Used when choosing between two options, or in negative agreements.
either tea or coffee, either option is fine
I don't like either (means I like neither)
Do you want either of them?
Used for negative choice of two items. Inherently negative.
neither tea nor coffee, neither car is cheap
neither + positive verb
Are neither of them ready?
| Example / Question | Positive / Short Answer | Negative / Short Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Either...Or (Option A or B) | Either John or Peter will help. | Verb matches closest subject |
| Neither...Nor (Neither A nor B) | Neither the teacher nor the students were here. | Verb matches closest subject (students → were) |
| Rule | Base / Standard Form | Applied Form |
|---|---|---|
| Verb Agreement with Either...Or / Neither...Nor | The verb MUST agree with the subject closest to the verb! | Neither John nor his friends WERE here. vs Neither his friends nor John WAS here. |
| Negative Verb Rule | Never use a negative verb (don't/doesn't) with NEITHER because neither is already negative! | I like neither (CORRECT) vs I don't like neither (WRONG) |
| Short Agreement Responses | Use "Me neither" or "Neither do I" for agreeing with a negative statement. | A: I don't like spinach. B: Neither do I. (or Me neither). |
Use either when choosing one out of two alternatives.
Use neither to state that both options are false/unwanted.
Show that you share the same negative experience or habit.
Both /aɪðər/ (eye-ther) and /iːðər/ (ee-ther) are 100% correct! British English tends to prefer "eye-ther", while American English often uses "ee-ther".
The verb agrees with the subject closest to it. E.g., "Neither the manager nor the EMPLOYEES WERE present" (employees is plural → were).
Yes! In negative responses, "either" is placed at the end: "I don't like tea, and I don't like coffee either."
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