Neither Nor | Meaning, Use & Examples
Neither … nor is a correlative conjunction that is used to indicate that two things are not true (e.g., “The candidate appeared neither prepared nor interested”).
Correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that are used to show the relationship between two grammatically equal parts of a sentence. Others include either … or and not only … but also.
The new policy neither addresses employee concerns nor improves productivity.
The committee accepted neither the proposed rule change nor the amended budget.
How to use neither nor
You can use neither … nor to describe two things that are not true or that did not happen (e.g., “Neither the referee nor the coach arrived on time”).
Like all correlative conjunctions, neither … nor is used to connect two grammatically equal words or phrases (e.g., two nouns, two verbs, etc.). Sometimes, people make mistakes with this and create a structure that is not parallel. This is typically fixed by moving the correlative conjunction.
- The survey measures neither the target construct nor uses appropriate language.
- The survey neither measures the target construct nor uses appropriate language.
When neither … nor is used to connect a compound subject, you must consider subject-verb agreement. The verb agrees with whichever noun is closest to it.
- When both nouns are singular, the verb is always singular.
- When both nouns are plural, the verb is always plural.
- When one noun is singular and one is plural, remember to look at the noun closest to the verb.
- Neither the teacher nor the students like the new policy.
- Neither the students nor the teacher likes the new policy.
- Neither the students nor the teacher like the new policy.
Most people find it sounds more natural to put the plural noun next to the verb.
You will sometimes see neither … nor used to connect more than two items (e.g., “She approved neither the timeline nor the budget nor the preliminary draft”). However, since “neither” means “none of two,” it is best to only use neither … nor when referring to two things.
A QuillBot Grammar Check can help ensure you’re using neither … nor correctly.
Neither nor or neither or
When used as part of a correlative conjunction, “neither” should always be accompanied by “nor,” not “or.”
Because neither … nor is somewhat formal and old-fashioned, people often use other negatives (e.g., “not,” “never”) to express the same meaning. “Nor” is not used alongside these other negatives. Instead “or” or “and” (for compound subjects) is used.
- The client neither emailed nor called.
- The client neither emailed or called.
- The client did not email or call.
- The client did not email nor call.
- Neither the client nor her lawyer is pleased.
- Neither the client or her lawyer is pleased.
- The client and her lawyer are not pleased.
Neither nor examples
Neither … nor is primarily used in formal or academic writing. However, it is often used in everyday language in certain idioms and fixed expressions. The table below shows some examples.
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Neither here nor there | Not relevant | The fact that she went to Harvard is neither here nor there; what really matters is whether she can do the job. |
| Neither a borrower nor a lender be | It’s better not to borrow money or loan money (especially among friends) | When I asked my mom for money, she responded, “neither a borrower nor a lender be.” I guess that means no. |
| Neither confirm nor deny | To not give any information about whether something happened | The spokesperson neither confirmed nor denied that a meeting between the two companies had occurred. |
| Neither fish nor fowl | Difficult to categorize | The new car design is neither fish nor fowl. It is not quite a sedan but not quite an SUV. |
Frequently asked questions about neither nor
- Should I use either or or neither nor?
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The choice between the correlative conjunctions either … or and neither … nor depends on your intended meaning.
- Use either … or when you want to present two options (e.g., “We can either go out to eat or order in”).
- Use neither … nor when you want to express that two things are not true or did not happen (e.g., “We neither ate nor slept on the flight”).
When there is already a negative (e.g., “not,” “never “) in your sentence, use “or” to avoid a double negative (e.g., “We did not eat or sleep on the flight”).
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using correlative conjunctions correctly.
- What are some neither nor examples?
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Some examples of sentences using neither … nor (a correlative conjunction) are:
- The marketing campaign neither attracted new users nor increased sales.
- Neither the actors nor the studios were satisfied with the result of the negotiations.
- My date was neither charming nor intelligent.
Neither … nor is also used in some well-known expressions, such as:
- That’s neither here nor there. Let’s focus on the main issue.
- I’m going to follow my grandma’s advice: “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”
- I can neither confirm nor deny that I saw Talia at the soccer game on her sick day.
The QuillBot Grammar Checker can help ensure you’re using “neither … nor” correctly.
- Is it neither nor or neither or?
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The correct form of the correlative conjunction is neither … nor (e.g., “We have neither the capital nor the name recognition to expand into a new market”). “Or” is never used with “neither.”
A QuillBot Grammar Check can help ensure you’re using correlative conjunctions like “neither … nor” correctly.
