grammar · neutral

Neither ... nor ...

Band 7+speakingtask2

A coordinating structure that links two negative alternatives: 'not A and not B'.

Examples

“Neither the teacher nor the students understood the instructions.”

“I neither like nor dislike the idea.”

“Neither of my parents is at home.”

Band 8 sentence

“Neither the evidence nor the expert testimony convinced the committee to change its decision.”

Collocations

  • Neither A nor B
  • Neither of + plural noun + singular verb

Common mistakes

Neither my parents are at home.→Neither of my parents is at home.

I neither like it and dislike it.→I neither like nor dislike it.

Neither I don't want to go.→I don't want to go. / Neither do I.

Say it for a higher band

5or→6either ... or ...→7+Neither ... nor ...

Synonyms

not ... or ...

Easily confused

Either ... or ...

“Either you bring the documents or we cannot start the interview.”

Related words

By the time + clause, clauseWhether + clause (or not)So + adjective + that + clauseEven if + clause, clauseSuch + (a/an) + noun + that + clauseIf + past perfect, would have + past participleOn the one hand + clause; on the other hand + clauseGiven that + clause, + clause

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In Complex sentences

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