that refers to a specific period of time.
Can many be a noun?
many Definitions and Synonyms Many can be used in the following ways: as a determiner (followed by a plural noun): It happened many years ago. … as an adjective (after a word such as ‘the’, ‘his’, or ‘these’, and followed by a noun): He said goodbye to his many friends.
What type of adjective is first?
First has other senses as an adjective, adverb, and noun. As an adjective, first describes something as being the original, with nothing else coming before it in time or in a series.
Is the word she an adjective?
Adjectives are simply words used to describe or modify nouns (people, places, things) and pronouns (e.g., I, she, he, it, they, etc.) … In this case, your is actually an adjective, but we’ll get to that later.
Can me be a noun?
Definition. A pronoun (I, me, he, she, herself, you, it, that, they, each, few, many, who, whoever, whose, someone, everybody, etc.) is a word that takes the place of a noun.
What type of word is me?
Me is a pronoun — Word Type.
Asked by: Eduardo Marquardt
Score: 5/5
(61 votes)
The definition of both is one and the other one. An example of both used as an adjective is in the sentence, «I had the cheesecake and chocolate mousse; both desserts were tasty,» which means that the cheesecake and the chocolate mousse were tasty.
Is both an adjective or noun?
both. adjective. Definition of both (Entry 3 of 3) : being the two : affecting or involving the one and the other both feet both his eyes both these armies.
What word type is both?
Both can be a determiner or a conjunction.
Can two be used as an adjective?
The words are used in very different ways: two is a number that can be used as a noun or an adjective, to is most commonly used as a preposition, and too is an adverb.
Is both an adjective of number?
Definite Numeral Adjective:
Both cardinals and ordinals number come under it such as one, first, two, second, four, third, three, seven, eighty five, one third, double, triple two fifths, half, seventh, etc. For example: There are nine persons in a group. He is first to join sports in the class.
43 related questions found
What are adjectives give 10 examples?
Examples of adjectives
- They live in a beautiful house.
- Lisa is wearing a sleeveless shirt today. This soup is not edible.
- She wore a beautiful dress.
- He writes meaningless letters.
- This shop is much nicer.
- She wore a beautiful dress.
- Ben is an adorable baby.
- Linda’s hair is gorgeous.
Is the word my an adjective?
«My» expresses possession and is acting as an adjective because it is modifying the noun «sister.» Other possessive pronouns that act as adjectives in sentences are your, his, her, its, our, and their. The word «my» is a pronoun called a possessive adjective .
Is how many an adjective?
The word many has two common functions: A) It is often used as an adjective that describes a plural noun and tells us that there is a large number of that noun, as in these examples: She worked hard for many years.
Can a sentence have more than one adjective?
In English, it is common to use more than one adjective before a noun. … When you use more than one adjective, you have to put them in the right order, according to type. It is correct to write, «I have a small red car», but it is not correct to write, «I have a red small car».
Is big an adjective or noun?
Big has many other senses as an adjective and a few as an adverb and a noun. Big can describe things that are tall, wide, massive, or plentiful. It’s a synonym of words such as large, great, and huge, describing something as being notably high in number or scale in some way.
What is the verb for both?
When «both» is used with two nouns, then the verb is always plural. However, if you just have one singular or uncountable noun and use «both» for a pair of adjectives, then the verb is singular.
Does both mean each?
As the subject of a sentence, both is plural (although it should never refer to more than two) and each is singular. Both of the writers are going to a workshop, but Each of the writers is going to a workshop. In short, both of these words can be confused or misused, but each of them serves a distinct purpose.
How do you use both correctly?
When we use both as part of a subject or object which is a pronoun, it may be followed by of + an object pronoun:
- We both dislike soap operas. ( subject pronoun + both) or Both of us dislike soap operas. ( …
- She looked at both of us.
- He shouted at both of them. …
- That’ll be so nice for both of you.
Is both an adverb?
Both is a focusing adverb; and is a coordinator. Together, they are a «correlative conjunction».
Is both a preposition?
The word ‘both’ functions as an adjective (describes nouns), a pronoun (words that take the place of nouns), or a conjunction (connector word), but it…
Is both a conjunction word?
As a conjunction, ‘both’ should only be used with ‘and’; its use with other conjunctive phrases (e.g., “as well as” and “along with”) is not preferred. … In the examples below, “both…and” is used as a conjunction relating two nouns, two adjectives, and two verbs, respectively.
What are the 2 adjectives?
Adjectives come in three forms: absolute, comparative, and superlative. Absolute adjectives describe something in its own right. Comparative adjectives, unsurprisingly, make a comparison between two or more things.
What is a 2 adjective sentence?
2A sentences have 2 adjectives before a noun: The glamorous, intelligent princess kissed the grotesque, warty frog. adjective. comma.
Is the word most an adjective?
adjective, superlative of much or many, with more as comparative. in the greatest quantity, amount, measure, degree, or number: to win the most votes.
Are years nouns?
«Year» is a noun because it is the term that refers to a specific period of time.
Can many be a noun?
many Definitions and Synonyms Many can be used in the following ways: as a determiner (followed by a plural noun): It happened many years ago. … as an adjective (after a word such as ‘the’, ‘his’, or ‘these’, and followed by a noun): He said goodbye to his many friends.
What type of adjective is first?
First has other senses as an adjective, adverb, and noun. As an adjective, first describes something as being the original, with nothing else coming before it in time or in a series.
Is the word she an adjective?
Adjectives are simply words used to describe or modify nouns (people, places, things) and pronouns (e.g., I, she, he, it, they, etc.) … In this case, your is actually an adjective, but we’ll get to that later.
Can me be a noun?
Definition. A pronoun (I, me, he, she, herself, you, it, that, they, each, few, many, who, whoever, whose, someone, everybody, etc.) is a word that takes the place of a noun.
What type of word is me?
Me is a pronoun — Word Type.
Continue Learning about English Language Arts
Is kind of an adjective?
Yes, kind can be an adjective, meaning benevolent. The word
«kindly» can be both an adjective and an adverb.
Is sixteen a pronoun or adjective?
Sixteen is a cardinal number, and both an adjective and a
noun.
What is adjective of antique?
The answer is «antique.» Antique has the same word as both noun
and adjective.
Is magic an abstract noun of excitement?
The two can both be abstract nouns. Excitement is the noun form
of the adjective excited, and magic can be both a noun and an
adjective (magical is also an adjective).
What is an adjective shift?
The adjective shift- adjectives shifted around both sides of the
noun.
-
EM
-
Articles
-
Grammar
-
Conjunctions
Summary
The word both refers to each of two people or things. Before a noun, use both. Before a pronoun, use both of.
Examples
- Both destinations are now open to tourists.
- Both of us are happy.
Both and both of can be used interchangeably before a determiner.
Example
- Both (of) these cakes are delicious.
With both–and as a linking expression, maintain parallel structure in formal texts.
Examples
- Poor: The signs are both in English and Spanish.
- Better: The signs are in both English and Spanish.
Use neither or either instead of both in negative sentences.
Examples
- Neither of us is happy.
Instead of “Both of us are not happy.”
- I can’t find either of my shoes.
Instead of “I can’t find both my shoes.”
No commas are needed around both.
Examples
- Both my manager and I have replied to your emails.
- This book makes me both happy and sad.
What is both?
The word both refers to each of two people or things.
Examples
- Both are my friends.
- Both reports are due today.
- Both almonds and walnuts are good for health.
- Farley has lost both his bags.
- Maya likes both books and music.
- They were both excited about the trip.
Both can be used as a pronoun in place of a noun phrase.
Examples
- Both have grown old.
The pronoun both refers to two people.
- Both of them like music.
- I’ll take both, thanks.
Both can also be used adjectivally (as a determiner or predeterminer) to emphasize a reference to two people or things as opposed to just one.
Examples
- Both stores are true.
As a determiner before the noun “stories.”
- Both these stories are true.
As a predeterminer before the noun phrase “these stories.”
- I need both tickets, please.
Both can be paired with and to stress the inclusion of two people or things. It thus works as a conjunction, a word that helps join two parts of a sentence.
Examples
- Both my dog and my cat have grown old.
- Lulu likes both pizza and pasta.
- To reach Koh Samui, you have to take both a bus and a catamaran.
- Rita detests both fruits and vegetables.
Note
It is sometimes thought that the word both is unnecessary when it is already clear that reference is being made to two people or things. But both is a useful and necessary word to refer to each of the two.
Example
- Both her parents were teachers, and she grew up believing that education was important.
Emphasizes that each of the two parents was a teacher; more emphatic than simply saying “Her parents were teachers.”
In this article, we discuss how to use both correctly in all its uses.
Is both singular or plural?
Both as a pronoun refers to two people or things and is always plural.
Examples
- Both
is/are correct. - Both
wants/want these tickets. - Both
likes/like cheese.
When used adjectivally, both again refers to two people or things. Therefore, it is used with plural instead of singular nouns.
Examples
- Both
option/options are correct. - Both my
sister/sisters want these tickets. - Both
cat/cats like cheese.
In both–and constructions as well, use plural instead of singular verbs.
Examples
- Both Farley’s wallet and his watch
is/are lost. - Both the table and the chairs
is/are wobbly. - Both tea and coffee
is/are served here.
Both vs. both of
Both and both of can both occur before a determiner, with no difference in meaning. (A determiner is a word that appears before a noun and qualifies its reference—these houses, her children, your ideas).
Examples
- Both these houses are for sale.
- She claims to love both of her children equally.
- Both your ideas sound great to me.
- Both of my wrists hurt when I use the phone.
Most editors will delete of in such a construction (both of these houses), since the preposition of doesn’t add to the meaning of the sentence. Its use is still grammatically acceptable and quite common in speech.
When it is clear what is being referred to, determiners are often omitted with both. Directly before a noun, only both can be used, not both of.
Examples
- Correct: Both houses are for sale.
- Correct: Both children now go to school.
- Correct: Both ideas sound great to me.
Before a pronoun like them or us, use both of, not simply both.
Examples
- Correct: Both of them are correct.
Not “Both them are correct.”
- Correct: They have invited both of us to the party.
But both is perfectly fine after a pronoun.
Examples
- You can ask them both what they think.
- They both play the piano.
- We both love to travel.
- They have invited us both to the party.
- I want you both to listen to me carefully.
Tip
There is no difference in meaning between “I like them both” and “I like both of them.” However, the “both of + pronoun” construction is generally preferred after a preposition (on, of, for, with, etc.).
Examples
- I have worked with both of them.
Seen more often than “I have worked with
them both
.”
- These passes are for both of us.
Used more often than “These are for
us both
.”
Position of both in a sentence
Both can appear before or after the phrase it modifies.
Examples
- Correct: Both of them work from home.
or
Correct: They both work from home.
- Correct: Both their cats are happy about it.
or
Correct: Their cats are both happy about it.
Some writers prefer “Both of them are happy” to “They are both happy,” arguing that the reader might be misled into expecting more information to appear in the second sentence: They are both happy and something else—what? In reality though, readers are used to parsing a sentence with both correctly from context. Both the following sentences are perfectly acceptable and mean the same thing.
Example
- Correct: Both of them are happy.
or
Correct: They are both happy.
Interestingly, in sentences like “They are both happy,” both appears in an adverbial position (before the adjective). But it still refers to the noun phrase (their cats) rather than describing the adjective (happy). Therefore, it still functions as a pronoun rather than an adverb. Both often takes adverbial positions in sentences, still performing the duties of a pronoun by referring to a noun.
Examples
- They both want to go to Thailand.
between subject (they) and main verb (want)
- They have both already been to Malaysia.
after auxiliary verb (have)
- They can both paint.
after modal verb (can)
- They are both freelancers.
after be as the main verb (are)
Tip
When the main verb in a sentence is the be verb (are, were), the word both generally appears after rather than before the verb.
Example
- We were both happy.
Preferred to “We both were happy.” But “Both of us were happy” is perfectly fine.
They are both doctors.
Preferred to “They both are doctors.” But “Both of them are doctors” is perfectly fine.
Both–and as linking term
The word both combines with and to emphasize the inclusion of two people or things. Use both—and to join two parts of equal importance in a sentence.
Examples
- Anita is both kind and intelligent.
Emphasizes that she has both qualities and not just one; more emphatic than “Anita is
kind and intelligent.”
- Lulu likes both cupcakes and muffins.
- We are open on both Saturday and Sunday.
- You need to submit both an application and a statement of purpose.
- Both Anita and Maya have applied for this job.
- You should pack both shoes and sandals.
Both and and thus form a pair of correlative conjunctions. In formal writing, the two elements joined by both–and should be grammatically balanced and parallel in structure.
Examples
- Poor: They have offices both in London and Paris.
Both and and should join two balanced elements in a sentence. “In London” is a prepositional phrase, while “Paris” is a noun. Take “in” out of the construction to create balance.
Better: They have offices in both London and Paris.
Both and and now join two balanced elements, which are both nouns.
- Poor: We are open both on weekends and weekdays.
Better: We are open both on weekends and on weekdays. - Poor: This contract needs to be signed both by Anita and me.
Better: This contract needs to be signed by both Anita and me.
Caution
In formal writing (such as academic, business, and other official texts), ensure parallel structure. Don’t use both–and to join two unbalanced or mismatched elements in a sentence.
Example
- Poor: I have worked both in sales and manufacturing.
Better: I have worked in both sales and manufacturing.
Both-and can join two pairs of plural nouns to refer to two classes or categories of things.
Examples
- Both cats and dogs make great companions.
- You should eat both almonds and walnuts.
Both is not generally used with other connectives like as well as and together with in formal writing, although such constructions are occasionally seen in informal usage. These connectives are quasi-conjunctions, so using them in place of and is semantically possible but causes syntactic confusion, which is probably why most writers and editors avoid such usage altogether.
Example
- Poor: Both the cat as well as the dog like pizza.
Better: Both the cat and the dog like pizza.
Both in negatives: Both vs. neither and either
In general, use neither instead of both in negative sentences: for example, use “neither can” instead of “both can’t.”
Examples
- Neither of the contestants can bake.
Preferred to “Both the contestants can’t bake.”
- Neither of them is an astronaut.
Instead of “Both of them are not astronauts.”
Similarly, use neither–nor instead of both–and in negative sentences.
Examples
- Neither my mother nor my father can bake.
Preferred to “Both my mother and my father cannot bake.”
- Neither the bus nor the train is available.
Instead of “Both the bus and the train aren’t available.”
Both may sometimes be used in negative statements when the word not needs to be emphasized.
Example
- “I thought they were experts.”
“Well, clearly, they are both not experts.”
Note
With a negative verb, use either instead of both to refer to two people or things.
Examples
- It isn’t clear from
both studies/either study whether caffeine is good or bad for you. - Farley hasn’t heard back from
both/either of the places he applied to last month.
With either-or constructions, not both may be used to emphasize the exclusive nature of the options presented.
Examples
- You can have shoes that are either pretty or comfortable, not both.
- This implies that people can be either wealthy or decent, not both.
Use of the: Both or both the?
The article the is often omitted after both, although using it is not incorrect.
Examples
- Both (the) movies deserve an Oscar.
- We should talk to both (the) students about respecting people’s boundaries.
- Because both (the) applicants are equally qualified, it’s impossible to choose.
Determiners are often omitted after both when it is clear what is being referred to.
Example
- Both these cupcakes are mine.
or
Both cupcakes are mine.
Commas with both
In general, a comma isn’t needed before or after both in a sentence.
Examples
- Poco likes both pizza and pasta.
- Both Mauritius and Fiji are beautiful countries.
- Mauritius and Fiji are both beautiful countries.
A comma may be required for a reason unrelated to the use of both—for example, after a subordinate clause or before a nonrestrictive clause. Use the comma then as usual.
Examples
- If this is right, both of us are wrong.
- I bought both, which is funny because neither of them fits me.
Examples from literature
Here are some examples from published writing that show how the word both is used in sentences.
Examples
They had daubed my face and both my hands with a sort of ointment, very pleasant to the smell, which, in a few minutes, removed all the smart of their arrows.
I promised myself both of these when my creation should be complete.
‘Really, girls, you are both to be blamed,’ said Meg.
A gross deception has been practised on both of us.
— Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)
He had either been engaged to somebody or quarrelled with her family and old Parry disliked them both equally, which was a great bond.
The best marriages, like the best lives, were both happy and unhappy.
The word that I’m thinking of right now is genre, one of those French words, like crêpe, that no one can pronounce both correctly and without sounding pretentious.
— Michael Chabon, Introduction to McSweeney’s Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories (2004)
In this lesson we’re going to look at the difference
between both/either/neither and how to use each of them in the sentence.
You will also get to know the structures both …
and/ neither…nor/either … or.
So let’s get started.
We use either, neither and both when we
are talking about two things.
Both equals one plus the
other or A plus B.
Neither equals not A and
not B
And finally Either is one or the other. It’s A
or B.
Pronunciation of Either and Neither
You will hear the word Either pronounced two
different ways:
Both forms of pronunciation are correct.
Both equals the two;
that one AND the other one; this one AND that one
Both can
be used as a pronoun to refer to two things that we have already mentioned.
A: Do you want the blue shirt or the red one?
B: I’ll buy both (= the blue shirt AND the red shirt =
both shirts)
Both or Both of?
Both or Both of can
be used without a difference in meaning.
Though Both of is more common in the United
States.
Both (of) + determiner + plural noun
You can use Both or Both of before a
determiner (the, these, those, my, his, etc.) and a plural noun.
Both (of) my friends arrived late to class.
Both (of the) cars are in the garage.
A prize was given to both (of the) players.
When we use Both (without of), we drop the
article the.
Both of + Object Pronoun
When using Both with an object pronoun (me,
you, him, her, it, us them), we need the preposition OF before that pronoun.
He has invited both us. (incorrect)
He has invited both of us. (correct)
I’ll take both of them. (correct)
I need to speak to both of you. (correct)
The structure Both … and …. means = not only A
but also B
Both + Adjective + and + Adjective
He’s both tall and handsome.
I’m both happy and confused at the same time!
I have had a long, hard day and I’m both tired and hungry.
Both + Noun + and + Noun
Both can be used with a singular noun + and + singular
noun
She speaks both English and Arabic.
They have both a cat and a dog.
He is both an actor and a director.
We don’t use both in negative structures.
Instead, we normally use Neither.
We don’t say: Both of them are not ready
(incorrect)
We say: Neither of them are ready (correct)
Neither means not one thing and not the other.
Neither is a negative
word and is used with an affirmative singular verb.
Neither + singular noun
Neither is used as a
determiner before a single noun.
Neither team wanted to lose.
That tennis game was very close. Neither player had a
clear advantage.
Neither parent knew about the accident.
Neither of + determiner + plural noun
If we use neither of we need to add
the/these/those or possessives (my/his/her/ etc.).
Neither of my friends came to class today.
Neither of the parents understood what the baby was
trying to say.
Neither of our cars has enough petrol so we have to
take the bus.
I have seen neither of these films.
Neither of + Pronoun
When using Neither of + pronoun (you, us,
them), we need the preposition OF before that pronoun. (If a verb comes
after this phrase then it is in singular form)
The present is for neither of us.
Neither of them is married.
The next structure is Neither … nor
It is the opposite of Both … and ….
Neither the supermarket nor the baker’s has any cakes
left.
Neither the library nor the swimming pool is open at
the moment.
I neither smoke nor drink.
The room was neither cosy nor clean.
If a verb comes after this phrase, that verb is in
the singular form.
Neither vs. Either
You can use Either with a negative verb to
replace Neither with a positive verb.
I have neither time nor money
I don’t have either time or money.
Either = any one of the two; this one or the other
one.
Either is used with an
affirmative singular verb and is mostly used in questions or negative
sentences.
We can see either movie. I don’t care which. I haven’t
seen either movie.
A: Do you want it ready for Thursday or Friday?
B: Either day is fine for me.
Either of + determiner + plural noun
If we use either of we need to add
the/these/those or possessives (my/his/her/ etc.) and a plural noun.
I haven’t seen either of the two movies you mentioned.
I haven’t been to either of those coffee shops.
I don’t want either of those cakes.
Either of + Pronoun
When using Either+ of + object pronoun (you,
us, them), we need the preposition OF before that pronoun.
I don’t think he is going to invite either of us.
A: Which photo do you prefer? B: I don’t like either
of them
I think I left my keys and wallet at the office. I
don’t want to lose either of them.
Either A or B
Either … or … is used to talk about alternatives or a
choice between two (and sometimes more) things.
You can pay either when you order books or when they
are delivered.
You can have either the red dress or the blue dress.
Either you leave the building now or I call the
security guards.
Remember to either phone me or send me a text.
Neither/Either
are frequently used as part of a short response when someone says something
negative and you agree with them.
A: I have never been to Norway.
B: Neither have I.
A: I don’t want to go.
B: Neither do I.
Either is similar with
TOO and ALSO (which are used in affirmative sentences).
A: I wasn’t thirsty. B: I wasn’t either. (You cannot
say “I wasn’t too”)
A: I’ve never been to Spain. B: I haven’t either.
A: I didn’t go to class yesterday. B: I didn’t either.
Subject-verb agreement
The verb which follows two subjects joined by or
must agree with the second subject, NOT the first:
Either my brother or my mum look looks after
our cat when we’re away on holiday.
Either my brother or my parents looks look
after our cat when we’re away on holiday.
Neither the manager nor his assistant are is
here today.
Neither the manager nor his assistants is are
here today.
Before doing the task let’s look through the Summary Chart
of the lesson.
Both means the two
alternatives;
The structure both…and means this AND that.
Either means one of the
two alternatives.
Either … or
means this OR that.
Neither equals none.
Neither … nor
means not this and not the other.
So let’s practice using the rule.
Complete the sentences using both/either/neither and
the structures both…and, either…or, neither…nor:
1. — Do you want ice-cream or apple pie?
—
Can I have both please?
—
I’m sorry. There isn’t enough to go round.
You can only have either ice-cream or pie.
2. Tony wasn’t in class today. Neither
was Caroline. Hmm.
3. How embarrassing! We are both wearing
the same jumper.
4. Star Wars or Iron Man? I don’t like either of
them.
5. Either you obey your mum or
you go to your room?
6. I like neither Ann nor
Bob. They are both snobs.
7. I found two pairs of nice jeans in the sales so I
bought both.
8. What a disaster! I failed both my
Maths test and my French test.
Hopefully the information of the lesson was useful to
you, guys!
Practise your grammar skills because practice makes
perfect!