CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS


•The correlative conjunctions either ... or mean one or the other. They indicate a choice or alternative and connect two affirmative ideas.
•You must either tell the truth or go to jail. (connecting two verb phrases)
•A person is either honest or dishonest. (connecting two adjectives)

 

•I will see you either at home or in jail. (connecting two prepositional phrases)
•I can call either your father or your mother. (connecting two noun objects) 
 
• When two verbs or verb phrases are connected with auxiliaries, either follows the auxiliary verb. The auxiliary is not repeated after or.
•You must either tell the truth or go to jail.
•He has either lost his watch or misplaced it.
•She is either crying or laughing very hard. 
 
•When using either ... or to connect similar structures, remember to place either as close as possible to the structure it is identifying.
•Correct: I can call either your father or your mother.
• Incorrect: I can either call your father or your mother.
 
 
• Singular subjects joined by either ... or take a singular verb after or. Plural subjects joined by either ... or take a plural verb after or.

 

Either my roommate or I am going to go to the party. Either my parents or my sisters are going to visit me this summer.
•If one subject is singular and the other subject is plural, the verb agrees with the subject after or, that is, the subject closest to the verb.
•Either my parents or my sister is going to visit me.
•Either my sister or my parents are going to visit me. 
 
•It is not possible to connect similar structures if the subjects of the sentences are different. Therefore, the similar structures in the following sentences cannot be connected.
•>>You will tell the truth. I will report you to the police.
•Incorrect: You will either tell the truth or report you to the police.
 
 
• Connecting two Complete Sentences 
•Either you must tell the truth, or you must go to jail.
•Either a person is honest, or a person is dishonest. 
 
 
•When two complete sentences are connected, a comma follows the first sentence.
•Either the baby is sick, or he is tired.
A comma is not needed when similar structures are connected.
•The baby is either sick or tired.
•Note that it is possible to connect two complete sentences even if the subjects of the sentences are different .
 
 
•The correlative conjunctions neither .. . nor mean not one or the other. They connect two negative ideas
•Neither money nor success is important to me. (connecting two noun subjects)
•I want neither fame nor fortune. (connecting two noun objects)
•This coffee is neither good nor hot. (connecting two adjectives)
•Your son is neither outside nor inside. (connecting two adverbs)
•Sue has neither arrived nor called. (connecting two verbs)
 
 
•When two verbs or verb phrases are connected with auxiliaries, neither follows the auxiliary verb. The auxiliary is not repeated after nor.
•I have neither finished my composition nor completed the reading assignments.
•Sue is neither coming nor planning to call.
•When there are two auxiliary verbs, neither follows the first.
•I have neither been sleeping nor watching television.
•When neither ... nor connect similar structures, neither is placed as close as possible to the structure it is identifying.
•Correct: I am neither happy nor sad today.
•Incorrect: I neither am happy nor sad today.
 
 
•Singular subjects joined by neither ... nor take a singular verb after nor. Plural subjects joined by neither ... nor take a plural verb after nor.
•Neither Maria nor Jabria is coming to the party.
•If one subject is singular and the other subject is plural, the verb agrees with the subject after nor, that is, the subject closest to the verb.
•Neither the director nor the teachers want an extra week of classes. Neither the teachers nor the director wants an extra week of classes.
• Neither ... nor are usually used to connect words and phrases that are similar in  structure. They are rarely used to connect complete sentences.
 
 
•When not only ... but also are used to connect similar structures, not only and but also are placed as close as possible to the structures they identify.
•Correct: It is not only a big apartment but also an inexpensive one.
•Incorrect: It not only is a big apartment but also an inexpensive one.
•Tom has not only a car but also a motorcycle. (connecting two noun objects)
•He is not only a fast driver but also a good one. (connecting two adjectives + nouns)
•He not only repairs motorcycles but also teaches motorcycle repair. (connecting two verbs) 
 
 
•Singular subjects joined by not only .. . but also take a singular verb after but also. Plural subjects joined by not only ... but also take a plural verb after but also.
•Not only Maria but also Jabria is coming to the party.
•Not only the teachers but also the students want one week less of classes.
•When one subject is singular and the other subject is plural, the verb agrees with the subject after but also, that is, the subject closest to the verb. 
 
•When not only ... but also are used to connect two complete sentences, but also can be kept together.
Not only do we need a stove, but also we need a refrigerator.
•But also can also be separated.
•Not only do we need a new stove, but we also need a refrigerator.
 
 
•When not only ... but also me used to connect two complete sentences, the subject and auxiliary verb must be inverted after not only.
•Correct: Not only do the children need new clothes, but also they need book bags.
•When two complete sentences are connected, a comma follows the first sentence.
•Not only is the baby sick, but he is also tired.
•A comma is not needed when similar structures are connected.
• The baby is not only sick but also tired . 
 
 
•Subjects joined by both ... and always take a plural verb.
•Both my mother and my father are coming.
•Both my sister and my brothers are coming.
•Both ... and are usually used to connect words and phrases that are similar in structure. They are rarely used to connect complete sentences .
 
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