NOT ONLY, BUT ALSO;

NEITHER, NOR; EITHER, OR

Katelyn Kockler

NOT ONLY; BUT ALSO

Use when there are two noun clauses or two verb clauses

Two items connected must be similar in kind

Use parallel structure with “not only…but also,”

Invert the subject and verb with a sentence.

Not only; but also

If you say “not only” you are required to also say “but also.”

You can NEVER have the construction “not only…also” or “not…but also” or anything else of the sort.

“Not only” and “but also” are BFF’s, and you can’t have one without the other.

What follows “not only” must be structurally and logically similar to what follows “but also.”

Not only…but also Are the sentences correct?

I bought not only bread, but also milk.

I bought not only bread, but also considered buying milk.

He is not only a great quarterback, but also a great musician.

He is not only a great quarterback, but also plays amazing music.

Correct! Bread and milk are both nouns.

Wrong! Bread is a noun, but “considered buying milk” is a more complex clause.

Correct! Great quarterback and great musician are two noun clauses

Wrong! One is a noun clause the other is a verb clause.

Neither…Nor

Neither is a singular adjective and can be paired with nor in a sentence.

Neither is NEVER paired with or

Neither says not the first object and not the second object are behaving in a certain way.

The nouns/pronouns are in agreement with one another.

Nor can be used independently when negating the second part of two negative clauses.

Neither…nor

Used in sentences in a negative sense meaning “not this one nor the other, not this nor that, not he nor she, etc.”

Verb conjugation depends on the subject (singular or plural) closest to the conjugated verb.

Neither…norAre the sentences correct?

Neither Corie nor Bob went to the play.

She said, “I don’t like broccoli.” I said, “Neither do I.”

Neither Frank nor Lilly lives in Eugene

Neither Axel nor my other friends care about their future.

Corie isn’t going to the play Bob isn’t going to the play

Neither is used here because she doesn’t like broccoli, and I don’t like broccoli.

Second subject is singular

Second subject is plural

Neither…norRewrite the sentences…

We could fly. We could go by train.

Jack is not here. Tom is in another city.

Fred loves traveling. Jane wants to go around the world.

Either we could fly or we could go by train.

Neither Jack nor Tom is here.

Both Fred and Jane love traveling.

Quiz: neither…norPair the letters that fit the best.

A. Both Peter

B. Either Jack will have to work more hours

C. In the end he had to choose

D. I would love to take

E. Sometimes it is

F. Not only wise to listen to your parents but also interesting.

G. Both my laptop and my cell phone on holiday.

H. Either his career or his hobby.

I. Or we will have to hire somebody new.

J. And I are coming next week.

Either…or

Either is a singular adjective. It means one or the other, but NOT both.

Either expresses one noun/pronoun doing one thing and the other noun/pronoun doing another; in this way it is a “positive” word because what is occurring is true.

“Either” can be paired with “or”, but NOT “nor”

Either…or

Used in sentences in a positive sense meaning “one or the other, this or that, he or she, etc.”

Verb conjugation depends on the subject (singular or plural) closest to the conjugated verb.

If your element (the words that follow neither or either) is singular, then your verb needs to be singular

If one or both of your elements is plural, then your verb needs to be plural.

Either….orAre sentences correct? Why?

Neither Jaymee nor Dave is having a party.

Either the dancer or the acrobats are doing the tricks.

Either Jane or Matt is going to visit next weekend.

Either Peter or the girls need to attend the course.

Jaymee and Dave are singular so you use the singular “is” not “were”

One of the subject is plural, so “are” instead of “is” is used

Second subject singular

Second subject plural

QUIZ TIME!!!

Which is correct?

A. Not only the movie but the play was good.

B. I like only the movie but also the play.

C. The actors were not only engaging but also skillful in their performances.

D. The plot moved not swiftly but also artfully throughout the movie.

Which is correct?

I don’t think much of either of the candidates.

I am hungry or I don’t want to eat.

Do you want pizza either a hamburger?

Which is correct?

The book was neither interesting nor well written.

You will have to have either, the blue shirt or the red.

References

Warriner. “English Grammar and Composition” Harcourt Brace and World Inc., 1969.

Kennedy, X.J., Kennedy, Dorothy M., Holladay, Sylvia A.. “The Bedford Guide for College Writers” PR Donnelley and Sons Company, 1999

Hall, Donald. “Writing Well” Little, Brown and Company; Boston, 1973.

Baldick, Chris. “Oxford Concise Dictionary of Literary Terms” Oxford University Press, 2001.