Note: In all examples below, A and B are the same parts of speech.
NEITHER A NOR B:
Used in negative sense. The verb agrees with the noun that is closer to it.
Examples:
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Neither Kelly nor Sarah likes dancing.
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His car is neither fast nor reliable.
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My grandpa neither reads nor watches television.
EITHER A OR B:
The verb agrees with the noun that is closer to it.
Examples:
-
Either you or Jenny has to bring the cake to the party.
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Either John or his sister is going to pick me up from the airport.
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I don't like either coffee or tea.
NOT ONLY A BUT ALSO B:
The verb agrees with the noun that is closer to it.
Examples:
-
Not only Tom but also his sister got a promotion at work.
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I not only study hard but also participate in extracurricular activities.
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She is interested in not only history but also art.
BOTH A AND B:
Verbs always take the plural forms.
Examples:
-
Both Jim and Ann are attending the conference.
-
Both Jack and his friends have completed the project.
-
He can speak both French and Italian.
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