Paired conjunctions

We can use either with or as a conjunction to connect two subjects. The subject that is closer to the verb determines whether the verb is singular or plural.

I’ll take either chemistry or physics next quarter.

It can connect two affirmative clauses.

Either we go by train or we rent a car. Which do you prefer?

We can use neither as a conjunction with nor. It connects two or more negative alternatives. This can sound formal in speaking.

Neither Italy nor France got to the quarter finals last year.

The subject that is closer to the verb determines whether the verb is singular or plural.

Either the students or the teacher is planning to come.

Either the teacher or the students are planning to come.

Exercise 27. Combine the parts of the sentences with the help of the paired conjunctions.

1. My mum can't drive and my dad can't drive.

2. Sorry, I forgot, your brother has a birthday in September or maybe in October ?

3. I, really, don't like fantastic movies and my family don't like such movies.

4. Lilly, you can use this computer or that one.

5. My boyfriend is a clever man and his brother is a clever man.

6. I don't remember exactly, whether his brother lives in London or his nephew does?

7. In this quarrel I didn't forgive him and I didn't forgive his father.

8. Please, ask Tom or John. One of them will give you good advice.

Exercise 28. Answer the questions using paired conjunction.

1. What magazines would you like to read? (Cosmopolitan, Vogue)

2. What kind of weather do you prefer? (sunny, cloudy)

3. Have you ever been written, an essay or a short story ?

4. What are you going to have for a drink? (tea, coffee)

5. Have you seen your parents today? (daddy, mom)

6. Do you depend on your mum or dad?

7. What channel do you prefer? (Discovery Channel, Fashion TV)

8. Do you like Chekhov or Bulgakov?

9. Where do you prefer to stay for the summer? (at your country house, at the seaside)

10. When is your day off?

Exercise 29. Insert either or / neither nor.

1. Freddy was__________________ clever, _______ beautiful. (-)

2. He looked at people, and he __________________ liked _______ disliked them.(-)

3. The very mystery of him excited her curiosity like a door that had _______________ a lock ______ a key. (-)

4. I like him, it's __________________ his charm _______ his beauty that makes him so fascinating. (+)

5. The South had always lived by selling cotton and buying the things it did not produce, but now it could __________________ sell _____ buy. (-)

6. Many of the men were totally unarmed, for the Confederacy had __________________ rifles ______ ammunition to issue to them. (-)

7. They went past, looking __________________ left _______ right, so silent that had it not been for the steady tramp of feet they might all have been ghosts. (-)

8. And to make matters worse, Wade was ill with a sore throat and a raging fever and there was __________________ doctor _______ medicine for him. (-)

9. None of her friends had seen her, __________________ in the Piazza ________, later on, by the embankment. (-)

10. I will never speak of it __________________ to her _______ to any one. (-)

11. "__________________ I'm mad, _______ else he is, and I'm inclined to think it's the latter. (+)

12. Why should Lucy want __________________ to marry ________ to travel when she had such friends at home? (+)

13. Bless the child, she's a sweet little thing, but I can never remember __________________ her name ________ her face.(-)

14. __________________ carry him ________ make him walk.(+)

15. __________________ you tend to your business and let me tend to mine ________ I quit tonight. (+)

16. He seldom, it is true, sent __________________ his eyes ________ his thoughts beyond the boundaries of his own farm.(+)

Exercise 30. Complete the sentences using the correct form of the verb in Present tenses.

1. Either family sedan or hatchback ___________ (be) suitable for me.

2. Neither my mom nor my grandparents ________________ (believe) this story.

3. You either _____________ (forget) or ________________ (not know) about it.

4. Either you _____________ (apologize) or I'll never come to see you again.

5. Neither John nor Margaret __________________ (come) to his birthday.

6. Neither her friends nor she __________________ (know) the way to the airport .

7. Either your friend or you _________________(speak) German.

8. She either ________________ (phone) or ________________ (write) as soon as she knows the true.

9. Neither the children nor their mother ________________ (want) to go to sleep.

10. Either a long white dress or a short black one ___________________ (be) perfect for my sister.

Exercise 31. Correct the mistakes.

1. I'll take neither French or Spanish next year.

2. Either my mum nor my dad believed you. They know you told us lie

3. Neither you come immediately to me or I' ll never talk to you again.

4. He neither forgot to call me or didn't want to do it.

5. Either of my two sons like to go swimming.

6. Either of my friends knew how to behave in this situation.

7. I can't speak either English or French.

8. Either of his friends came to him when it happened.

Exercise 32. Translate from Russian into English.

1. Мне не нравится ни этот цвет, ни такой фасон.

2. Ни мои братья, ни родители не предложил мне помощи, когда я в этом нуждался.

3. Или ты немедленно уедешь из города или ты меня больше никогда не увидишь.

4. Джек или Марта, Вы может объяснить мне, что здесь произошло?

5. Погода была ужасная и мы ничего не успели сделать, ни поехать на пикник, ни забрать бабушку с дачи.

6. Она мне сказала, что не любит ни побережье, ни горы, она предпочитает северный полюс!

7. Либо ты прекращаешь себя так отвратительно вести, либо я просто ухожу.

8. Ни он, ни его сестры никогда не зависели от своих родителей.

9. Либо он не знает как вести себя в обществе, либо просто ему все равно, что о нем подумают.