حروف ربط همبسته: انتخاب دوگانه و تاکید (یا...یا، نه...نه)
either...or and neither...nor for clear choices and strong negations with perfect parallelism.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use these pairs to link two equal ideas, offering a choice (either...or) or rejecting both options (neither...nor) with perfect balance.
- Always pair 'either' with 'or' and 'neither' with 'nor'; never mix them up. Example: 'Either stay or leave.'
- The verb must agree with the subject closest to it. Example: 'Neither the boss nor the employees are happy.'
- Keep it parallel: if a noun follows 'either', a noun must follow 'or'. Example: 'Either tea or coffee.'
مرور کلی
or خیلی تنها به نظر میاد؟ یا شاید داری سعی میکنی سریال مورد علاقهت توی نتفلیکس رو توصیف کنی و جملهی 'it's funny and scary' یه جوری به نظر میاد که انگار یه ربات اون رو نوشته؟and یا but نیستن. اینها یه تیم هستن. یکی فکر رو شروع میکنه و اون یکی تمومش میکنه.either...or استفاده کردی، یعنی همین الان هم داری ازشون استفاده میکنی. اینها باعث میشن انگلیسی شما پیچیدهتر، متعادلتر و — صادقانه بگم — خیلی بیشتر شبیه یه انگلیسیزبان بومی به نظر بیاد. این همون «سس مخفی» برای زبانآموزهای سطح B2 هست که میخوان از سطح «مبتدی» فراتر برن و طوری به نظر بیان که انگار واقعاً به یه کافه توی لندن یا یه جلسهی زوم توی نیویورک تعلق دارن.این گرامر چطور کار میکنه
either...or، neither...nor و not only...but also هستن. این جفتها دو بخش همارز از یک جمله رو به هم وصل میکنن.either یه اسم گذاشتی، بهتره بعد از or هم یه اسم بذاری. این مثل بازی «از رئیس پیروی کن» هست. اگه این قانون رو بشکنی، جملهت ممکنه هنوز معنی بده، اما حس «عجیبی» به آدم میده — مثل کسی که با صندل جوراب پوشیده.
الگوی ساخت
either...or برای انتخاب بین دو تا چیز استفاده کن. وقتی هر دو رو رد میکنی از neither...nor استفاده کن. وقتی میخوای یه کمی «بیشتر» مایه بذاری و نشون بدی که *هر دو* مورد درست هستن، از not only...but also استفاده کن.
either [پیتزا].
or [تاکو].
Either the cat or the dogs are [فعل جمع چون 'dogs' نزدیکتره].
Neither the dogs nor the cat is [فعل مفرد چون 'cat' نزدیکتره].
not only [فعل] ، بخش دوم هم باید but also [فعل] باشه.
She not only sings but also dances.
She not only sings but also a dancer. (ای وای، هماهنگی رو حفظ کن!)
کی استفاده کنیم
either...or استفاده کن، مثل 'You can either pay via Apple Pay or use a credit card.' این جمله قاطعتر از گفتن سادهی «یا» به نظر میاد. وقتی یه کمی سختگیر هستی یا داری یه شکست کامل رو توصیف میکنی از neither...nor استفاده کن.not only...but also استفاده کن.
اشتباهات رایج
neither و nor خودشون معنی «نه» رو توی دلشون دارن، دیگه نیازی به یه کلمهی منفی دیگه توی جمله نداری.- غلط:
I don't like neither coffee nor tea. - درست:
I like neither coffee nor tea.(یا فقط:I don't like coffee or tea.)
- نامناسب:
He looked either in the fridge or the cupboard. - روان:
He looked either in the fridge or in the cupboard.
مقایسه با الگوهای مشابه
And مثل یه نون سادهست؛ both...and مثل یه نونیه که همهی مخلفات رو داره.Either...or رسمیتر و مشخصتر از یه or سادهست. این ترکیب تأکید میکنه که *دقیقاً* دو تا انتخاب وجود داره.Not only...but also با and فرق داره چون یه سلسلهمراتب ایجاد میکنه.neither...nor رو با either...or قاطی نکن. 'I don't like either' خوبه، اما 'I like neither' باکلاستره. فقط 'I don't like neither' رو نگو، مگه اینکه بخوای معلم زبانت یه سکتهی قلبی خفیف بزنه.سؤالات رایج
neither...or استفاده کنم؟Neither همیشه با nor میاد. Either با or میاد. سعی نکن این زوج خوشبخت رو از هم جدا کنی.not only...but و بیخیال also بشم؟also اغلب حذف میشه یا جابجا میشه. 'He's not only tall but handsome, too.'neither...nor برای پیام دادن خیلی رسمیه؟either به یه لیست سه تایی از نظر فنی توی گرامر رسمی غلطه، هرچند مردم توی صحبتهای روزمره این کار رو میکنن. برای احتیاط همون دو تا رو نگه دار.Subject-Verb Agreement with Correlative Conjunctions
| Subject 1 | Subject 2 | Verb Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Singular
|
Singular
|
Singular
|
Neither the cat nor the dog IS hungry.
|
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
Plural
|
Either the teacher or the students ARE wrong.
|
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Singular
|
Neither the players nor the coach IS happy.
|
|
Plural
|
Plural
|
Plural
|
Either the boys or the girls ARE winning.
|
|
I
|
He/She
|
Singular (3rd person)
|
Either I or he IS going to the store.
|
|
He/She
|
I
|
Am
|
Neither he nor I AM responsible.
|
Meanings
Correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that work together to join two parts of a sentence that have equal value or importance. 'Either...or' indicates a choice between two possibilities, while 'neither...nor' indicates that two or more things are not true or do not happen.
Exclusive Choice
Used to present two options where only one can be chosen or is true.
“Either we win this game or we are out of the tournament.”
“You can have either the chocolate cake or the fruit salad.”
Double Negation/Exclusion
Used to say that two things are both not true, not present, or not possible.
“Neither the phone nor the laptop is working.”
“He neither called nor texted me all weekend.”
Emphasis and Rhetoric
Used to emphasize the balance or the extremity of two situations, often in formal speeches or literature.
“Neither rain nor snow shall stay these messengers.”
“Either we stand together, or we fall divided.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative Choice
|
Either + [Noun] + or + [Noun]
|
Either tea or coffee is fine.
|
|
Negative Exclusion
|
Neither + [Noun] + nor + [Noun]
|
Neither tea nor coffee is available.
|
|
Action Choice
|
Either + [Verb] + or + [Verb]
|
You can either stay or leave.
|
|
Negative Action
|
Neither + [Verb] + nor + [Verb]
|
He neither eats nor sleeps.
|
|
Adjective Balance
|
Either + [Adj] + or + [Adj]
|
The car is either red or blue.
|
|
Negative Adjective
|
Neither + [Adj] + nor + [Adj]
|
The movie was neither funny nor sad.
|
|
Clausal Inversion
|
Neither + [Aux] + [Subj] + nor + [Aux] + [Subj]
|
Neither did he call, nor did he write.
|
طیف رسمیت
I care for neither the salmon nor the steak. (Dining out)
I want neither the salmon nor the steak. (Dining out)
I don't want either the salmon or the steak. (Dining out)
Nah, neither for me. (Dining out)
The Logic of Correlatives
Either...Or
- Choice Option A or Option B
- Affirmative Positive selection
Neither...Nor
- Exclusion Not A and Not B
- Negative Rejecting both
Either vs. Neither
Subject-Verb Agreement Flow
Is the second subject singular?
Parallelism Check
Nouns
- • Either apples or pears
Verbs
- • Neither run nor hide
Adjectives
- • Either happy or sad
مثالها بر اساس سطح
I want either juice or water.
Neither Tom nor Sam is here.
You can either sit or stand.
I have neither a pen nor paper.
We can either watch a movie or play a game.
Neither the cat nor the dog is hungry.
Either you come with us or you stay home.
He speaks neither English nor French.
The hotel was neither clean nor comfortable.
You must either pay the fine or go to court.
Neither the students nor the teacher was prepared for the fire drill.
I will either call you tonight or send an email tomorrow.
Neither the marketing strategy nor the sales figures were impressive.
The candidate was either extremely nervous or completely unqualified.
Neither does she enjoy her job, nor does she plan to stay much longer.
You may either submit the assignment via the portal or hand it in personally.
Neither the inherent complexity of the task nor the looming deadline deterred him.
Either the government must intervene, or the economy will face a total collapse.
The results were neither statistically significant nor practically relevant.
Neither did the witness recognize the suspect, nor could he describe the vehicle.
The poem's meter is neither strictly iambic nor entirely free-verse, creating a jarring effect.
Either we acknowledge the existential threat of climate change, or we resign ourselves to an uninhabitable planet.
Neither the veracity of the claims nor the integrity of the claimant was ever in doubt.
The solution lies neither in isolationism nor in unbridled globalism, but in a nuanced middle ground.
بهراحتی اشتباه گرفته میشود
Learners use 'neither' for more than two items.
Learners use 'either' when there are multiple choices.
Mixing up the negative structures.
اشتباهات رایج
Either you or me.
Either you or I.
Neither tea or coffee.
Neither tea nor coffee.
I don't want neither.
I want neither.
Either stay or you leave.
Either stay or leave.
Neither my mom nor my sisters is coming.
Neither my mom nor my sisters are coming.
He is neither smart or funny.
He is neither smart nor funny.
I can either go or staying.
I can either go or stay.
Neither of the two options are good.
Neither of the two options is good.
He neither likes to swim nor running.
He likes neither swimming nor running.
Either the students or the teacher are wrong.
Either the students or the teacher is wrong.
Neither he did call nor did he write.
Neither did he call nor did he write.
الگوهای جملهسازی
Either ___ or ___ will be enough to finish the project.
Neither the ___ nor the ___ is available at the moment.
He was neither ___ nor ___ about the news.
Neither did she ___ nor did she ___.
Real World Usage
We are looking for someone who is either a certified accountant or has five years of experience.
Either Friday or Saturday works for me!
Neither party shall be liable for delays caused by acts of God.
I'll have neither the onions nor the pickles on my burger.
Neither the first hypothesis nor the second was supported by the data.
We can either book the hotel now or wait for a better price.
The Proximity Rule
No Mixing!
Parallelism is Key
Neither as a Response
Smart Tips
Scan ahead for 'nor'. If you see 'or', change it immediately!
Put the plural subject second. It often sounds more natural to have the plural verb at the end.
Replace 'not...and not' with 'neither...nor'.
Check that both verbs are in the same tense and form.
تلفظ
Either/Neither Vowel Sounds
In American English, these usually start with a long 'E' sound (/iː/). In British English, they often start with a long 'I' sound (/aɪ/). Both are correct.
Stress Pattern
Stress the first syllable of 'either' and 'neither', and the words that follow them for emphasis.
Rising-Falling
Either tea (rise) or coffee (fall).
Indicates a complete list of options.
حفظ کنید
روش یادسپاری
Remember: 'Either' is for 'One' (O for Or), and 'Neither' is for 'None' (N for Nor).
تداعی تصویری
Imagine a balance scale. On one side is 'Either', on the other is 'Or'. If you put a noun on the left, you must put a noun on the right to keep the scale balanced (Parallelism).
Rhyme
Either and Or, a choice is in store; Neither and Nor, both out the door.
Story
A traveler comes to a fork in the road. He can either go left or go right. However, he has neither a map nor a compass, so he decides to stay put.
شبکه واژگان
چالش
Write three sentences about your weekend plans: one using either...or for a choice, one using neither...nor for things you won't do, and one where the subjects have different numbers (singular/plural).
نکات فرهنگی
British speakers are more likely to use the /aɪ/ pronunciation for 'either' and 'neither'. They also strictly adhere to the proximity rule in formal writing.
American speakers predominantly use the /iː/ pronunciation. In very casual speech, 'neither' is sometimes used with a plural verb even if the closer subject is singular, though this is discouraged in schools.
These pairs are essential in legal 'legalese' to ensure no ambiguity in exclusions or choices.
From Old English 'ægther' (either) and 'nāhwæther' (neither).
شروعکنندههای مکالمه
If you could travel anywhere, would you either go to the mountains or the beach?
What are two foods that you like neither the taste nor the smell of?
In a job, is it more important to have either a high salary or a good work-life balance?
Neither the past nor the future is guaranteed. How do you live in the present?
موضوعات نگارش
اشتباهات رایج
Test Yourself
___ the manager ___ the employees were happy with the new policy.
Neither the teacher nor the students ___ coming to the party.
Find and fix the mistake:
You can either have the cake or eating the pie.
Combine: I don't like coffee. I don't like tea.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Neither did he know the answer, nor did he care.
A: Should we order pizza or Chinese? B: ___ sounds good to me, I'm not really hungry.
A. Either you or I am going. B. Neither him or his friend came.
Score: /8
تمرینهای عملی
8 exercises___ the manager ___ the employees were happy with the new policy.
Neither the teacher nor the students ___ coming to the party.
Find and fix the mistake:
You can either have the cake or eating the pie.
Combine: I don't like coffee. I don't like tea.
1. Either we go now... 2. Neither the car... 3. He neither speaks...
Neither did he know the answer, nor did he care.
A: Should we order pizza or Chinese? B: ___ sounds good to me, I'm not really hungry.
A. Either you or I am going. B. Neither him or his friend came.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesHe's ___ tall ___ short; he's average height.
She's interested in either learning French or to travel to France.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: 'Ela nem come carne nem peixe.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the conjunction with its meaning:
You can ___ pay with cash ___ use your card.
Neither the students nor the professor are happy with the schedule change.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: 'Você pode ir ou para o cinema ou para o teatro.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the first part of the conjunction with its second part:
Score: /12
سوالات متداول (8)
No, 'either' must always be paired with 'or'. Using 'either...nor' is a common mistake that should be avoided.
Technically, 'either' and 'neither' are for two options. For three or more, use 'any' or 'none'. However, in informal speech, people sometimes say 'either A, B, or C'.
It is 'Neither he nor I am'. According to the proximity rule, the verb agrees with 'I', and 'I' takes 'am'.
Yes! For example: 'Neither of the boys was ready.' Just remember that when 'neither' is the subject on its own, it is usually singular.
Usually, no. You only need a comma if you are joining two independent clauses (full sentences). Example: 'Either you must leave, or I will call the police.'
It can be. In texts, people often say 'I don't like A or B' instead. But 'Neither works for me' is a very common and natural short response.
It's the rule that says the verb should agree with the subject closest to it. 'Neither the apples nor the *pear* *is*...' vs 'Neither the pear nor the *apples* *are*...'
Parallelism makes your sentences balanced and easier to read. If you mix parts of speech (like a noun and a verb), the sentence feels 'broken' to a native speaker.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
o...o / ni...ni
English forbids double negatives with 'neither...nor'.
soit...soit / ni...ni
French requires an extra negative particle 'ne'.
entweder...oder / weder...noch
Word order in German clauses can change, unlike English.
...ka...ka / ...mo...mo (nai)
Japanese uses post-position particles rather than pre-position conjunctions.
imma...aw / la...wa la
Arabic repeats the negative 'la' with a conjunction 'wa'.
bushi...jiushi / ji bu...ye bu
Chinese structures are more like 'if/then' or 'also' patterns.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
ویدیوهای مرتبط
Related Grammar Rules
ایدههای متضاد: استفاده از 'Conversely' و 'By Contrast'
### Overview در سطح B2 یا فوقمتوسط (Upper-Intermediate)، توانایی شما در بیان ایدههای پیچیده و برقراری ارتباط منطقی بی...
استفاده از عبارت 'As a Matter of Fact' برای تأکید و اصلاح
Overview آیا تا به حال پیش آمده کسی فکر کند شما مبتدی هستید، در حالی که در واقع یک متخصص بودید؟ شاید دوستی فکر کرده شما...
جمعبندی: In Sum و To Recapitulate
### Overview تسلط بر زبان انگلیسی در سطح پیشرفته (C1)، فراتر از دانستن لغات دشوار یا ساختارهای پیچیده است؛ در این سطح،...
Conjunctions: And, But, Or, So, Because
## Conjunctions: And, But, Or, So, Because Conjunctions are **joining words** that connect two ideas. ### And — adds i...
ترتیببندی افکار: سپس، بعد، در نهایت (Then, Next, Finally)
Overview آیا تا به حال سعی کردهاید طرز تهیه یک ساندویچ پنیر گریل شده عالی را در واتساپ به دوستی توضیح دهید و در نهایت...
