Either vs Neither: Quick Answer
Either and neither are used when talking about two people, things, or choices, but they have opposite meanings.
Either means one or the other of two choices. It can also mean that both choices are possible in negative sentences.
Neither means not one and not the other. It rejects both choices.
For example:
You can choose either option.
This means you can choose option A or option B.
Neither option is available.
This means option A is not available, and option B is not available.
The easiest way to remember the difference is:
- Either = one of two
- Neither = not one and not the other
What Is the Difference Between Either and Neither?
The main difference is that either is generally positive or open to a choice, while neither expresses a negative result involving two choices.
Compare:
Either answer is acceptable.
This means answer A is acceptable, and answer B is acceptable.
Neither answer is acceptable.
This means answer A is not acceptable, and answer B is not acceptable.
Both words normally refer to two people or things.
Simple Comparison
| Word | Basic Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Either | One or the other of two | You can take either road. |
| Neither | Not one and not the other | Neither road is open. |
Either: Meaning and Usage
Either has several common uses in American English.
It can refer to one of two choices, introduce alternatives, or appear in negative sentences.
Either Meaning “One of Two”
When used with a singular noun, either generally means one or the other of two people or things.
Examples:
- Either answer is correct.
- Either option will work.
- You can sit in either chair.
- Either candidate can lead the discussion.
- Either route will take you downtown.
In these sentences, both choices are possible.
For example:
Either route will take you downtown.
This means route A will take you downtown, and route B will also take you downtown.
The speaker does not specify which one should be chosen.
Either for Two Choices
Either is especially common when presenting two alternatives.
You can have either tea or coffee.
We can go either today or tomorrow.
You can either call me or send me an email.
The common structure is:
either A or B
Examples:
- either Monday or Tuesday
- either tea or coffee
- either John or Mike
- either by phone or by email
- either this option or that option
Either … Or
Either … or is one of the most common structures involving either.
It presents two alternatives.
Examples
- You can either stay here or come with us.
- We can either drive or take the train.
- Either Sarah or Emily will answer the phone.
- You can choose either the blue shirt or the black shirt.
- Either option is acceptable.
The structure can be used with nouns, verbs, adjectives, and other parts of a sentence.
With Nouns
You can choose either tea or coffee.
With Verbs
We can either walk or take a taxi.
With Adjectives
The answer is either correct or incorrect.
With Places
We can meet either at the office or at the café.
Either as a Pronoun
Either can work as a pronoun when the two choices are already understood.
For example:
Which chair should I use?
Either is fine.
This means one of the two chairs is acceptable.
Another example:
Which shirt should I wear?
Either will work.
The specific nouns do not need to be repeated because the context already identifies the two choices.
Either With “Of”
Either of is followed by a plural noun or pronoun.
Examples:
- Either of the answers is acceptable.
- Either of the roads will take you there.
- Either of them can help you.
- Either of the two plans could work.
- Either of these books would make a good choice.
Notice that the noun after of is plural:
either of the answers
But the verb is commonly singular in formal standard English:
Either of the answers is correct.
Either in Negative Sentences
Either can also appear at the end of a negative sentence.
This is different from either … or.
Compare:
I don’t like coffee.
I don’t like coffee either.
In the second sentence, either means something like also in a negative statement.
Examples
- I don’t like the movie either.
- She doesn’t know the answer either.
- We haven’t finished the project either.
- He isn’t coming either.
- They don’t want to go either.
This use of either is common in everyday American English.
Neither: Meaning and Usage
Neither means not one and not the other of two.
It rejects both choices.
Examples:
- Neither answer is correct.
- Neither option is available.
- Neither student finished the test.
- Neither road leads to the airport.
- Neither plan will work.
If there are two choices, neither means both are excluded.
For example:
Neither answer is correct.
This means:
- Answer A is not correct.
- Answer B is not correct.
Neither … Nor
The common structure with neither is:
neither A nor B
It means that A is not true and B is not true.
Examples:
- Neither John nor Mike is available.
- She likes neither coffee nor tea.
- Neither option is suitable.
- Neither the manager nor the assistant was available.
- He can neither swim nor drive.
With Nouns
Neither John nor Sarah attended the meeting.
With Verbs
He neither called nor emailed.
With Adjectives
The answer is neither easy nor difficult.
With Places
The package was delivered neither to the office nor to the house.
Neither as a Pronoun
Neither can be used alone when two choices have already been mentioned.
For example:
Which option do you prefer?
Neither.
This means the speaker does not want option A or option B.
Another example:
Which restaurant should we choose?
Neither is open tonight.
Here, neither refers to the two restaurants already being discussed.
Neither With “Of”
Neither of is followed by a plural noun or pronoun.
Examples:
- Neither of the answers is correct.
- Neither of the students was late.
- Neither of them knows the truth.
- Neither of the cars is available.
- Neither of these options works for me.
The phrase refers to two members of a group and excludes both.
Either vs Neither With Two Choices
This is the most important distinction.
Imagine you have two restaurants:
Restaurant A and Restaurant B.
Either
You can eat at either restaurant.
This means both restaurants are possible choices.
Neither
You can eat at neither restaurant.
This means neither restaurant is an acceptable choice.
A clearer natural sentence would often be:
You can’t eat at either restaurant.
or:
Neither restaurant is open.
The basic meaning remains:
- Either = A or B
- Neither = not A and not B
Either vs Neither: Main Comparison
| Context | Either | Neither |
|---|---|---|
| Basic meaning | One or the other | Not one and not the other |
| Number of choices | Two | Two |
| Positive choice | Yes | No |
| Rejects both choices | No | Yes |
| Common pair | Either … or | Neither … nor |
| Example | Either answer is correct. | Neither answer is correct. |
| With “of” | Either of them | Neither of them |
| Negative agreement | I don’t either. | Neither do I. |
Either vs Neither in Questions
Both words can be used in questions involving two choices.
Either
Would either day work for you?
This asks whether one of the two days would be suitable.
Can either of you help me?
This asks whether one of the two people can help.
Neither
Neither is less common in direct questions but can appear in questions seeking confirmation or clarification.
Neither option is available?
This can be used to confirm surprising information.
More commonly, you might say:
Are neither of the options available?
However, natural phrasing depends on the context.
Either vs Neither With Singular Nouns
When either or neither directly modifies a noun referring to two choices, the noun is normally singular.
Correct:
- either option
- either answer
- either student
- neither option
- neither answer
- neither student
Examples:
Either option is acceptable.
Neither option is available.
Avoid:
Either options are acceptable.
Neither options are available.
The singular noun is important because either and neither identify individual members within a set of two.
Subject-Verb Agreement With Either and Neither
This area often causes confusion.
When either or neither is used directly before a singular noun, use a singular verb.
Correct
- Either option is acceptable.
- Neither option is acceptable.
- Either answer works.
- Neither answer works.
- Either student has the key.
- Neither student has the key.
Incorrect
- Either option are acceptable.
- Neither option are acceptable.
- Either answer work.
- Neither answer work.
Either of and Neither of With Verbs
In standard formal English, either of and neither of are commonly followed by singular verbs when referring to two people or things.
Examples:
Either of the answers is acceptable.
Neither of the answers is acceptable.
Either of them has the key.
Neither of them has the key.
In informal speech, plural verbs can sometimes be heard, especially when the following noun is plural. However, singular agreement is the safer choice for formal writing.
Either … Or and Subject-Verb Agreement
When either … or connects two subjects, verb agreement can depend on the subjects.
When the subjects differ in number, standard usage commonly makes the verb agree with the subject closest to it.
Examples:
Either the manager or the employees are responsible.
The closest subject is employees, which is plural.
Either the employees or the manager is responsible.
The closest subject is manager, which is singular.
This pattern is known as proximity agreement.
For clearer writing, you can often avoid awkward agreement by rewriting the sentence.
Neither … Nor and Subject-Verb Agreement
The same general principle applies to neither … nor.
Examples:
Neither the manager nor the employees are available.
Neither the employees nor the manager is available.
Again, the verb commonly agrees with the subject closest to it.
For formal writing, if the sentence sounds awkward, rewriting it can make the meaning clearer.
Either vs Neither With “Too”
A common mistake is using neither and either incorrectly in negative agreement.
Compare:
I don’t like it either.
and:
Neither do I.
Both can communicate agreement with a negative statement.
Example
Person A:
I don’t like this movie.
Person B:
I don’t like it either.
Or:
Person B:
Neither do I.
Both are natural.
The structures are different.
Negative statement + either
I don’t like it either.
Neither + auxiliary verb + subject
Neither do I.
Neither Do I vs Either
These two structures are often confused.
Suppose someone says:
I don’t eat meat.
You can respond:
Neither do I.
This means I don’t eat meat either.
You can also say:
I don’t eat meat either.
But you would not normally say:
Either do I.
That is incorrect.
Correct:
Neither do I.
Correct:
I don’t either.
Either Is Fine vs Neither Is Fine
These sentences have opposite meanings.
Either is fine.
This means both choices are acceptable.
For example:
Should I call you today or tomorrow?
Either is fine.
Both today and tomorrow are acceptable.
Neither is fine.
This normally means neither choice is acceptable or satisfactory.
For example:
Should I use this old printer or the broken printer?
Neither is fine.
Neither option is suitable.
Either One vs Neither One
Either one
Either one means one of two choices.
Which shirt should I buy?
Either one would look good.
Both shirts are acceptable choices.
Neither one
Neither one means not the first and not the second.
Which shirt should I buy?
Neither one looks right.
Both shirts are rejected.
Either Way vs Neither Way
These expressions have different meanings.
Either way
Either way means the result will be the same regardless of which of two possibilities happens.
We can drive or take the train. Either way, we’ll arrive before noon.
Neither way
Neither way means both possible methods fail or are unsuitable.
I tried both methods, but neither way solved the problem.
Either way is much more common in everyday American English.
Either One vs Any One
Do not automatically use either when there are more than two choices.
Either generally refers to two choices.
If there are three or more choices, any is normally more appropriate.
Two choices
You can choose either shirt.
Three or more choices
You can choose any shirt.
This is an important distinction.
Neither vs None
Neither normally refers to two people or things.
None can refer to three or more, and in some contexts to an unspecified number.
Two
Neither of the two answers is correct.
More than two
None of the five answers is correct.
So remember:
- Either → usually two
- Neither → usually two
- Any → one or more from a larger set
- None → zero from a group
Common Mistakes With Either and Neither
Mistake 1: Using “Neither” With More Than Two Choices
Incorrect in standard usage:
Neither of the five options is available.
Better:
None of the five options is available.
Use neither for two choices and none for three or more.
Mistake 2: Using “Either” for Many Choices
If there are several choices, either is usually not the right word.
For two:
You can choose either option.
For several:
You can choose any option.
Mistake 3: Using “Either … Nor”
This combines the wrong pairs.
Incorrect:
Either John nor Mike will come.
Correct:
Either John or Mike will come.
Remember:
Either … or
Neither … nor
Mistake 4: Using “Neither … Or”
Incorrect:
Neither John or Mike came.
Correct:
Neither John nor Mike came.
Mistake 5: Using “Either of” With a Singular Noun
Incorrect:
Either of the option is acceptable.
Correct:
Either of the options is acceptable.
After either of, use a plural noun or pronoun.
Mistake 6: Using “Neither of” With a Singular Noun
Incorrect:
Neither of the option is available.
Correct:
Neither of the options is available.
Mistake 7: Saying “Either Do I”
Incorrect:
I don’t like it. Either do I.
Correct:
Neither do I.
Or:
I don’t either.
Mistake 8: Confusing Everyone With Every One
This is unrelated to either and neither, but the same kind of spacing issue can cause confusion.
Everyone means all people.
Every one means each individual member of a group.
Everyday Examples of Either
At a Restaurant
You can order either chicken or fish.
At Work
Either employee can handle the request.
At School
Either answer could be correct.
While Traveling
You can take either road to the airport.
Making Plans
We can meet either Friday or Saturday.
Choosing an Item
Either color looks good.
Everyday Examples of Neither
At a Restaurant
Neither restaurant is open tonight.
At Work
Neither employee is available.
At School
Neither answer is correct.
While Traveling
Neither road leads to the airport.
Making Plans
Neither Friday nor Saturday works for me.
Choosing an Item
Neither color looks right.
Either vs Neither in Short Conversations
Conversation 1
A: Which shirt should I wear?
B: Either one looks good.
Meaning: Both shirts are acceptable.
Conversation 2
A: Which shirt should I wear?
B: Neither one looks right.
Meaning: Both shirts are unsuitable.
Conversation 3
A: Do you want tea or coffee?
B: Either is fine.
Meaning: Both choices are acceptable.
Conversation 4
A: Do you want tea or coffee?
B: Neither, thanks.
Meaning: I want neither tea nor coffee.
Dictionary-Style Definitions
Either
Part of speech: Determiner, pronoun, conjunction-related construction, and adverb in negative statements.
Meaning: One or the other of two people or things; each of two when considered separately; also used in negative sentences to mean “also.”
Examples:
- Either option is acceptable.
- Either of them can help.
- I don’t want it either.
Neither
Part of speech: Determiner and pronoun.
Meaning: Not one and not the other of two people or things.
Examples:
- Neither option is suitable.
- Neither of them knows.
- Neither answer is correct.
Verb
Neither either nor neither is normally used as a verb.
They are mainly used as determiners or pronouns, with either also appearing in other grammatical structures.
Noun
Neither either nor neither is normally used as a noun.
They identify or refer to choices, people, or things rather than naming an object themselves.
Synonyms
Either
Depending on context, related expressions include:
- one or the other
- one of two
- whichever of two
- any of the two
These are not interchangeable in every sentence.
Neither
Related expressions include:
- not either
- not one or the other
- not one
- none of the two
Again, the exact replacement depends on sentence structure.
Example Sentences
Either
- Either answer is acceptable.
- Either road will take you downtown.
- You can choose either option.
- Either of them can help.
- We can meet either Monday or Tuesday.
- Either student can present the project.
- I don’t want coffee either.
- Either one should work.
Neither
- Neither answer is correct.
- Neither road leads to the airport.
- Neither option is available.
- Neither of them knows the answer.
- Neither John nor Mike attended.
- Neither student finished the assignment.
- Neither one looks suitable.
- I want neither tea nor coffee.
Word History
Either comes from Old English forms related to the idea of each or one of two. Its meaning developed into the modern uses involving two alternatives and individual members of a pair.
Neither developed from an Old English negative expression meaning essentially “not either.” Its modern meaning retains that basic idea: not one and not the other of two.
The relationship between the words is therefore easy to see:
either identifies one of two possibilities, while neither excludes both.
Phrases Containing Either
- either way
- either one
- either of them
- either of us
- either side
- either option
- either choice
- either answer
- either … or
- I don’t either
Phrases Containing Neither
- neither one
- neither of them
- neither of us
- neither side
- neither option
- neither choice
- neither answer
- neither … nor
- neither do I
- neither is
Either vs Neither: Easy Memory Trick
Use this simple pattern:
Either = A or B
Neither = not A and not B
For example:
Either John or Mike can help.
At least one of the two is presented as a possible choice.
Neither John nor Mike can help.
John cannot help, and Mike cannot help.
Another useful pair is:
Either answer is acceptable.
versus:
Neither answer is acceptable.
The first allows both choices. The second rejects both.
Which One Should You Use?
Choose either when:
- You are talking about one of two choices.
- Both options are possible.
- You are presenting alternatives.
- You use the structure either … or.
- You are agreeing with a negative statement using … either.
Choose neither when:
- You are rejecting both of two choices.
- Neither option is true or acceptable.
- You use the structure neither … nor.
- You want to agree with a negative statement using neither + auxiliary + subject.
Quick Test
Ask yourself:
Are both choices still possible?
Use either.
Are both choices ruled out?
Use neither.
FAQs About Either vs Neither
What is the main difference between either and neither?
Either refers to one or the other of two choices. Neither means not one and not the other.
Either option works.
Neither option works.
Does either mean both?
Not exactly. Either normally presents two choices and means one or the other. However, in sentences such as “Either option is acceptable,” both options are presented as individually acceptable choices.
Does neither mean both are no?
Yes. Neither means that both of the two choices are excluded.
Neither answer is correct.
This means both answers are incorrect.
Is it “either or” or “either nor”?
The standard pair is:
either … or
Example:
You can either stay or leave.
Is it “neither or” or “neither nor”?
The standard pair is:
neither … nor
Example:
Neither John nor Mike came.
Can I use either for two people?
Yes.
Either person can help you.
Can I use neither for two people?
Yes.
Neither person is available.
Can either refer to more than two things?
In standard usage, either normally refers to two alternatives. For three or more choices, any is generally more appropriate.
Can neither refer to more than two things?
Normally, neither refers to two. For three or more, use none when you mean zero members of a group.
Is “Neither of them are” correct?
In formal standard English, neither of them is is the safer construction.
Neither of them is available.
Is “Either of them are” correct?
In formal standard English, either of them is is the safer construction.
Either of them is qualified to do the job.
What is the difference between “neither do I” and “I don’t either”?
They have the same basic function: both agree with a negative statement.
I don’t like coffee.
Neither do I.
Or:
I don’t like coffee either.
Can either and neither be used with “of”?
Yes.
Either of the answers is acceptable.
Neither of the answers is acceptable.
Conclusion
Either and neither both deal mainly with two people, things, or choices, but they express opposite ideas.
Either means one or the other of two, and it is often used when both choices remain possible:
Either option is fine.
Neither means not one and not the other, so it rejects both choices:
Neither option is fine.
Remember these two patterns:
Either … or
Either John or Mike will call.
Neither … nor
Neither John nor Mike will call.
Also remember that either and neither normally refer to two choices, while any and none are generally used when dealing with larger groups.
Once you understand whether you are allowing a choice between two options or rejecting both options, choosing between either and neither becomes straightforward.
