Comments on: Neither/Nor and Either/Or http://grammarsource.com/2007/04/23/neithernor-and-eitheror/ Bring your curiosity and your questions and let's figure out our weird language Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:13:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: grammarblogger http://grammarsource.com/2007/04/23/neithernor-and-eitheror/#comment-271 grammarblogger Tue, 27 May 2008 14:09:18 +0000 http://grammarsucks.com/neithernor-and-eitheror.htm#comment-271 The only confusion on this appears to be in your mind, or in your choice of whom you listen to. The rule is quite simple and clear cut: The subject appearing after "or" or "nor" determines the verb. There is no other rule. The only confusion on this appears to be in your mind, or in your choice of whom you listen to. The rule is quite simple and clear cut: The subject appearing after “or” or “nor” determines the verb. There is no other rule.

]]> By: Rex http://grammarsource.com/2007/04/23/neithernor-and-eitheror/#comment-270 Rex Tue, 27 May 2008 14:02:31 +0000 http://grammarsucks.com/neithernor-and-eitheror.htm#comment-270 Regarding 'Neither..nor', and 'either..or', I have read so many comments that if one of the subject nouns is plural, then the verb needs to be plural. I tend to think the proximity rule makes more sense but it is really confusing now. Can anyone help ? Thanks. Regarding ‘Neither..nor’, and ‘either..or’, I have read so many comments that if one of the subject nouns is plural, then the verb needs to be plural. I tend to think the proximity rule makes more sense but it is really confusing now. Can anyone help ? Thanks.

]]> By: Rivendell http://grammarsource.com/2007/04/23/neithernor-and-eitheror/#comment-268 Rivendell Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:23:44 +0000 http://grammarsucks.com/neithernor-and-eitheror.htm#comment-268 Pat, Neither/nor already denotes a negative; thus your sentence should read: Laura hasn't written to either her or me. Or you could simply omit the "either" altogether and say: Laura hasn't written to her or me. Nazeer, Your sentence should be She like neither coffee nor tea. Neither always partners with nor. If you wish to use or, then you'll have to use either with it. Your sentence will then have to read: She doesn't like either coffee or tea. Or again, you may just omit either altogether and just say: She doesn't like coffee or tea. Pat,

Neither/nor already denotes a negative; thus your sentence should read:

Laura hasn’t written to either her or me.

Or you could simply omit the “either” altogether and say:

Laura hasn’t written to her or me.

Nazeer,

Your sentence should be

She like neither coffee nor tea.

Neither always partners with nor. If you wish to use or, then you’ll have to use either with it. Your sentence will then have to read:

She doesn’t like either coffee or tea.

Or again, you may just omit either altogether and just say:

She doesn’t like coffee or tea.

]]> By: Nazeer http://grammarsource.com/2007/04/23/neithernor-and-eitheror/#comment-267 Nazeer Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:45:10 +0000 http://grammarsucks.com/neithernor-and-eitheror.htm#comment-267 what if you have this sentence: she likes neither coffee or tea. is it correct please reply me soon and give me all the answers possible what if you have this sentence:

she likes neither coffee or tea.

is it correct please reply me soon and give me all the answers possible

]]> By: Pat http://grammarsource.com/2007/04/23/neithernor-and-eitheror/#comment-269 Pat Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:10:42 +0000 http://grammarsucks.com/neithernor-and-eitheror.htm#comment-269 Question: What is correct in the following sentence? Laura hasn't written to (either, neither) her nor me. Is the correct answer neither because it is followed by nor? Or Question: What is correct in the following sentence?

Laura hasn’t written to (either, neither) her nor me.

Is the correct answer neither because it is followed by nor? Or

]]> By: grammarblogger http://grammarsource.com/2007/04/23/neithernor-and-eitheror/#comment-266 grammarblogger Tue, 01 May 2007 16:58:24 +0000 http://grammarsucks.com/neithernor-and-eitheror.htm#comment-266 The second subject, the one appearing after the nor (or or in either/or) is ALWAYS the subject that determines both the verb and pronoun. In your first example, "...Julie has her own pencil" is correct, not their. If you change Julie to Joshua, it becomes, "Neither Karen nor Joshua has his own pen." This sounds ridiculous, so you should just get rid of the neither/nor construction and change it to something like, "Both Karen and Joshua lack pencils." The second subject, the one appearing after the nor (or or in either/or) is ALWAYS the subject that determines both the verb and pronoun. In your first example, “…Julie has her own pencil” is correct, not their. If you change Julie to Joshua, it becomes, “Neither Karen nor Joshua has his own pen.” This sounds ridiculous, so you should just get rid of the neither/nor construction and change it to something like, “Both Karen and Joshua lack pencils.”

]]> By: Katy http://grammarsource.com/2007/04/23/neithernor-and-eitheror/#comment-265 Katy Tue, 01 May 2007 12:47:00 +0000 http://grammarsucks.com/neithernor-and-eitheror.htm#comment-265 What if you have this sentence: Neither Karen nor Julie has her own pencil. Should it be 'her' or 'their'? If we change one of the people to a boy, we have to write 'their', right? Neither Karen nor Joshua has their own pencil. Let me know, please! I have a test about this coming up soon! What if you have this sentence:

Neither Karen nor Julie has her own pencil.

Should it be ‘her’ or ‘their’?
If we change one of the people to a boy, we have to write ‘their’, right?

Neither Karen nor Joshua has their own pencil.

Let me know, please! I have a test about this coming up soon!

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