Understanding ‘Neither’: Usage and Common Mistakes
Learn about the word ‘neither’ in English, including its function as a determiner, pronoun, and conjunction. Discover its meaning, history, antonyms, and synonyms. See examples of correct usage and avoid common errors to improve your IELTS vocabulary.
Imagine you’re at a restaurant with a friend. The waiter asks if you want coffee or tea. You both shake your heads and say, Neither of us wants coffee or tea.
This word, neither, is what we’re learning about today.
Word type: Neither can function as a determiner, pronoun, or conjunction in English.
Meaning: Neither means not one and not the other of two people or things. It’s used when referring to two items and indicating that both are not true or do not apply.
Word history: The word neither comes from Old English, and it has been used in the English language for over a thousand years.
Antonyms: Some antonyms for neither are both, either, and each.
Synonyms: While not exact synonyms, words like none and not any can sometimes be used similarly to neither.
Examples use in sentences: Let’s look at some examples of how to use neither in sentences. Neither of my parents speaks French.
I like neither coffee nor tea. Neither the red shirt nor the blue one fits me. They asked us to choose a side, but we decided to support neither candidate.
Common errors in use: People sometimes make mistakes when using neither. Here are two common errors to avoid:
First, remember that neither is used for two items. If you’re talking about more than two things, use none instead.
Second, when using neither as a subject, it takes a singular verb. For example, say Neither of them is going instead of Neither of them are going.
To wrap up, neither is a useful word for expressing that two options don’t apply. Practice using it in your own sentences to become more comfortable with it.
Remember, improving your vocabulary takes time, but each new word you learn brings you closer to your IELTS goals.
