“Either or” vs “Neither Nor”: How to Use Them Correctly?

Have you ever been puzzled about when to say ‘either or’ and ‘neither nor’? Well, you’re not alone! These two phrases can be a bit tricky, but they’re really helpful when you’re making choices or talking about things you don’t like.

In this blog post, we’re going to explore ‘either or’ and ‘neither nor’ in a fun and easy way, so you can start using them confidently. Whether you’re choosing between apple or orange juice, or saying you don’t like peas or carrots, we’ve got you covered. Let’s explore and clear up the confusion together!

“Either or” vs “Neither Nor”

1. Choice vs. Rejection

• “Either or” is used when you have to choose between two options.
  • Example: “You can have either chocolate or vanilla ice cream.”
• “Neither nor” is used to reject both options.
  • Example: “I want neither chocolate nor vanilla ice cream.”

2. Affirmative vs. Negative Context

• “Either or” is generally used in a positive or neutral context, indicating options.
  • Example: “Either Monday or Tuesday works for our meeting.”
• “Neither nor” is used in a negative context to indicate that neither of the two options is acceptable or true.
  • Example: “Neither Monday nor Tuesday works for our meeting.”

3. Inclusion vs. Exclusion

• “Either or” suggests the inclusion of at least one option.
  • Example: “You can either stay home or come with us to the park.”
• “Neither nor” implies the exclusion of both options.
  • Example: “Neither jogging nor swimming is my favorite exercise.”

4. Possibility vs. Impossibility

• “Either or” introduces the possibility of choosing one option or the other.
  • Example: “We can either watch a movie or read a book.”
• “Neither nor” states that both possibilities are not going to happen.
  • Example: “We will do neither watching a movie nor reading a book tonight.”

Example Sentences Using “Either or”

1. You can choose either the blue or the red shirt for the party.
2. We can visit either Paris or Rome on our vacation next year.
3. She will either study law or medicine at university.
4. You must decide either to accept the job offer or to look for a new one.
5. For dessert, you can have either ice cream or cake.
6. The movie starts either at 7 pm or at 9 pm, so we should check the schedule.
7. You need to correct either the spelling or the grammar in this document.
8. He will either drive to work or take the bus, depending on the weather.
9. We can either go hiking or have a picnic in the park this weekend.
10. The exam will cover either chapter 4 or chapter 5, but not both.

Example Sentences Using “Neither Nor”

1. Neither the blue shirt nor the red shirt fits me well.
2. She is neither interested in going to the beach nor to the mountains this weekend.
3. For dinner, he wants neither pasta nor pizza.
4. The movie was neither exciting nor interesting.
5. Neither the teacher nor the students were ready for the surprise test.
6. In the debate, she agreed with neither side nor the other.
7. The package arrived neither on Monday nor on Tuesday as expected.
8. We could see neither the stars nor the moon due to the cloudy sky.
9. The new policy was supported by neither the employees nor the management.
10. During the trip, they visited neither the museum nor the art gallery.

Comparison Table