Negative Agreement — Neither Do I / I Can't Either — English Grammar Exercises

Negative Agreement in English: Neither Do I and I Can't Either

When agreeing with a negative statement in English, learners must choose between two structures — inversion ('Neither do I') or normal word order ('I don't either') — and select the correct auxiliary. A third option, the informal 'Me neither', is widespread in spoken English. Research on learner conversation corpora identifies three dominant error types in this area: using 'too' in negative contexts ('I can't too'), failing to invert after 'neither' ('Neither I do'), and mismatching the auxiliary ('I don't like horror films' → 'Neither can I' instead of 'Neither do I'). The 'too vs either' distinction is particularly problematic for Russian speakers, who use 'тоже' in both positive and negative contexts and often transfer this pattern directly.

Structure 1: Neither/Nor + Auxiliary + Subject (Inversion)

The inverted structure places the auxiliary before the subject. Match the auxiliary to the one in the original statement.

Structure 2: Subject + Auxiliary + Either (Normal Order)

'Either' at the end of a negative clause signals agreement without inversion.

Informal: Me Neither

'Me neither' is an informal equivalent of 'Neither do I' / 'I don't either', common in spoken English across all registers.

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between both, either, and neither?

'Both' means the two together (positive): 'Both restaurants are good.' It always takes a plural verb. 'Either' means one or the other — it doesn't matter which: 'You can take either bus.' As a subject it takes a singular verb. 'Neither' means not one and not the other (negative): 'Neither option is acceptable.' It also takes a singular verb and already contains a negative meaning, so never add a second negative word ('neither of them don't want' is wrong — say 'neither of them wants').

How do you use both...and, either...or, neither...nor?

These are correlative conjunctions that link two parallel elements. 'Both...and' adds two things: 'She speaks both French and German.' 'Either...or' presents a choice: 'Either call me or send an email.' 'Neither...nor' rejects both: 'He neither called nor texted.' A common error is writing 'neither...or' — always use 'neither...nor'. The elements after each part must be grammatically parallel: both nouns, both verbs, both adjectives, etc.

What is the difference between each and every?

'Each' emphasises individuals one by one (possible for two or more): 'Each student received a certificate.' 'Every' emphasises the group as a whole (three or more): 'Every student passed the exam.' The key rule: 'each' can be followed by 'of' ('each of the students'), but 'every' cannot — 'every of the students' is wrong. Say 'every student' or 'every one of the students'. Both take singular verbs.

How do you express negative agreement in English — 'neither do I' or 'I can't either'?

Both forms are correct but structurally different. 'Neither do I' (or 'Nor do I') uses inversion: neither + auxiliary + subject. 'I can't either' keeps normal word order but adds 'either' at the end. Match the auxiliary to the first sentence: 'She hasn't finished' → 'Neither have I' / 'I haven't either'. The key error to avoid is 'too' in negative contexts: 'I can't too' is wrong — use 'either'. The informal 'Me neither' works in spoken English.