Correlative Conjunctions

You already know the basic correlative conjunction pairs -- both...and, either...or, and neither...nor. At this level, you will master the pair not only...but also and learn two critical rules that examiners love to test: parallel structure and subject-verb agreement with correlative conjunctions.

What You'll Learn

How to use not only...but also to add emphasis and surprise
How to apply parallel structure so that both parts of the pair are grammatically balanced
How subject-verb agreement works with either...or, neither...nor, and not only...but also
How to spot and fix faulty parallelism in sentences

When to Use

Emphasising two qualities: "The new MRT line is not only fast but also convenient for commuters."
Showing equal addition: "Both the Science Centre and the National Museum offer educational programmes."
Presenting two choices: "You may either take the bus or walk to the hawker centre."
Rejecting two options: "Neither the essay nor the summary was submitted on time."
Adding surprise or extra information: "She not only won the spelling competition but also set a new school record."

How to Form

The Four Correlative Conjunction Pairs

Pair	Purpose	Example
both...and	includes two things equally	Both the teacher and the students enjoyed the field trip.
either...or	presents a choice between two	Either you finish the project today or you stay back tomorrow.
neither...nor	rejects both options	Neither the captain nor the vice-captain was absent.
not only...but also	adds emphasis; the second item is surprising or impressive	He is not only the class monitor but also the head prefect.

Parallel Structure

Whatever grammatical form comes after the first word must match the form after the second word. Both halves of the pair must be balanced.

Structure	After first word	After second word	Example
Noun + Noun	not only a singer	but also a dancer	She is not only a singer but also a dancer.
Adjective + Adjective	both kind	and generous	He is both kind and generous.
Verb + Verb	either call him	or text him	You should either call him or text him.
Phrase + Phrase	not only in Singapore	but also in Malaysia	The company operates not only in Singapore but also in Malaysia.
Clause + Clause	neither did she complain	nor did she give up	Neither did she complain nor did she give up.

Subject-Verb Agreement (Proximity Rule)

With either...or, neither...nor, and not only...but also, the verb agrees with the nearer subject (the one closest to the verb).

Subjects	Nearer subject	Verb	Example
singular + singular	singular	singular	Neither the teacher nor the principal was informed.
plural + plural	plural	plural	Either the boys or the girls are performing first.
singular + plural	plural	plural	Neither the captain nor the players were ready.
plural + singular	singular	singular	Neither the players nor the captain was ready.

Exception: Both...and always takes a plural verb because it combines two subjects. "Both Ahmad and Mei Ling are in the school choir."

Key Rules

"Not only...but also" adds emphasis: The item after "but also" is the more surprising or impressive one. Place the stronger point second. "She not only passed the test but also topped the class."
Keep both halves parallel: Whatever word type (noun, verb, adjective, phrase) follows the first conjunction must match the word type after the second. If you write "not only sings" after "not only", you must write a verb after "but also" -- for example, "but also dances", not "but also a dancer".
Proximity rule for agreement: With either...or, neither...nor, and not only...but also, the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it. "Not only the students but also the teacher was present." / "Not only the teacher but also the students were present."
"Both...and" always takes a plural verb: Since "both...and" creates a compound subject, the verb is always plural. "Both the hawk and the eagle are birds of prey."
Place the pair correctly: Each word of the pair should appear directly before the element it governs. "She not only likes reading but also writing" is wrong because "not only" is before a verb while "but also" is before a noun. Correct: "She likes not only reading but also writing."
Do not mix pairs: Never combine parts of different pairs. "Both the essay or the report" is wrong. The correct pairs are both...and, either...or, neither...nor, and not only...but also.

Common Mistakes

Wrong	Right	Why
She not only is smart but also hardworking.	She is not only smart but also hardworking.	"Not only" and "but also" must each come before the same type of word -- here, adjectives
He both likes swimming and cycling.	He likes both swimming and cycling.	"Both" and "and" should each come before a gerund (noun form)
Neither the girls nor the boy were late.	Neither the girls nor the boy was late.	The verb agrees with the nearer subject "the boy" (singular)
Not only she passed but also she topped the class.	Not only did she pass, but she also topped the class.	When "not only" begins a sentence, the first clause uses inverted word order
Either you must study or fail.	You must either study or fail.	"Either" and "or" should each appear before a verb to keep the structure parallel
Both the hawk or the eagle is a bird of prey.	Both the hawk and the eagle are birds of prey.	"Both" pairs with "and", not "or"; and the verb must be plural

Clue Words

"Not only...but also" signals

not only, but also, but...as well

Emphasis patterns

both...and (equal addition), either...or (choice), neither...nor (double negative)

Parallel structure checklist words

Look at the word directly after each half of the pair. They should be the same type:

noun + noun, verb + verb, adjective + adjective, phrase + phrase

Tip: Draw a line under the word right after each half of the pair. If one is a verb and the other is a noun, you have a parallelism error. Both underlined words should match in type.

Practice Tips

The underline test: Underline the element that comes immediately after each word of the pair. Check that both underlined elements are the same grammatical type (both nouns, both verbs, both adjectives, etc.). If they do not match, rearrange the sentence until they do.
The swap test for agreement: When you see either...or or neither...nor with different subjects, swap the two subjects around. The verb should change to match whichever subject is now nearest. If the sentence still sounds right both ways, you have correctly identified the proximity rule.
Read aloud for "not only...but also": After writing a sentence with "not only...but also", read it aloud and pause at each conjunction. The rhythm should feel balanced, like two sides of a weighing scale. If one side feels heavier or more complex than the other, restructure.
Inversion check: When "not only" begins a sentence, the first clause must use inverted (question) word order: "Not only did she win..." not "Not only she won...". The second clause after "but also" keeps normal word order.

Quick Reference

Rule	Key point	Example
not only...but also	emphasise; stronger point second	She is not only talented but also hardworking.
both...and	always plural verb	Both Ali and Siti are in the team.
either...or	verb agrees with nearer subject	Either the boys or the girl is leading.
neither...nor	verb agrees with nearer subject	Neither the teacher nor the pupils were late.
Parallel structure	same word type after each half	He wants to either swim or run. (verb + verb)
Sentence-initial "not only"	invert the first clause	Not only did he apologise, but he also made amends.

Correlative Conjunctions (P6) (Primary 6)