GRAMMAR NO. 5: Too/either, So/neither

EXPLANATION

Too/either and so/neither are used to express our agreement to what another person has said.

Too is used when the verb is in the affirmative form. For example:

A: I have a red Ferrari

B: I have one, too

Either is used when the verb is in the negative form. For example:

A: I don't have a Ferrari

B: I don't have one either

But in English, we don't need to use long replies to express our agreement. This is not necessary because our agreement is with the entire sentence, so we use an auxiliary:

do/does when the verb is in the simple present

are/is when the original verb is in the present continuous

will when the original verb is in the future

have/has when the original verb is in a perfective tense

a modal when the original verb uses a modal, etc.

Too/so are used when we agree in the affirmative. For example:

A: I have an SUV (sport utility vehicle, a family car)

B: I have one too OR So do I

Either/neither are used when we agree in the negative. For example:

A: I don't have a bike

B: I don't have one either OR Neither do I

When we use so/neither, the verb must go in the affirmative form and the order of the sentence takes the form of a question. More examples:

So must I

Neither will they

So should I

Neither are we

So is she

Neither are Peter and Susan

So do I

Neither will he

So can we

Neither could they

Can you find the first part of the aforementioned phrases with so and neither?

IMPORTANT!!!

So, too, either and neither have other functions in English. We will study them in the following sessions.

PRACTICE

http://www.eslbee.com/cobaq/quizzes/13_so_too_neither.htm

http://www.eflnet.com/grammar/soneithertut.php

http://www.eflnet.com/grammar/soneither1.php

http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/so_neither-ex.htm

http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-49198.php

http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-68857.php

http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-57421.php

http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-69398.php

http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-67793.php

http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-58137.php

http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/quizshow.php?title=lesson-76-too-so-either-neither&quesnum=1

GRAMMAR NO. 5: neither/nor, either/or

EXPLANATION

We have already studied the function of neither and either. They are both used in negative agreement. That is, when we want to express our agreement to what somebody else has said, we use either (in the sentence) and neither (in the short phrase). For example:

A: I don't like oranges

B: I don't like oranges either / Neither do I

While either always goes with the verb in the negative form, neither goes with the verb in the positive form.

The agreement is only one possible function of these words. We can also use either when we are giving a list of things that we don't do/take/give/, etc. For example:

A: I don't like oranges and I don't like bananas either

In our last example, there is just one person using either, expressing that there is a list of things he/she doesn't like.

Another important function of these words (neither, nor, either, or) is that of alternating options in contrast to and. For example:

A1: I like oranges AND bananas.

A2: I like BOTH oranges AND bananas

B1: I don't like oranges NOR bananas

B2: I like NEITHER oranges NOR bananas

1. List in the NEGATIVE: neither(or verb in the negative) - nor

That correlation is used to express that we DON'T like/do/take something. For example:

B1: I don't like oranges NOR bananas

B2: I like NEITHER oranges NOR bananas

We could say that neither - nor are the negative forms or both - and.

2. Alternation: either - or

Sometimes, we don't want to negate 2 elements, we just want to offer an alternation. From a list, we want one thing, but not the two of them (or the three, four, etc.). For example:

A1: Jane wants to paint EITHER a portrait OR a landscape (one or another, but not the two of them)

A2: Jane wants to paint a portrait OR a landscape (omitting either)

*** TO SUM UP: neither-nor is the negative for of and; either-or is used to express an alternation

*** AND REMEMBER:

If your element (the word(s) that follow neither, either) is singular, then the verb needs to be singular; if one nor both or your elements is plural, then your verb needs to be plural. For example:

A: Neither James nor Dave is having a party

B: Either the acrobats or the dancer are doing the tricks

PRACTICE

http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/esl-too-either-neither2.html

http://www.myenglishgrammar.com/english/exercise-20--either-and-neither.html

http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-4140.php

http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-46155.php

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/vocabulary/both-either-neither-nor

http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=2984

http://eslprograms.vcc.ca/ESLWEB/either-n-both-also.htm

http://esl.lbcc.cc.ca.us/eesllessons/correlative%20conjunctions/corconfb.htm

http://langues.u-bordeaux4.fr/ANGLAIS/EXOGRAM/either.htm