Either / Neither / Both
Both, either, and neither are three determiners used exclusively when talking about two things. "Both" includes the two together, "either" selects one of two, and "neither" excludes both. This A2–B1 lesson covers both, either and neither exercises with answers — practise either...or, neither...nor, and both...and grammar exercises online with multiple choice questions and printable PDF worksheets.
To use these words correctly, you need to understand 3 Words for 2 Things:
| Word | Meaning | Noun | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| both | The two together ✅✅ | plural | plural | Both restaurants are good. |
| either | One or the other ✅❓ | singular | singular | Either restaurant is fine. |
| neither | Not one, not the other ❌❌ | singular | singular | Neither restaurant was good. |
Each word has 3 uses that you'll learn in this lesson:
| Use | Both | Either | Neither |
|---|---|---|---|
| Determiner + noun | both roads | either road | neither road |
| Of-structure | both of them | either of them | neither of them |
| Correlative conjunction | both ... and | either ... or | neither ... nor |
Remember: these three words are for exactly two items. For three or more, use all, every, or each instead.
Both, Either and Neither: Basic Meaning
Both = The Two Together
Both means "this one AND that one" — it includes two things as a pair. It takes a plural noun and a plural verb:
- Both children are at school today.
- I've been to Paris and Rome. I loved both cities.
- Both parents came to the school concert.
Both can also stand alone as a pronoun:
- I tried on two coats and both look good on me.
- I have two sisters and both live in London.
Either = One or the Other
Either means "this one OR that one" — it offers a choice between two. It takes a singular noun and a singular verb:
- We can watch either film — you choose.
- You can sit on either side of the table.
- Either day works for me. (Monday or Tuesday)
As a short answer, "either" means "I don't mind which one":
- Would you like tea or coffee? — Either is fine.
Neither = Not One, Not the Other
Neither means "not this one AND not that one" — it excludes both. It takes a singular noun and a singular verb:
- Neither restaurant was good.
- I asked two people, but neither person could help me.
- I tried on two jackets, but neither fitted me well.
As a short answer, "neither" rejects both options:
- Is your birthday in May or June? — Neither. It's in July.
Both vs Either vs Neither: Quick Comparison
| Situation | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Two films, you liked them | both | I liked both films. |
| Two films, you'll watch one | either | We can watch either film. |
| Two films, you didn't like them | neither | Neither film was good. |
👉 Practice Basic Both, Either & Neither →
Both of, Either of and Neither of
When you need to specify which two things you mean, use the of-structure: word + of + determiner/pronoun + plural noun.
The Of-Structure
| Pattern | Example | Verb |
|---|---|---|
| both of + the/my/these + plural noun | Both of the restaurants are good. | plural |
| both of + pronoun | Both of them agreed. | plural |
| either of + the/my/these + plural noun | Either of the options sounds good. | singular (formal) |
| either of + pronoun | Could either of you help me? | singular (formal) |
| neither of + the/my/these + plural noun | Neither of the answers is correct. | singular (formal) |
| neither of + pronoun | Neither of us understood the lecture. | singular (formal) |
Verb agreement rule:
- Both of → always plural verb: Both of them are ready.
- Either of → singular verb (formal): Either of them is fine.
- Neither of → singular verb (formal): Neither of them is correct.
Note: In informal English, "neither of" and "either of" sometimes take a plural verb ("Neither of them are ready"), but the singular form is considered more grammatically correct.
Mid-Position Both
Both can move to a mid-position in the sentence — after be, after auxiliaries/modals, or before main verbs:
| Position | Example |
|---|---|
| After be | My sister and I are both studying medicine. |
| After auxiliary | The twins have both finished their homework. |
| After modal | My brothers can both speak three languages. |
| Before main verb | We both enjoy going to the cinema. |
Mid-position "both" means the same as "both of us/them" but sounds more natural in speech:
- ✅ We both enjoy hiking. (natural)
- ✅ Both of us enjoy hiking. (correct but more formal)
👉 Practice Both of, Either of & Neither of →
Correlative Conjunctions: Both...and, Either...or, Neither...nor
These are fixed pairs (correlative conjunctions) that connect two parallel elements — subjects, objects, adjectives, or verbs.
Both ... and (Inclusive Positive)
Both...and links two things together, meaning "the first AND the second":
- Both Tom and I enjoy hiking.
- She speaks both French and Spanish fluently.
- The hotel room was both clean and comfortable.
Both...and always takes a plural verb when linking two subjects:
- Both the students and the teacher enjoyed the trip.
Either ... or (Choice)
Either...or presents two alternatives, meaning "the first OR the second":
- You can either walk or take the bus.
- I'm free on either Tuesday or Wednesday.
- Either you clean your room or you can't go out tonight.
Neither ... nor (Double Negative)
Neither...nor excludes both options, meaning "not the first AND not the second":
- Neither John nor Sarah was at the meeting.
- The gift was neither expensive nor useful.
- She neither called nor sent a message.
⚠️ The Pairing Rule: Never Mix Them
Each word has exactly one partner:
| ✅ Correct Pair | ❌ Wrong Mix |
|---|---|
| both ... and | |
| either ... or | |
| neither ... nor |
The most common error is "neither...or" — always use "neither...nor".
Verb Agreement: The Nearest Subject Rule
With either...or and neither...nor, the verb agrees with the nearest subject (the one closest to the verb):
| Sentence | Nearest Subject | Verb |
|---|---|---|
| Neither Tom nor his friends are coming. | friends (plural) | are |
| Neither his friends nor Tom is coming. | Tom (singular) | is |
| Either you or your brother needs to sign. | brother (singular) | needs |
| Neither my brother nor I am good at cooking. | I | am |
With both...and, the verb is always plural (because "both" includes two):
- Both my mother and my father work in the hospital.
👉 Practice Both...and, Either...or, Neither...nor →
Choosing the Right Word: Decision Guide
Quick Decision Tree
Step 1: Are you talking about exactly two things?
- YES → Use both/either/neither
- NO (three or more) → Use all, every, each, any, none
Step 2: What's your meaning?
| Meaning | Choose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| The two together (positive) | both | I like both options. |
| One or the other (choice) | either | Either option is fine. |
| Not one, not the other (negative) | neither | Neither option works. |
Step 3: What structure do you need?
| Need | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Before a noun | both/either/neither + noun | Both roads lead there. |
| With "the/my/them" | word + of + determiner/pronoun | Neither of them is correct. |
| Linking two elements | both...and / either...or / neither...nor | Either you or I will go. |
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Both | Either | Neither |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Two together | One of two | None of two |
| Noun | Plural | Singular | Singular |
| Verb | Plural | Singular | Singular |
| Of-structure | ✅ both of | ✅ either of | ✅ neither of |
| Conjunction pair | both ... and | either ... or | neither ... nor |
| Conjunction verb | Always plural | Nearest subject | Nearest subject |
| As pronoun | ✅ Both are good. | ✅ Either is fine. | ✅ Neither was good. |
👉 Practice Mixed Both, Either & Neither →
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Incorrect | Correct | Why Learners Make This Mistake |
|---|---|---|
| ❌ Neither the food or the service was good. | ✅ Neither the food nor the service was good. | Mixing up "or" and "nor" — "or" is the partner of "either," not "neither." The fixed pair is always "neither...nor" |
| ❌ Both restaurant is good. | ✅ Both restaurants are good. | Forgetting that "both" needs a plural noun and plural verb — unlike "either" and "neither," which take singular |
| ❌ Neither of them are correct. (formal writing) | ✅ Neither of them is correct. | Using a plural verb after "neither of" — in formal English, "neither of" takes a singular verb |
| ❌ Either Tom and I will go. | ✅ Either Tom or I will go. | Mixing up the conjunction partner — "either" pairs with "or," not "and" |
| ❌ Neither the teacher nor the students is ready. | ✅ Neither the teacher nor the students are ready. | Forgetting the nearest-subject rule — the verb agrees with "students" (nearest to the verb), not "teacher" |
| ❌ Both of options are good. | ✅ Both of the options are good. / Both options are good. | Missing the determiner in "of" structures — "both of" needs "the/my/these" before the noun |
Quick Summary
The Framework: 3 Words for 2 Things
| Word | Meaning | + Noun | + Of | Conjunction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| both | Two together | both + plural | both of the/them | both ... and |
| either | One of two | either + singular | either of the/them | either ... or |
| neither | None of two | neither + singular | neither of the/them | neither ... nor |
3-Step Decision Process
- Two things? → both/either/neither (for 3+ → all/every/each)
- Positive / Choice / Negative? → both / either / neither
- Structure? → determiner + noun / of + determiner / conjunction pair
Verb Agreement Rules
| Structure | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Both + plural noun | Plural verb | Both roads are safe. |
| Either/Neither + singular noun | Singular verb | Either road is safe. |
| Both of + plural | Plural verb | Both of them are here. |
| Either of / Neither of | Singular verb (formal) | Neither of them is here. |
| Both ... and | Plural verb | Both Tom and I enjoy hiking. |
| Either ... or / Neither ... nor | Nearest subject agreement | Neither Tom nor his friends are coming. |
Practice Tips
-
Remember the fixed pairs: Both goes with "and," either goes with "or," neither goes with "nor." Never mix them — this is the #1 error with these words.
-
Think "two": Both, either, and neither are only for exactly two items. If you're talking about three or more, switch to all/every/each or any/none.
-
Check your noun number: Both + plural noun ("both roads"). Either/Neither + singular noun ("either road"). Getting the noun wrong often leads to a verb agreement error too.
-
Master the nearest-subject rule: With "neither...nor" and "either...or," the verb matches the subject closest to it. Put the plural subject last to avoid awkward constructions: "Neither the teacher nor the students are..." sounds more natural than "Neither the students nor the teacher is..."
-
Practise short answers: "Either is fine," "Neither," and "Both" are very common in everyday conversation when responding to two-option questions.
Practice All Exercises
Ready to practise everything you've learned? These both, either and neither exercises are available as multiple choice questions with answers and online worksheets. Practise either or, neither nor, and both and grammar from A2 to B1:
| Set | Topic | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Set 1 | Both, Either and Neither: Basic Meaning | A2 |
| Set 2 | Both of, Either of and Neither of | B1 |
| Set 3 | Both...and, Either...or, Neither...nor | B1 |
| Set 4 | Both, Either and Neither: Mixed Practice | B1 |
👉 Start with Set 4: Mixed Practice for a comprehensive review of all both, either and neither patterns!