Both, either and neither all talk about two things. Both includes the pair: "Both films were good." Either picks one of the two: "You can take either road." Neither rejects the pair: "Neither film was good."
The verb is the tricky part. Both takes a plural verb. Either takes a singular noun but a plural view in "either of". Neither takes a singular verb in careful English, although a plural verb is common in speech.
This page covers the three words, the either or and neither nor patterns, and the short answers with so, too, either and neither. The 20-question drill checks every pattern with a one-sentence rule.
The rule
Both: the two together
- Both covers two things as a pair: "Both films were good."
- Both takes a plural noun and a plural verb.
- Both of takes a pronoun or a determined noun: "Both of us agreed."
- Both can come after the subject: "They both agreed."
Either: one of two
- Either means one or the other: "You can take either road."
- Either takes a singular noun: either road, either answer.
- Either of takes a plural noun: "Either of the answers is fine."
- Either can also mean also not at the end: "I do not like it either."
Neither: not one and not the other
- Neither means not the first and not the second: "Neither film was good."
- Neither takes a singular verb in careful English: "Neither of them is ready."
- In everyday speech, a plural verb appears: "Neither of them are ready."
- Neither can answer a choice question on its own: "Neither, thanks."
Correlative patterns
- Either or pairs the two options: "Either call me or send a message."
- Neither nor joins the two negatives: "He is neither tall nor short."
- Both and links the two: "She speaks both French and Spanish."
- Do not mix the pairs: "neither or" and "either nor" are wrong.
Agreement with so, too, either and neither
- Too and so agree with a positive statement: "I am tired." — "I am too."
- Either and neither agree with a negative statement: "I am not tired either."
- Neither starts with the auxiliary before the subject: "Neither am I."
- Keep the auxiliary tense: "I cannot swim." — "Neither can I."
Examples
- Both films were good.Both takes a plural noun and a plural verb.
- Both of us agreed.Both of takes a pronoun.
- You can take either road.Either takes a singular noun.
- Neither film was good.Neither takes a singular noun and verb.
- Neither of them is ready.Careful English keeps the singular verb is.
- Either call me or send a message.Either or pairs the two options.
- He is neither tall nor short.Neither nor joins the two negatives.
- She speaks both French and Spanish.Both and links the two languages.
- I do not like it either.Either agrees with a negative statement.
- I cannot swim, and neither can my sister.Neither starts with the auxiliary before the subject.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Both film were good. Right: Both films were good.
- Both takes a plural noun.
- Wrong: Neither of them are ready. Right: Neither of them is ready.
- Careful English uses the singular verb is with neither of.
- Wrong: He is neither tall or short. Right: He is neither tall nor short.
- Neither pairs with nor, not or.
- Wrong: Either of the answers are fine. Right: Either of the answers is fine.
- Either of keeps the singular verb is.
- Wrong: I do not like it too. Right: I do not like it either.
- A negative statement agrees with either, not too.
Practice drill
Answer all 20 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
___ films were good.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. Both Both takes a plural noun and a plural verb for the pair.
Both ___ agreed.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. of us Both of takes a pronoun, so both of us is correct.
You can take ___ road.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. either Either takes a singular noun to offer a choice of one.
___ film was good; they were both boring.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. Neither Neither rejects both films and takes a singular verb.
Neither of them ___ ready.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. is Careful English keeps the singular verb is with neither of.
___ call me or send a message.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. Either Either pairs with or to offer two options.
He is neither tall ___ short.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. nor Neither pairs with nor in the correlative pattern.
She speaks both French ___ Spanish.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. and Both pairs with and for the two items.
I do not like it ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. either Either agrees with the negative statement.
I cannot swim, and ___ can my sister.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. neither Neither starts with the auxiliary can before the subject.
I am tired, and my sister is ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. too Too agrees with the positive statement, while either and neither agree with negatives.
You can choose; ___ of the answers is fine.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. Either Either of keeps the singular verb is and leaves the choice open.
Both ___ the children were asleep.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. of Both of takes a determined plural noun.
Neither of the rooms ___ a window.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. has Neither of keeps the singular verb has.
I have two brothers, but ___ of them lives in London; they are in Paris.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. neither Neither rejects both brothers and keeps the singular verb lives.
___ of the two buses goes to the centre, so take a taxi instead.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. Neither Neither rejects both buses and takes the singular verb goes.
She is ___ intelligent and hard-working.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. both Both pairs with and to include the two qualities.
I do not want tea, and I do not want coffee. I want ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. neither Neither rejects both drinks that were mentioned.
___ my mother and my father are teachers.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. Both Both takes the plural verb are for the pair.
He is ___ tall ___ short.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. neither ... nor Neither pairs with nor to reject both descriptions.
Drill complete
You answered every question.
Next topic: Irregular verbs: the past participleTake the level test
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between both, either and neither?
Both includes the whole pair: "Both answers are correct." Either leaves the choice open between the two: "Either answer is correct." Neither rejects both: "Neither answer is correct." The three words cover the positive, the open and the negative views of a pair.
Is "neither of them are" wrong?
In careful English, neither is singular, so "neither of them is ready" is the safe form. A plural verb is common in conversation and appears in respected usage, but tests and formal writing usually mark "neither of them are" as wrong. For this site, keep the singular.
When do I use nor?
Nor follows neither in the either or and neither nor pairs: "Neither the train nor the bus was running." Nor can also start a clause after a negative: "He did not call, nor did he write." In both cases nor carries the negative, so no extra not is needed.
More grammar topics
Irregular verbs: the past participle
The third form of an irregular verb, the jobs it does after have, has, had and be, and the mistakes it causes.
Irregular verbs that stay the same
One group of irregular verbs never adds -ed: cut, put, hit, let, set, shut, cost, hurt and read.
Phrasal verbs with put
The everyday meanings of put on, put off, put up, put out, put down and put away, with the separable word order.
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