Paired conjunctions : both … and; not only …but also; either…or; neither…nor

Paired conjunctions : both … and; not only …but also; either…or; neither…nor

Two subjects connected by both … and take a plural verb

- both my mother and my sister are here

When two subjects are connected by not only …………… but also, either … or, or neither …. nor, the subject that is closer to the verb determiners whether the verb is singular or plural.

Example :

- Not only my mother but also my sister is here

- Not only my sister but also my parents are here

- Neither my mother nor my sister is here

- neither my sister nor my parents are here

Notice the parallel stucture in the examples. The same grammatical form should follow each part of the paired conjunctions.*

Example :

- the research project will take both time and money. ( both + noun + and + noun )

- yesterday it not only rained but ( also ) snowed ( not only + verb + but also + verb )

- I’ll take either chemistry or physics next quarter ( either + noun + or + noun )

- that book is neither interesting nor accurate ( neither + adjective + nor + adjective )

Notice the parallel sturcture in the examples. The same grammtical form should follow each part of the paired conjunctions. *

* paired conjuntions are also called “ correlative conjunctions “

Exercise : Paired conjunctions

Directions : add is or are to each sentence.

1. Both the teacher and the student ………… here

2. Neither the teacher nor the student …………. here

3. Not only the teacher but also the student ….here

4. Not only the teacher but also the students ………… here

5. Either the students or the teacher ……………. planning to come

6. Either the teacher or the students ………….. planning to come

7. Both the students and the teachers ………… planning to come

8. Both the students and the teacher ……….. planning to come

Exercise 2 : error analysis .paired conjunctions.

Directions : what is wrong with these sentences ?

1. either John will call Mary or Bob.

2. Not only Sue saw the mouse but also the cat

3. Both my mother talked to the teacher and my father

4. Either Mr.Anderson or Ms.Wiggins are going to teach our class today

5. I enjoy not only reading novels but also megazines

6. Oxigen is plentiful. Both air contains oxygen and water

Exercie 3 : Paired conjuntions.

Directions : combine the following into sentences that contain parallel structure. Use both …. and, not only …. but also , either …or, neither…nor

1. He does not have a pen. He does not have paper

   --> he has neither a pen nor paper.

2. Ron enjoys horseback riding. Bob enjoys horseback riding

3. You can have tea , or you can have coffee

4. Arthur is not in class today. Ricardo is not class today

5. Arthur is absent. Ricardo is absent

6. We can fix dinner for them here , or we can take them to a reastaurant

7. She wants to buy a chevrolet, or she wants to buy a Toyota

8. The leopard faces extinction. The tiger faces extinction

9. The library doesn’t have the book I need. The bookstore doesn’t have the book I need

10. We could fly , or we could take the rain

11. The president’s assistant will not confirm the story. The president’s assistant will not deny the story

12. Coal is not irreplaceable natural resource. Oil is an irreplaceable natural resource

13. Smallpox is a danerous disease. Malaria is a dangerous disease

14. Her roommates don’t know where she is. Her brother doesn’t know where she is

15. According to the news report , it will snow tonight , or it will rain tonight