“Either or” vs “Neither Nor”: How to Use Them Correctly?

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Do you know the differences between “either or” and “neither nor” in English? Check the lesson below and find out the differences.

“Either or” vs “Neither nor”

Either/or

• Either refers to any one of the two things or people.
• Either is always considered singular in a sentence.
• Either/or is a correlative conjunction.
• We use either/or for connecting things which are the same types, phrases, clauses or words.

Example Sentences:

•  You add either one or two cloves of garlic.
• Well, I think she’s either Russian or Polish.
• Do either of you smoke or drink heavily?
• His yawns suggested he was either tired or bored.
• You cannot have it both ways. You must either stay at home or come with us.
• He could always find fault with something, either in my writing or in my personality.

Neither/nor

• Neither is used as a conjunction.
• This structure, “neither/nor”, is used to connect the same kind of word or phrase in the sentence.
•  Neither makes a negative statement about two people or things.

Example Sentences:

• Neither he nor his friends came back.
• Neither pen nor pencil can express.
• We can neither change nor improve it.
• There was neither food nor drink.
•  Neither you nor I can be held responsible.
• She had neither the time nor the inclination to help them.
• Love can neither be bought nor sold.

Either or vs Neither nor | Infographic