Introduction
Neither…nor is a correlative conjunction, meaning it is a pair of words that work together. These conjunctions link two parts of a sentence, showing that both elements are connected and belong to the same idea. Other correlative conjunctions include either…or, both…and, whether…or, and not only…but.
What Does Neither…Nor Do?
Neither…nor connects two negative elements in a sentence. These elements can be nouns, pronouns, verbs, or adjectives. The meaning of neither…nor is neither…nor (not one and not the other). It’s mostly used in more formal English.
Not Tom and not Kevin likes coffee.
Not her and not me have been to Canada.
The hotel had no air conditioning and no Wi-Fi.
Liam did not call and did not send a message.
Since neither…nor already has a negative meaning, we do not add another negation like not.
I do not like tea or coffee.
Singular or Plural Verb After Neither…Nor?
Because neither…nor connects two subjects, many learners wonder whether to use a singular or plural verb.
1️⃣ If both elements are singular → Use a singular verb
This is because the verb must match both subjects separately:
This rule is especially important when using pronouns. Make sure the verb agrees with the subject.
2️⃣ In informal speech, some people use a plural verb with singular subjects
(informal, but sometimes used in spoken English)
3️⃣ If both elements are plural → Use a plural verb
4️⃣ If one subject is singular and the other is plural → Follow the rule of proximity
The verb agrees with the subject closest to it.
(Here, “chairs” is plural, so we use “match”.)
(Here, “sofa” is singular, so we use “matches”.)
5️⃣ In informal speech, many speakers use a plural verb when one of the subjects is plural
To follow correct grammar, we can rearrange the sentence so that the plural subject comes closer to the verb.
Neither I vs. Neither Me
Use neither me when it is the object of the sentence.
I do not enjoy spicy food, and my sister does not enjoy spicy food.
She did not recognize me, and she did not recognize my brother.
Italy is not cold, and Spain is not cold in the summer.
Olivia was not at the party, and Mia was not at the party.
I am not a singer and not a dancer.
Jake did not bring his homework, and his sister did not bring her homework.
My uncle does not drive, and my aunt does not drive.
The roses have not bloomed, and the tulips have not bloomed yet.
The books are not on the desk, and the laptop is not on the desk.
The manager does not want to change it, and the employees do not want to change it.
His explanation was not convincing, and his excuse was not convincing.
The cake did not taste good, and the cookies did not taste good.
