Is the word either singular or plural

The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary provides advice which I think is misleading. It is:

• Neither of and either of are followed by a plural noun or pronoun and a singular or plural verb. A plural verb is more informal: Neither of my parents speaks/​speak a foreign language.
• When neither… nor… or either… or… are used with two singular nouns, the verb can be singular or plural. A plural verb is more informal.

Certainly, there are constructions in which it is difficult to «keep track» of the number of the verb that is called for by the subject. An example is given in the The American Heritage Book of English Usage, (Houghton Mifflin, 1996):

Either John or his brothers are bringing the dessert.

Here it may not be immediately clear to some speakers whether the singular «John» or the plural «brothers» should guide them in choosing the number of the verb. It would be clear to them if they would but realize that it is neither «John» nor «brothers» that guides the choice of the verb: it is the singular pronoun Either that heads the noun phrase which is the subject.

Nevertheless, is true that many English speakers «lose track» of number when using the pairs neither… nor… or either… or…. The result is something called proximity agreement. This is a way to make English more «forgiving», in a way. There is no point in trying to force agreement in number on a population of speakers, and in any case, there is no mechanism with which to force it!

In the Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English (2002), Douglas Biber explains it thus:

…the principle of proximity sometimes plays a part in subject-verb agreement. This principle is the tendency, especially in speech, for the verb to agree with the closest (pro)noun, even when that (pro)noun is not the head of the subject noun phrase. For example:

Do you think [any of them] are bad Claire? (CONV)
[Not one of the people who’s auditioned] were up to par. (FICT)

These examples are obvious, and agreement in number in any case is not as important as being understood by listeners or readers.

However, Oxford Learners gives bad advice to learners when they tell them that it is acceptable to say:

Neither of my parents ​speak a foreign language.

If we remove the preposition phrase, it is easy to see that the singular is called for:

Neither ​speaks a foreign language.

In this case, they are giving bad, or at least incomplete advice to learners. The last sentence of the entry should be:

It is never wrong to use a singular verb form with either or neither.

Have you ever struggled with either or neither, wondering if they referred to subjects singular or plural, wondering if they took singular or plural verbs?

Have you looked up either and neither only to find competing rules about their use, about whether they are indeed singular or plural?

Let’s look at both words and settle the issue of subject-verb agreement when they’re used as subjects. (There are other uses of either and neither, but we’re going to focus on only the one issue in this article.)

Here’s a tip that should prove helpful: there are different conditions to consider when you make your decisions about whether either and neither are singular or plural.

Under one condition, both words are always singular and take a singular verb.

Under the other condition, the choice between singular and plural will depend not only on the words either and neither, but on other words in your sentence as well.

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Condition One

Either and neither are pronouns. But they can also be conjunctions (correlative), adjectives, determiners, and even adverbs. When either word is used as a pronoun and as the subject of a sentence or clause—and it’s the only subject—it takes a singular verb. When one of the words is used to modify the single subject of a sentence, it takes a singular verb.

Let’s look at examples. I’ve included quite a few—several with similar wordings. Don’t be distracted by other words in the sentence—under the condition I outlined, both either and neither are singular, and they require singular verbs.

Note that in a question format, the helping verb is the word that will be singular.

Either diamond is a good choice.

Neither sandwich tastes good.

Neither was a very good singer.

Neither were very good singers. X

Neither one is a favorite of mine.

Neither one are favorites. X

Either one of your brothers seems capable of doing the work.

Neither of my brothers wants to be left at home.

Either of you is welcome any day.

Either of you are welcome any day. X

Neither of us considers you unimportant.

Does either option require a signature?

Does either boy want breakfast?

Do either boy want breakfast? X

Does either of the boys want breakfast?

Do either of the boys want breakfast? X

Does either one of the boys want breakfast?

Does either one want breakfast?

Does either want breakfast?

Neither wants breakfast.

Neither want breakfast. X

Neither brother wants breakfast.

Neither of the brothers wants breakfast.

Neither of the brothers want breakfast. X

Neither one wants breakfast.

Does neither have a license?

Do neither have a license? X

So neither has a license.

So neither have a license. X

Doesn’t either of them want to go?

Don’t either of them want to go? X

Doesn’t either of your kids want dessert?

Don’t either of your kids want dessert? X

Does either of you want to go with me?

Do either of you want to go with me? X

Is either of your daughters a doctor?

Is either daughter a doctor?

Are either of your daughters a doctor? X

Are either daughter a doctor? X

Are either daughters doctors? X

Has neither of them been a good fit?

Have neither of them been a good fit? X

Was neither a good choice?

Were neither a good choice? X

Some of these that are right don’t sound right to the ear, do they? And some that are incorrect sound correct. But they are correct or incorrect as marked. At least grammatically correct or incorrect.

Those that truly sound wrong are the examples with the preposition of (of your daughters, of yours) following either or neither. But either and neither are still singular, even when followed by a prepositional phrase containing a plural object.

The Caveat

Most of the time we want to be grammatically correct. Yet correct isn’t always our first goal. In fiction we want our characters to speak (and think) as they actually would. Would your characters always speak correctly? That’s up to you to decide. But many 3-D people speak sentences that would be considered incorrect in terms of proper grammar, so fictional characters can definitely do the same. (I’m pretty sure that I regularly use several of these examples incorrectly when I say similar sentences.)

Still, it pays to know what is considered correct.

If you’re using the omniscient POV, you’ll probably want your narrator to use proper grammar. And if you’re writing for the business world, for a news organization, or for a school course—if you’re writing nonfiction—choose correct grammar unless you’re using improper grammar on purpose, maybe to create an effect or prove a point.

Condition Two

The second condition kicks in when there are alternative subjects that share a single verb. In this case we’re talking about two subjects linked by or or nor.

Look for the either/or and neither/nor constructions.

Under this condition, the verb is singular or plural based on the subject closest to the verb. If the subject closest to the verb is singular, use a singular verb. If the closest subject is plural, use a plural verb.

If both subjects are singular or both plural, the choice for the verb is easy. It’s when one subject is singular and the other plural that you have to pay attention.

Either his mother or my sisters are singing in the pub tonight.

Either my sisters or his mother is singing in the pub tonight.

Neither his mother nor my sisters are singing in the pub tonight.

Neither my sisters nor his mother is singing in the pub tonight.

Either Larry or Brad holds the record.

Either Larry or one of his brothers holds the record. (one of his brothers, not plural brothers)

Either Larry or the Wilson boys hold the record.

Neither the accountant nor his clients know the combination.

Neither the clients nor the accountant knows the combination.

Neither the horses nor the jockeys have ever raced on that particular track.

Neither the jockeys nor the horses have ever raced on that particular track.

In this second condition, readers might be bothered by a plural subject being followed by a singular verb. You can head off potential problems by putting the plural subject second and using a plural verb.

The first sentence in this next example isn’t wrong, so you wouldn’t have to change it. But you could change the word order.

Either the three elephants or the lone tiger is going to be cut from the second act.

Either the lone tiger or the three elephants are going to be cut from the second act.

Keep in mind that we’re talking subjects that share a verb. If each subject has its own verb, that’s a different scenario and a different use of either.

Either you tell me, or I’ll turn you in for the reward money.

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So pair either and neither with singular verbs under the first condition and match the subject closest to the verb for the second condition. In fiction, use your judgment about characters using improper grammar with either or neither. But do at least recognize when the the grammar isn’t standard or may be questionable.

I hope these examples prove clear and helpful. If you have questions, please ask. Or if you have any tips of your own to share, please include them in the comment section.

We’ll consider other uses of either and neither in another article.

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Tags: pronouns, verb tense     Posted in: Grammar & Punctuation

Despite being just a single letter apart from each other, the two words either vs. neither have completely opposite meanings. This underscores just how important it is to use the correct word, since failing to do so could drastically change the meaning of a sentence.

What is the Difference Between Either and Neither?

In this post, I want to go over the uses of these two words. I will go over their functions, their definitions, and their pronunciations, as well as the popular phrases that use each word.

After reading this post, you shouldn’t ever confuse neither vs. either again.

When to Use Either

Either can be used as four distinct parts of speech. It can be used as a pronoun, conjunction, adjective, and adverb. The meaning of either in the first three forms is the one or the other and in the case of its adverbial form likewise; also.

• Either one of the candidates would make a fine president. (Pronoun)
• This is a list of people who gave either money or time during the campaign. (Conjunction)
• You can take either car to the movie tonight. (Adjective)
• If you aren’t going to the show tonight, I won’t either.* (Adverb)

A distinctive feature that separates either from neither is that either is positive. It does not create a negation of both options.

In the examples above, either is used to indicate one or the other. It is not meant to eliminate all possibilities or options presented. That said, constructions similar to the fourth example above are best avoided or replaced with the word neither.

• If you aren’t going to the show tonight, I won’t either.

– is better stated –

• If you aren’t going to the show tonight, neither will I.

When to Use Neither

Neither can also be used as four distinct parts of speech: adjective, pronoun, conjunction, and adverb. The first three forms carry the meaning not one or the other, and the adverbial form carries the meaning similarly not; also not.

• I’m not sure. Neither shirt fits me very well. (Adjective)
• Neither of the speakers has arrived yet. (Pronoun)
• After the fight, he neither called nor wrote. (Conjunction)
• If you don’t want to go to the concert, neither do I. (Adverb)

As mentioned above, neither creates a total negation, which cannot be said about the word either.

How to Pronounce Either and Neither

How to pronounce either: In American English, ee–ther is the preferred and more common pronunciation. The pronunciation i–ther is not incorrect, just sometimes considered pretentious in American English. The i–ther pronunciation is dominant in British English.

How to pronounce neither: In American English, nee–ther is the traditionally preferred pronunciation, with ni–ther being considered mildly pretentious.

In British English, however, ni–ther is considered normal.

Me Either or Me Neither?

There are quite a few different phrases/idioms that use both either and neither.

• Either Way: Whichever of the two given alternatives be the case.

I’m not sure whether his name is Greg or Joe, but, either way, address him as sir.

• Me Neither: Nor do I.

– I don’t want to leave the city tonight.

– Yeah—me neither.

Number of Elements When Using Either or Neither

Whether you are using either or neither, you can only frame two alternatives/elements.

• Either this or that.
• Neither this nor that.

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.

• I had neither considered your offer, the location, nor the position yet.
• We can make either hotdogs, hamburgers, or BBQ. Your pick.

It’s best to omit neither or either in sentences like those above.

• I had not considered your offer, the location, or the position yet.
• We can make hotdogs, hamburgers, or BBQ. Your pick.

Is Neither/Either Singular or Plural?

When acting as the subject of the sentence, neither and either both take singular verbs.

• Either of the two offers was better than my current job.
• Neither of the coupons was a good one.

Singular/Plural When Using Neither… Nor Constructions

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. For example,

• Neither the engine nor the fuel tank leaks any fluid.
• Neither the fuel lines nor the fuel tank leaks any fluid.

– but –

• Neither the fuel tank nor the fuel lines leak any fluid.

In the first example, both alternatives are singular, so a singular verb follows. Similarly, in the second example, the second alternative is singular, so a singular verb follows.

The third example has a plural second alternative, so the verb that follows the construction is plural.

Singular/Plural When Using Either … Or Constructions

Nouns that are framed by an either … or construction take a singular or plural verb, depending on which noun is closest to the verb. For example,

• Either she or they need the recipe.
• Either they or she needs the recipe.

The first sentence has the plural they closest to the verb need, so the verb is plural.

The second sentence has the singular she closest to the verb needs, so the verb is singular.

Parallelism When Using Either and Neither

When you are using either and neither, you should be sure to keep the elements of you sentences parallel syntactically. For example,

• The audience was reimbursed either with vouchers or food.

– should read –

• The audience was reimbursed with either vouchers or food.

In the first sentence, the two elements do not match each other. Consider another example,

• The donations have neither been disclosed nor accounted for.

– should read –

• The donations have been neither disclosed nor accounted for.

Remember the Difference

A great way to remember the difference between these two words has to do with the first letter of the word neither.

Neither creates a negation and starts with the letter “N.” Neither means not one of the given options.

If you can remember this trick, you’ll be all set.

Summary

Both of these words have multiple functions within a sentence, but knowing when to use either or neither is very important since they have near opposite meanings.

Either means one or the other.

Neither means not one or the other.

 How subject/verb agreement works with either…or and neither…nor

When we use either…or and neither…nor, we present a choice between two different options. The suggestion is that one of these options will complete the action, so when we have a choice between two singular objects, the verb can only be done by one of them. Hence, though we have two nouns, the verb should then be singular:

•  Either my mum or my dad is cooking dinner. (not are cooking)
• Neither the dog nor the cat eats cheese. (not eat cheese)

To make more sense of this, look what happens when we assign the action to both nouns within the choice: Either my mum is cooking dinner or my dad is cooking dinner. It is possible that they could both complete the action, but we use either to indicate only one of them will.

This said, however, you may find that with informal English a plural is used. As the examples above demonstrate, this isn’t strictly grammatically accurate, but English users are not always bothered about strict grammatical accuracy, so it can be acceptable in informal settings.

The choice between two plural nouns is simpler, as the verb should always be in the plural.

• Either the chairs or the boxes have to be moved. (not has to be)
• Neither lions nor tigers make good pets. (not makes)

Again, these statements would work with the full verb assigned to each noun.

• Neither lions make good pets nor tigers make good pets.

Either/Neither with Mixed Singulars and Plurals

A complication to these rules comes when one choice is singular and the other is plural. In this case, the general rule is that the verb should agree with the closest noun. In other words, when the either/neither phrase comes before the verb, the verb should agree with the second option.

• Either Rachel or her sisters were telling a lie.
• Either the bikes or the car is getting sold.
• Neither Rachel nor her sisters were telling the truth.
• Neither the musicians nor the conductor is ready for the performance.

Though this is the rule we aim for (to be grammatically correct), it can sound a little strange to the ear, as there is an option of a plural completing the action, but no plural verb. For this reason some English speakers may (albeit erroneously) use a plural verb with either/neither statements using mixed singulars and plurals, regardless of which is closer to the verb. Rather than risk being technically incorrect, if you wish to use a plural in these instances it’s best to simply reorder the choice to make sure the plural is closest to the verb. 

• Either the car or the bikes are getting sold.

As a final thought, if you assign a verb to each choice, of course, it should agree with whichever noun you assign it to:

• Either Rachel was telling the truth or her sisters were.

Let me know if you’ve got any questions!