Neither — Exercises — English Grammar Exercises
Both dishes are tasty and neither is expensive. Master determiners for pairs and groups — 60 exercises across 6 subtopics.
Neither in English: Not One, Not the Other
Neither is the negative form of 'either' and one of the most error-prone quantifiers at B1–B2 level. It carries an inherent negative meaning, which creates two recurring problems: double negation ('neither of them don't want') and wrong pairing ('neither...or' instead of 'neither...nor'). Analysis of the International Corpus of Learner English shows that double negation after 'neither' appears in over 30% of Russian-speaking learner texts at B1 level, directly reflecting the Russian double-negative structure 'ни один из них не хочет'. A separate error pattern — using a plural verb after 'neither' — appears in roughly 35% of all 'neither' uses at this level. Neither takes a singular verb in both its determiner and pronoun uses.
Neither as Determiner
'Neither' + singular noun, singular verb. No second negative word.
Neither option is suitable for our budget.
Neither of + Plural Noun
'Neither of' requires a plural noun with a determiner (the, them, us). The verb is singular in formal English.
I tried two recipes, but neither of them turned out well.
Neither...nor — Correlative Conjunction
'Neither...nor' links two negative clauses. The paired conjunction is always 'nor', never 'or'. The main verb becomes positive in form because 'neither' already carries the negation.
The soup was neither hot nor cold.
The film was neither interesting nor boring.
Common Mistakes
✗ He neither drinks or smokes. → ✓ He neither drinks nor smokes. (neither pairs with nor)
✗ Neither restaurant have a menu. → ✓ Neither restaurant has a menu. (singular verb)
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.