Here are some rules to remember when using both, neither or either.
Both = this AND that
Either = this OR that
Neither = NOT this and NOT that.
Both is used with 'and' e.g.
"Emma and Megan both went to the party."
We don't usually use this with a negative sentence, but use neither instead.
e.g.
"Both of us don't swim regularly." WRONG.
"Neither of us swim regularly." MUCH BETTER!
Either is used with 'or' e.g.
"Do you want either chocolate or crisps?"
We often use neither with 'nor', although this is quite formal. E.g.
"Neither Caroline nor Marguerite worked for EC during the world cup."
Be careful not to use neither with another negative e.g.
"I don’t want neither chocolate nor crisps." WRONG.
We cannot have a double negative!
In the following sentences do we need both, neither or either? Good luck!
Today's lesson is by Caroline
- 1. I don't like Italian so I don’t really want to go to restaurant.
- 2. I love of my sisters equally!
- 3. me nor my brother like mushrooms.
- 4. I can't choose, so please can I have of them?
- 5. Please will you or Philippa buy some milk later?
- 6. Do of you have a black dress I can borrow?
- 7. of them want to come with me so I suppose I will have to go by myself.
- 8. I'm so lucky! I went to Spain and Tenerife this year!
- 9. I don't think England or South Africa will win the world cup this year, of them.
- 10. I can't decide what to have for dinner. I think fish and chips or roast chicken.
Comments
good lesson
Thank you for explanation
I was a little bit confused with the first sentence :\
When do we use BOTH?
Very Useful exercise!!! Great explanation!!!
But I made two mistakes - 6 and 10, both of them are difficult for me.
You don't use BOTH in interrogative sentences, do you???
Thank you for the Lesson!
Good exercise
I thought I knew these words, but I still made two mistakes.
Thank you for the revision, it was very useful. Also your explanation.
Some more
This is yet amother good lesson
There is no difficulty in choosing BOTH
but I really find bit difficult in neither and
either. Hope continuous usage will overcome this problem
I require such exercises quite frequently
Good for me ! 10/10 Neither
Good for me !
10/10
Neither me nor my family like a heat wave.We will not go, for sure ,to either hot country. But both The Alps and The Dolomite's Alps good enough for a summer holiday.Would either you, Chris, or your friends go with us?
one mistake
Do---of you have a black dress I can borrow?
Neither/either
1 mistake in 1. Thank you, Caroline.
more and less
Three mistakes are not many, arent't they?
I'll do it again
Umberto
Nice lesson
Thank you for the lesson that was given
thanks god and thank you
realy thank you because just now i knew the deffirence between either and neither .
i learned it before but just now i understanded it well.
 perfect ! i have non of
perfect ! i have non of mistake... good explenation ...thanks :)
Caroline, Perhaps It's You Who Needs English Lessons?
djodonnell4059
If you want to give people Enlgish lessons, please make sure your examples are correct.
Question number three is ungrammatical. It should correctly read "Neither my brother nor I likes mushrooms." "Me" is the objective case of the first-person pronoun and cannot be used in the subject of a sentence. And "neither" makes the subject of the sentence singular, so it requires the singular form of the verb "likes" to be in agreement.
Question number six is also incorrect. "Either" is singular, and so the auxiliary verb should be "does" in order to agree. Try it this way: "Do/does either one of you have a black dress I can borrow?" Adding "one" to the sentence clarifies your choice. But, if you leave that word out, it doesn't change the fact that "does" is correct in this sentence.
Number seven is also incorrect as written, since "neither"is singular. The verb should be "wants."
I am not an English teacher; however, I am a native speaker of American English, and I have gotten all of the questions on this page and several others correct. I applaud your wanting to help others with these lesson pages, but you really must check your work before you post it. Otherwise, you may give your users a false impression of correct English. If you think I'm exaggerating, check out the reply from user bayan2 on this page.