Both, Either, Neither

Level B1 · Conjunctions & Linking Words

both, either, and neither talk about two things at once: both = the two together (positive), either = one of the two, it doesn't matter which, neither = not one and not the other (negative). They appear alone (I like both), before a noun (both films, either option, neither answer), and as paired conjunctions linking two parallel parts: both...and, either...or, neither...nor.

The paired (correlative) forms link two grammatically parallel pieces:

• both ... and = the two together: She speaks both French and German.
• either ... or = one or the other: We can either walk or take the bus.
• neither ... nor = not one and not the other, with a positive verb: He drinks neither coffee nor tea (not doesn't drink neither).
• not only ... but also = a stronger, more emphatic way to add a second true fact: She is not only smart but also kind.
• The two linked parts should match grammatically: both wrote and directed (two verbs), either today or tomorrow (two adverbs) — not both wrote and a director.

Agreement and short answers follow their own rules:

• both + plural verb: Both of my brothers live abroad.
• either/neither + of + plural noun usually take a singular verb in careful English: Neither of the answers is correct; Has either of them replied?
• Short agreements: So do I echoes a positive statement; Neither do I / Nor do I echoes a negative one — both with inversion: I love jazz — So do I; I don't smoke — Neither do I.

The most common mistake is a double negative with neither/nor: I don't like neither of them is wrong — neither already carries the negation, so the verb stays positive: I like neither of them, or switch to either with a negative verb: I don't like either of them. A second frequent error: answering a negative statement with So do I — after I don't smoke, the echo is Neither do I, not So do I.

Look for the pairs both...and, either...or, neither...nor linking two parallel items, of + plural after both/either/neither (both of us, neither of them), and the short answers So do I / Neither do I echoing positive and negative statements respectively.

Practice

Both...And, Either...Or, Neither...Nor · So Do I, Neither Do I & Mixed Practice