Both - Either Neither

We use both, either and neither to refer to two people or things.

BOTH
Both = the two; that one AND the other one; this one AND that one
Both can be used as a pronoun to refer to two things that we have already mentioned.
A: Do you want the blue shirt or the red one?
B: Ill buy both (= the blue shirt AND the red shirt = both shirts)
Both X and Y
= not only but also !
Both " Ad#ective " and " Ad#ective
Hes both tall and handsome.
Im both happy and on!used at the same time"
I ha#e had a lon$% hard day and Im both tired and hun$ry.
Both " Noun " and " Noun
Both can be used with a singular noun " and " singular noun
&he spea's both (n$lish and Arabi.
)hey ha#e both a at and a do$.
He is both an ator and a diretor.
We can also use Both " plural noun $see more below%
&he spea's both lan$ua$es.
Both or Both of?
Both or Both of can be used without a difference in meaning though Both of is more
common in the &nited 'tates.
Both (of) + determiner + plural noun
!ou can use Both or Both of before a determiner $my, his, these, the etc.% and a plural
noun.
Both (o!) my !riends arri#ed late to lass.
Both o! the wheels wobble too muh.
A pri*e was $i#en to both o! the players.
When we use Both $without of%, we drop the article the.
Both o! the parents were ner#ous.
Both parents were ner#ous.
Both of + Objet !ronoun
When using Both with an ob#ect pronoun $me, you, him, her, it, us them%, we need the
preposition () before that pronoun.
He has in#ited both us. (inorret)
He has in#ited both o! us. (orret)
Ill ta'e both o! them. (orret)
I need to spea' to both o! you. (orret)
"erb + Objet pronoun + both
We can use both after an ob#ect pronoun
I hope they in#ite us both (= I hope they in#ite both o! us)
Do you need them both? (= Do you need both o! them)
)he teaher sent them both to the prinipals o!!ie.
To be + both
Both comes after *o Be $or an au+iliary such as have or modal verbs%.
He is both intelli$ent and a$ile.
+y sister and I are both ready !or the trip.
,e were both happy with our e-am results.
#odal $erb + both + $erb
+y parents an both spea' .renh.
)hey should both try harder.
+y brothers would both be sho'ed i! they 'new the truth.
Both + other $erb%
Both goes before the other verbs. ,f there is an accompanying au+iliary verb, then it goes
in the middle of the two verbs $i.e. au+iliary " both " verb%
,e both wanted to stay in bed and not $o to wor'.
)hey both li'ed the surprise.
+y parents both wor' in the same buildin$.
)hey ha#e both studied a lot.
Both - Ne&ati$e
We don-t use both in negative structures. ,nstead, we normally use Neither.
We don-t say. Both of them are not ready $incorrect%. We say. Neither of them are ready
$correct%
NE'THE(
Neither = not one and not the other
Neither is a negative word and is accompanied by an affirmative singular verb.
Neither X nor Y
Neither / nor / is used as a con#unction. ,t is the opposite of 0Both / and /1 ,f a verb
comes after this phrase, that verb is in the singular form $'ometimes you will hear it used
in the plural form though it is not grammatically correct%
Neither /ohn nor .red li'es doin$ the dishes. (= 0Both /ohn and .red dont li'e
doin$ the dishes1)
I want neither the red shirt nor the blue shirt.
I neither smo'e nor drin'.
Neither + %in&ular noun
Neither is used as a determiner before a single noun.
Neither team wanted to lose.
)hat tennis $ame was #ery lose. Neither player had a lear ad#anta$e.
Neither parent 'new about the aident.
Neither of + determiner + plural noun
!ou can use Neither of before a determiner $my, his, these, the etc.% and a plural noun.
Neither o! my !riends ame to lass today.
Neither o! the parents understood what the baby was tryin$ to say.
Neither o! our ars has enou$h petrol so we ha#e to ta'e the bus.
Neither of + !ronoun
When using Neither " of " pronoun $you, us, them%, we need the preposition () before
that pronoun. $,f a verb comes after this phrase then it is in singular form%
)he present is !or neither o! us.
Neither o! them is married.
Neither o! us e-peted to be !ired.
Neither in %hort re%pon%e%
Neither is fre2uently used as part of a short response when someone says something
negative and you agree with them.
A: I ha#e ne#er been to &wit*erland
B: Neither ha#e I.
A: I dont want to $o.
B: Neither do I.
Neither can also be used alone.
A: ,ould you li'e a blue tie or a $reen tie?
B: Neither. (= Neither tie)
Neither $%) Either
!ou can use 3ither with a negative verb to replace Neither with a positive verb
I ha#e neither time nor money
I dont ha#e either time or money.
E'THE(
3ither = any one of the two = this one or the other one
3ither is accompanied by an affirmative singular verb and if mostly used in 2uestions or
negative sentences
Either X or Y
3ither / or / is used as a con#unction. ,t is used to e+press alternatives and or a choice
between two $and sometimes more% things. ,t is used a verb in singular form $'ometimes
you will hear it used in the plural form though it is not grammatically correct%.
(ither you or /ohn has to !inish the report be!ore 2 pm.
3ou an ha#e either the red shirt or the blue shirt. (= but not both)
(ither you lea#e the buildin$ now or I all the seurity $uards.
Either + %in&ular noun
3ither is used as a determiner before a single noun.
)here are only two options and Im not interested in either !ilm.
A: Do you want it ready !or )hursday or .riday?
B: (ither day is !ine !or me.
Either of + determiner + plural noun
!ou can use 3ither of before a determiner $my, his, these, the etc.% and a plural noun.
,e#e been datin$ !or 4 months and I ha#ent met either o! her parents.
I ha#ent read either o! these boo's.
I dont want either o! those apples. Do you ha#e one that is not rotten?
Either + of + !ronoun
When using 3ither " of " ob#ect pronoun $you, us, them%, we need the preposition ()
before that pronoun.
I dont thin' he is $oin$ to in#ite either o! us.
A: ,hih photo do you pre!er? B: I dont li'e either o! them
I thin' I le!t my 'eys and wallet at the o!!ie. I dont want to lose either o! them.
3ither can also be used alone. ,t means it doesn-t matter which alternative. 'ometimes it is
accompanied by the pronoun 0one1.
A: ,ould you li'e a o!!ee or a tea?
B: (ither (one). (= I dont mind i! its o!!ee or tea% both alternati#es are !ine)
Either in %hort re%pon%e%
3ither can be used at the end of a negative sentence when you agree with something
negative someone else has said. ,t is similar to meaning *(( and A4'( $which are used
in affirmative sentences%.
A: I wasnt thirsty.
B: I wasnt either. (3ou annot say 0I wasnt too1)
A: I#e ne#er been to 5ortu$al.
B: I ha#ent either.
A: I didnt $o to lass yesterday.
B: I didnt either
!ronuniation of Either and Neither
!ou will hear the word 3ither pronounced two different ways.
6 a 78r6 (eye9ther : with a lon$ I sound at the be$innin$) : British (n$lish
6 i 78r6 (ee9 ther : with a lon$ ( sound at the be$innin$) : Amerian (n$lish
Both forms of pronunciation are correct and supposedly one is British 3nglish and the
other American 3nglish. 5owever within each country you may hear both forms used.
*he same happens with the pronunciation of the word Neither.
6 na 78r6 : British (n$lish
6 ni 78r6 : Amerian (n$lish