Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that work together to join parts of a sentence. They always come in pairs, like a team of two!
What You'll Learn
- How to use both...and to talk about two things that are true together
- How to use either...or to show a choice between two things
- How to use neither...nor to say that two things are both not true
When to Use
- Adding two things together: "Both my brother and my sister go to the same school."
- Giving a choice: "You can have either the chicken rice or the noodles."
- Saying no to two things: "Neither Tom nor Ali was late for class."
- Describing two qualities: "The park is both big and beautiful."
How to Form
Each pair has a first word and a second word. The first word goes before the first item, and the second word goes before the second item.
| Pair | First word | Second word | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| both...and | both | and | Two things are true together |
| either...or | either | or | One of two choices |
| neither...nor | neither | nor | Not this one and not that one |
Pattern
both + first item + and + second item
either + first item + or + second item
neither + first item + nor + second item
Examples with each pair
| Pair | Example sentence |
|---|---|
| both...and | Both Mei Ling and Ravi like reading. |
| both...and | The kite is both red and blue. |
| either...or | We can go to either the zoo or the park. |
| either...or | You may either walk or take the MRT. |
| neither...nor | Neither the cat nor the dog is in the garden. |
| neither...nor | He ate neither the rice nor the bread. |
Key Rules
- Always use the full pair: Do not drop one half. Write "Both Ali and Sam are here," not "Both Ali, Sam are here."
- Match the items: The two items joined must be the same type. If the first item is a noun, the second must also be a noun. "She is both kind and helpful" (two adjectives) is correct.
- "Neither...nor" means none of the two: When you use "neither...nor," both things are not true. "Neither the pen nor the pencil is mine" means you do not own the pen and you do not own the pencil.
- Subject-verb agreement with "both...and": "Both...and" always takes a plural verb. "Both the teacher and the student are in the room."
- Subject-verb agreement with "either...or" and "neither...nor": The verb agrees with the noun closest to it. "Neither the boys nor the girl is here." / "Neither the girl nor the boys are here."
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Both Ali or Sam like football. | Both Ali and Sam like football. | "Both" always pairs with "and," never "or" |
| Neither she can swim nor run. | She can neither swim nor run. | Place "neither" directly before the first item |
| Either you come or either you stay. | Either you come or you stay. | Use "either" only once at the start |
| Both my mum and dad is at home. | Both my mum and dad are at home. | "Both...and" needs a plural verb |
| Neither Tom nor Jerry are here. | Neither Tom nor Jerry is here. | The verb matches the nearer noun ("Jerry" is singular) |
Clue Words
Look for these signals:
two items or choices in a sentence, paired options, lists of exactly two
"Both...and" signals:
two things that are both true, adding qualities, including two people or items
"Either...or" signals:
choices, options, picking one of two, "you can choose"
"Neither...nor" signals:
not one and not the other, refusing two things, none of the two
Tip: Think of them as dance partners. "Both" always dances with "and." "Either" always dances with "or." "Neither" always dances with "nor." They never switch partners!
Practice Tips
- The partner check: After you write a correlative conjunction, check that you used the correct partner. Circle the first word and draw an arrow to the second word. Do they match?
- The balance test: Look at the words after each half of the pair. Are they the same type? If one side has a verb, the other side should also have a verb.
- The meaning test: Read your sentence aloud. Does "both...and" add two things? Does "either...or" give a choice? Does "neither...nor" say no to two things? If the meaning does not match, you may have picked the wrong pair.
Quick Reference
| Pair | Meaning | Verb rule | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| both...and | Two things are true | Always plural | Both tea and coffee are drinks. |
| either...or | Choose one of two | Matches the nearer noun | Either Sam or the twins are coming. |
| neither...nor | Not this and not that | Matches the nearer noun | Neither the boys nor the girl is late. |