Both / either / neither

这三组词连接两个同类成分——两个名词、两个形容词、两个动词或两个短语——清楚地表明你指的是两者都、两者之一，还是两者都不。

• She's both clever and hard-working.

  她既聪明又勤奋。

• You can pay either in cash or by card.

  你可以用现金付款，也可以刷卡。

• The room was neither clean nor quiet.

  房间既不干净也不安静。

• Either you tell her, or I will.

  要么你告诉她，要么我来说。

💡把它们当作固定搭配来记：both – and，either – or，neither – nor。不要混用成 “both … or” 或 “neither … or”。（随意的口语中有时会听到 “neither … or”，但在写作和考试中会被判为错误。）

把 both / either / neither 放在第一部分的正前方，并让前后两部分是同一类词：名词对名词，形容词对形容词，动词对动词。

• I play both the guitar and the piano.

  我既弹吉他，也弹钢琴。（名词 + 名词）

• You can either call or text me.

  你可以给我打电话，也可以发短信。（动词 + 动词）

• We neither saw nor heard anything strange.

  我们既没看到也没听到什么奇怪的东西。（动词 + 动词）

口语中 either 的位置往往比较随意（She either lives in Hue or in Da Nang）。在写作和考试中，要保持前后对称：She lives either in Hue or in Da Nang.

• both … and → 总是用复数（两个人或两样东西）：Both my phone and my laptop are broken.
• either … or / neither … nor → 动词和离它最近的名词保持一致：Neither the bus nor the train was on time. / Either my parents or my sister is coming.
• neither … nor 本身已经是否定 → 动词保持肯定形式：Neither Tuan nor his wife can drive（不说 can't）。

💡neither … nor 后面是两个单数名词时，很多母语者在口语中会用复数动词（Neither Lan nor Minh are…）。在规范的书面语和考试中，要用单数：Neither Lan nor Minh is here.

谈论两个人或两样东西时，这三个词也可以直接放在名词前，或者和 of 连用。

• both：在 the / my 前面 of 可有可无（both (of) my parents），但在代词前必须用（both of us）。不要说 “the both”。
• either / neither + 单数名词：either day, neither answer。
• neither of / either of + 复数：动词用单数（更正式）或复数（口语）都可以：Neither of them is / are at home.
• 单独用作回答：Tea or coffee? — Either. / Both, please. / Neither, thanks.

• Both of us were tired after the trip.

  旅行回来，我们俩都累了。

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

  我问了两个人怎么走，但他们俩都不知道。

• Can either of you help me on Saturday?

  你们俩谁星期六能帮我一下？（对两个人说）

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

  我们哪天见面都行，两天我都有空。

动词已经是否定形式时，用 either，不用 neither：I don't like either of them = I like neither of them。同样：I don't eat either meat or fish = I eat neither meat nor fish。表示“我也不”的应答（Neither do I / Me neither）见 “So do I” / “I think so” 一课。

• I don't like either of these shirts.

  这两件衬衫我都不喜欢。（不说：don't … neither）

• I like neither of these shirts.

  这两件衬衫我都不喜欢。（意思相同，听起来更正式）

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

  我有两个哥哥，他们俩都在西贡工作。（两个人 → both）

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

  我有五个表兄弟姐妹，他们都住在顺化。（五个人 → 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.

  只用一个否定词。

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

  ✓Neither Tuan nor his wife can drive.

  neither 本身已经是否定 → 动词用肯定。

• ✗Both of them was late.

  ✓Both of them were late.

  both → 动词用复数。

• ✗The both restaurants are good.

  ✓Both restaurants / Both the restaurants are good.

  both 前面不加 the。