Connectors · CEFR B2 · Confident
either…or / neither…nor — English conjunctions
One of two, or none of two.
The shape
either X or Y · neither X nor Y
Offer two options, or rule both out.
In Hindi
दो में से एक, या दोनों में से कोई नहीं।
CoCap explains every structure in both languages, because a rule you understand in Hindi is a rule you can use in English.
The mistake to fix first
The sentence Indian-English speakers actually produce, and the reason it is wrong.
| Commonly said | Correct English |
|---|---|
Neither he came nor he called me. | He neither came nor called. Keep the two halves the same shape. |
Easy to confuse with
Close enough to be mixed up with this one. Knowing the difference is most of knowing either.
- both…and / not only…but alsoB2Link two things in a way that sounds deliberate
- either / neitherB2Talk about two things, one way or neither way
Questions people ask
- What is the either…or / neither…nor used for?
- One of two, or none of two. In practice: offer two options, or rule both out.
- How do you form the either…or / neither…nor?
- either X or Y · neither X nor Y.
- What is the most common mistake with the either…or / neither…nor?
- Saying “Neither he came nor he called me.” instead of “He neither came nor called.”. Keep the two halves the same shape.
Where either…or / neither…nor fits
Where this structure sits in the ladder, and what surrounds it.
either…or / neither…nor is a CEFR B2 structure — the confident band — and it belongs to connectors. CoCap’s syllabus files every structure this way so you can learn in order instead of jumping between whatever a search happened to return.
Reading it is not the same as saying it.
CoCap turns this page into practice: Hindi sentence in, English sentence out, corrected one thing at a time. Free, no card.
Practise the either…or / neither…nor →