What Does "neither nor" Mean?
- Grammatical function: "Neither nor" is a correlative conjunction. It serves to connect two or more negative alternatives, indicating that the statement applies to none of the options mentioned. It expresses a relationship of addition within negation.
- Typical sentence position: It most commonly appears in the medial position to link subjects, objects, or verbs, but it can also be used in the initial position for emphasis.
- Register: This expression is generally formal to neutral. While common in standard speech, it is a hallmark of precise academic, legal, and literary writing.
How to Use It
- Syntactic patterns: The elements following "neither" and "nor" should be parallel in structure (e.g., two nouns, two adjectives, or two clauses). If it links two independent clauses, the second clause (and sometimes the first) requires subject-verb inversion.
- Punctuation rules: Generally, no comma is needed when linking two short phrases. However, if "neither nor" is used to link long independent clauses, a comma may precede the "nor" for clarity.
- Grammatical flexibility: It can start a sentence to emphasize the negation. When used as a compound subject, the verb must follow the rule of proximity (agreeing with the noun closest to the verb).
- What sounds unnatural: Using "neither" with "or" is a common error that sounds uneducated or careless in formal contexts. Additionally, using a double negative (e.g., "I don't want neither nor...") is grammatically incorrect.
Real-World Examples
These examples are sourced from neither nor on Ludwig.guru.
"In a neither-nor or either-or construction, the verb agrees with the closest part of the subject." — query.nytimes.com
"After a neither-nor construction, if the subjects are both singular, use a singular verb: Neither Dana nor Dale was happy." — afterdeadline.blogs.nytimes.com
"Korea is often described as a small shrimp stuck between the two whales of Japan and China -- or a tepid "neither-nor" hybrid of its two giant neighbors." — forbes.com
"The tyrannies Soros helped bring down were neither nor democratic nor socialist." — newyorker.com
"The DPJ has neither, nor has it had any success in persuading the smaller opposition parties to vote with it." — economist.com
Similar Phrases and Alternatives
| Phrase |
Context |
| not... and not |
A more neutral or informal way to negate two items without using correlative conjunctions. |
| neither of which |
Used to refer back to two previously mentioned items in a relative clause. |
| not... let alone |
Used when the second negative option is even more unlikely or extreme than the first. |
| none of |
Used when referring to more than two options or a general group. |
| not... either |
A common construction used at the end of a sentence to express agreement with a negative. |
Common Mistakes
- The "Or" Confusion: Learners often mistakenly use 'or' instead of 'nor' as the second element of the pair. While "neither... or" appears in some informal dialects, it is considered incorrect in standard English.
- Inversion Failures: Writers often fail to use subject-verb inversion when the phrase begins a clause (e.g., "Neither did he stay" is correct, whereas "Neither he stayed" is not).
- Proximity Errors: Misapplying verb agreement by looking at the first subject instead of the one closest to the verb (e.g., "Neither the teacher nor the students are ready").
Quick-Reference Summary
| Expression |
Function |
Register |
Typical Position |
| neither nor |
Correlative Negation |
Formal / Neutral |
Medial or Initial |
FAQs
Can neither nor be used at the beginning of a sentence?
Yes, neither nor can be used at the start of a sentence to link two subjects or to introduce a negative independent clause. When starting a clause with neither, you must use subject-verb inversion, such as in "Neither did she call, nor did she write."
What is the difference between neither nor and not either or?
The primary difference is register and sentence structure, as neither nor is more formal and functions as a pair of correlative conjunctions. In contrast, not... either/or typically splits the negation across the verb, such as in "I do not want either tea or coffee."
What are the most common grammatical errors when using this expression?
Learners often mistakenly use 'or' instead of 'nor' as the second element of the pair, or fail to use subject-verb inversion when the phrase begins a clause. Another frequent error is failing to follow the rule of proximity, which requires the verb to agree with the subject closest to it.