Paired conjunctions – both…and, either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also
1. Both … and:
 Connecting two positive things: noun subjects, noun objects, verbs, adjectives, adverbs,
prepositional phrases, and other words.
 ‘Both’ can be dropped with no change in meaning.
Examples:
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Both her mother and her sisters want her to marry a rich man.
Her mother and her sisters want her to marry a rich man.
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The subway moves both fast and quietly.
The subway moves fast and quietly.
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That color is both in the dining room and in the living room.
That color is in the dining room and in the living room.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. Either … or:
 For positive sentence, the things that follow are choices and only one of them can be true.
 Connecting with noun subjects and noun objects, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositional
phrases, and other words.
 ‘Either’ can be dropped with no change in meaning.
Examples:
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
Either the principal or the teachers are giving the students a day off.
The principal or the teachers are giving the students a day off.
NOTE: The subject closest to the verb determines if the verb is singular or plural.

Either the teachers or the principal is giving the students a day off.
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I like either apples or oranges for an afternoon snack. (I like both but I only choose one.)
I like apples or oranges for an afternoon snack.
 For negative sentence, both things that follow are true.
 It is only used with noun objects or adverbs.
 Either can be dropped with no change in meaning.
Examples:
I don’t eat either bread or pasta. (I don’t like bread; I don’t like pasta.)
I don’t eat bread or pasta.
The subway doesn’t move either fast or quietly. (It doesn’t move fast; it doesn’t move quietly.)
The subway doesn’t move fast or quietly.
NOTE: With verbs, adjectives, and prepositional phrases either is always dropped for negative ones.
Examples:
I don’t take a nap or meditate in the late afternoon.
NOT: I don’t either take a nap or meditate in the afternoon.
The man isn’t kind or generous.
NOT: The man isn’t either kind or generous.
My briefcase isn’t in the dining room or in the living room.
NOT: My briefcase isn’t either in the dining room or in the living room.
NOTE: The easiest way to learn this grammar is to not use either … or in negative sentences but only
in positive ones.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. Neither … nor:
 Although the meaning is “not this and not that,” it is always used in positive sentences, never in
negative ones.
 It is used with noun subject, noun objects, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, and
other words.
Examples:
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
Neither the principal nor the teachers are supervising the students.
Neither the teachers nor the principal is supervising the students.
NOTE: The subject closest to the verb determines if the verb is singular or plural.
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
The subway moves neither fast nor quietly.
SAME AS: The subway doesn’t move fast or quietly.
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That color is neither in the dining room nor in the living room.
SAME AS: That color isn’t in the dining room or in the living room.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4. Not only … but also:
 Connecting two things, such as noun subjects, noun objects, verbs, adjectives, adverbs,
prepositional phrases, and other words.
 ‘But also’ can be separated with no change in meaning.
 When ‘but’ is separated from ‘also’, ‘also’ can change to ‘too’.
Examples:
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Mike made breakfast not only for himself but also for his wife.
Mike made breakfast not only for himself but for his wife also.
Mike made breakfast not only for himself but for his wife too.
SAME AS: Mike made breakfast (both) for himself and his wife.
NOTE: Some people like to put a comma ( , ) before too.

Mike made breakfast not only for himself but for his wife, too.
NOTE: When not only starts a sentence, the subject and verb are inverted (switched around.)

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Not only did he fail maths, but he also failed English.
Not only did he fail maths, but he failed English also.
Not only did he fail maths, but he failed English too.
SAME AS: He failed (both) maths and English.
He failed Maths and English.
Not only did he fail maths, but he failed English also.
Paired conjunctions - exercise
Which sentence gives the same information as the original and is grammatically correct?
1. She doesn’t swim and doesn’t sunbathe.
a. She doesn’t not only swim but doesn’t sunbathe also.
b. Not only doesn’t she swim but also sunbathes.
c. She neither swims nor sunbathes.
d. She either doesn’t swim or doesn’t sunbathe.
2. He doesn’t know where he left his umbrella.
a. It’s neither in the closet or in the second bathroom.
b. It’s in either the closet or in the second bathroom.
c. It’s neither in the closet nor the second bathroom.
d. It’s either in the closet or in the second bathroom.
3. Sometimes I bring my lunch to work and sometimes I buy it in the cafeteria.
a. I either bring my lunch to work or buy it in the cafeteria.
b. Either I bring my lunch to work or buy it in the cafeteria.
c. I bring either my lunch to work or buy it in the cafeteria.
d. I bring my lunch either to work or in the cafeteria.
4. My sister lives in Los Angeles and so does my college roommate.
a. My sister and both my college roommate live in Los Angeles.
b. Both my sister and my college roommate live in Los Angeles.
c. My sister and my college roommate live both in Los Angeles.
d. Both my sister and both my roommate live in Los Angeles.
5. I drink water at home, and I drink water at work.
a. I drink water both at home and work.
b. I not only drink water at home but also at work.
c. I drink water either at home or at work.
d. I drink water not only at home but at work also.
6. I don’t know if she’s good at cards or just lucky.
a. She’s both good and lucky at cards.
b. She’s neither good nor lucky at cards.
c. She’s not only good but lucky at cards too.
d. She’s either good or lucky at cards.
7. You play the guitar well and also compose music well.
a. You either play the guitar well or compose music well.
b. You both play the guitar and compose music well.
c. You play the guitar and compose music both well.
d. Not only you play the guitar well but also compose music well.
8. He owns a boat and an airplane.
a. He owns either a boat or an airplane.
b. He owns both a boat and owns an airplane.
c. Not only does he own a boat but he also owns an airplane.
d. He neither owns a boat but owns an airplane.
9. My friend doesn’t like spicy food; he also doesn’t like salty food.
a. My friend likes neither spicy food nor salty food.
b. My friend neither likes spicy nor salty food.
c. My friend doesn’t like spicy and salty food.
d. My friend likes neither spicy nor likes salty food.
10. Sometimes my grandfather takes a nap in the afternoon, and sometimes he goes to bed early at
night.
a. My grandfather either takes a nap in the afternoon or goes to bed early at night.
b. My grandfather both takes a nap in the afternoon or goes to bed early at night.
c. Either my grandfather takes a nap in the afternoon or goes to bed early at night.
d. My grandfather takes a nap either in the afternoon or goes to bed early at night.
11. She plays the piano and the flute.
a. She not only plays the piano but also the flute.
b. Not only does she play the piano but also the flute.
c. She not only plays the piano but also plays the flute.
d. Not only she plays the piano but also plays the flute.
12. I can’t remember if he lives on Main Street or on Broadway.
a. Either he lives on Main Street or lives on Broadway.
b. He lives either on Main Street or on Broadway.
c. He either lives on Main Street or on Broadway.
d. Either he lives on Main Street or on Broadway.
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