Both / either / neither

These three pairs join two ideas of the same kind — two nouns, two adjectives, two verbs or two phrases — and make it clear you mean both, one of the two, or neither of the two.

• She's both clever and hard-working.

• You can pay either in cash or by card.

• The room was neither clean nor quiet.

• Either you tell her, or I will.

💡Learn them as fixed pairs: both – and, either – or, neither – nor. Don't mix them as “both … or” or “neither … or”. (“Neither … or” is sometimes heard in casual speech, but it's treated as wrong in writing and exams.)

Put both / either / neither right before the first part, and make the two parts the same kind of word: noun with noun, adjective with adjective, verb with verb.

• I play both the guitar and the piano.

  noun + noun

• You can either call or text me.

  verb + verb

• We neither saw nor heard anything strange.

  verb + verb

In speech, the position of either is often looser (She either lives in Hue or in Da Nang). In writing and exams, keep the two parts balanced: She lives either in Hue or in Da Nang.

• both … and → always plural (two people or things): Both my phone and my laptop are broken.
• either … or / neither … nor → the verb agrees with the noun nearest to it: Neither the bus nor the train was on time. / Either my parents or my sister is coming.
• neither … nor is already negative → keep the verb positive: Neither Tuan nor his wife can drive (not can't).

💡With two singular nouns after neither … nor, many native speakers use a plural verb in speech (Neither Lan nor Minh are…). In standard writing and exams, use the singular: Neither Lan nor Minh is here.

These three words can also go before a noun, or with of, when you talk about two people or things.

• both: of is optional before the / my (both (of) my parents), but needed before a pronoun (both of us). Don't say “the both”.
• either / neither + a singular noun: either day, neither answer.
• neither of / either of + plural: a singular verb (more formal) or a plural verb (speech) are both fine: Neither of them is / are at home.
• On their own as answers: Tea or coffee? — Either. / Both, please. / Neither, thanks.

• Both of us were tired after the trip.

• I asked two people for directions, but neither of them knew.

• Can either of you help me on Saturday?

  said to two people

• We can meet on either day. I'm free on both.

When the verb is already negative, use either, not neither: I don't like either of them = I like neither of them. In the same way: I don't eat either meat or fish = I eat neither meat nor fish. The reply “me too, negative” (Neither do I / Me neither) is in the lesson “So do I” / “I think so”.

• I don't like either of these shirts.

  not: don't … neither

• I like neither of these shirts.

  same meaning, sounds more formal

• I have two brothers, and both of them work in Saigon.

  two people → both

• I have five cousins, and all of them live in Hue.

  five people → all

• ✗Both my father or my mother work at the hospital.

  ✓Both my father and my mother work at the hospital.

  both goes with and.

• ✗The film was neither funny or exciting.

  ✓The film was neither funny nor exciting.

  neither goes with nor.

• ✗I don't like neither of them.

  ✓I don't like either of them. / I like neither of them.

  Only one negative word.

• ✗Neither Tuan nor his wife can't drive.

  ✓Neither Tuan nor his wife can drive.

  neither is already negative → positive verb.

• ✗Both of them was late.

  ✓Both of them were late.

  both → plural verb.

• ✗The both restaurants are good.

  ✓Both restaurants / Both the restaurants are good.

  Don't put the before both.