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.

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.

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 →

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