Both / either / neither

這三組詞連線兩個同類成分——兩個名詞、兩個形容詞、兩個動詞或兩個短語——清楚地表明你指的是兩者都、兩者之一，還是兩者都不。

• She's both clever and hard-working.

  她既聰明又勤奮。

• You can pay either in cash or by card.

  你可以用現金付款，也可以刷卡。

• The room was neither clean nor quiet.

  房間既不乾淨也不安靜。

• Either you tell her, or I will.

  要麼你告訴她，要麼我來說。

💡把它們當作固定搭配來記：both – and，either – or，neither – nor。不要混用成 “both … or” 或 “neither … or”。（隨意的口語中有時會聽到 “neither … or”，但在寫作和考試中會被判為錯誤。）

把 both / either / neither 放在第一部分的正前方，並讓前後兩部分是同一類詞：名詞對名詞，形容詞對形容詞，動詞對動詞。

• I play both the guitar and the piano.

  我既彈吉他，也彈鋼琴。（名詞 + 名詞）

• You can either call or text me.

  你可以給我打電話，也可以發簡訊。（動詞 + 動詞）

• We neither saw nor heard anything strange.

  我們既沒看到也沒聽到什麼奇怪的東西。（動詞 + 動詞）

口語中 either 的位置往往比較隨意（She either lives in Hue or in Da Nang）。在寫作和考試中，要保持前後對稱：She lives either in Hue or in Da Nang.

• both … and → 總是用複數（兩個人或兩樣東西）：Both my phone and my laptop are broken.
• either … or / neither … nor → 動詞和離它最近的名詞保持一致：Neither the bus nor the train was on time. / Either my parents or my sister is coming.
• neither … nor 本身已經是否定 → 動詞保持肯定形式：Neither Tuan nor his wife can drive（不說 can't）。

💡neither … nor 後面是兩個單數名詞時，很多母語者在口語中會用複數動詞（Neither Lan nor Minh are…）。在規範的書面語和考試中，要用單數：Neither Lan nor Minh is here.

談論兩個人或兩樣東西時，這三個詞也可以直接放在名詞前，或者和 of 連用。

• both：在 the / my 前面 of 可有可無（both (of) my parents），但在代詞前必須用（both of us）。不要說 “the both”。
• either / neither + 單數名詞：either day, neither answer。
• neither of / either of + 複數：動詞用單數（更正式）或複數（口語）都可以：Neither of them is / are at home.
• 單獨用作回答：Tea or coffee? — Either. / Both, please. / Neither, thanks.

• Both of us were tired after the trip.

  旅行回來，我們倆都累了。

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

  我問了兩個人怎麼走，但他們倆都不知道。

• Can either of you help me on Saturday?

  你們倆誰星期六能幫我一下？（對兩個人說）

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

  我們哪天見面都行，兩天我都有空。

動詞已經是否定形式時，用 either，不用 neither：I don't like either of them = I like neither of them。同樣：I don't eat either meat or fish = I eat neither meat nor fish。表示“我也不”的應答（Neither do I / Me neither）見 “So do I” / “I think so” 一課。

• I don't like either of these shirts.

  這兩件襯衫我都不喜歡。（不說：don't … neither）

• I like neither of these shirts.

  這兩件襯衫我都不喜歡。（意思相同，聽起來更正式）

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

  我有兩個哥哥，他們倆都在西貢工作。（兩個人 → both）

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

  我有五個表兄弟姐妹，他們都住在順化。（五個人 → all）

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

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

  both 和 and 搭配。

• ✗The film was neither funny or exciting.

  ✓The film was neither funny nor exciting.

  neither 和 nor 搭配。

• ✗I don't like neither of them.

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

  只用一個否定詞。

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

  ✓Neither Tuan nor his wife can drive.

  neither 本身已經是否定 → 動詞用肯定。

• ✗Both of them was late.

  ✓Both of them were late.

  both → 動詞用複數。

• ✗The both restaurants are good.

  ✓Both restaurants / Both the restaurants are good.

  both 前面不加 the。