Handout for English Intermediate program

Table of Contents

1. Adjectives Order 2

2. Comparison 2

3. Adjectives & Adverbs 4

4. Word order of Adverbs 6

5. All/Most/Some/Any/None 7

6. Adjective + Preposition 11

7. Present Tense for Future 11

8. Present Continuous for Future 11

9. Present Perfect & Perfect Continuous 11i

10. Past Perfect 12

11. To, for, so that 13

12. Rather/ would rather/Prefer/Would prefer 14

13. If/Unless/whether 14

14. Much/Many/Little/Few 16

15. Both/Either/Neither 17

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 1. Adjective Order

Order of adjectives
How to order adjectives in English
In many languages, adjectives denoting attributes usually occur in a specific order. Generally, the
adjective order in English is:
1. Quantity or number
2. Quality or opinion
3. Size
4. Age
5. Shape
6. Color
7. Proper adjective (often nationality, other place of origin, or material)
8. Purpose or qualifier

Example of the order

Determiner Quantity Quality Size Age Shape Color Proper Purpose Noun
or or adjective or
number opinion qualifier

A beautiful old Italian sports car

The three beautiful little gold plates
An amazing heart- red and sofa
shaped white

More examples:
1. I love that beautiful old big green antique car that always parked at the end of the street. [quality
– age – size – color – proper adjective]
2. My sister has a big beautiful tan and white bulldog. [size – quality – color – color]
3. A wonderful old Italian clock. [opinion – age – origin]
4. A big square blue box. [dimension – shape – color]
5. A disgusting pink plastic ornament. [opinion – color – material]

2. Comparison
adjectives are also used for indicating the position on a scale of comparison. The lowest point on
the scale is known as the positive form, the middle point is known as the comparative form, and
the highest point is known as the superlative form. Here are some examples:
Positive Comparative Superlative

This book is long. This book is longer than that book. This is the longest book.

The airport is far. The airport is farther than the train This is the farthest airport.
station.

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My mom is a good cook. My mom is a better cook than your My mom is the best cook.
mom.

The comparative form

When two objects or persons are being compared, the comparative form of the adjective is used.
The comparative adjective can be formed in two ways:
1. Adding –er to the positive form of the adjective.
2. Adding the word more before the adjective.

Here are the rules for choosing and forming the right form:
Add When Example Forming and Exceptions
–er Words of one This is a longer book. Words ending with ‘e‘, add ‘r‘ to the end of the word
syllable (e.g., lame → lamer).
Words with one vowel and one consonant at the
end, double the consonant and add –er to the end
of the word (e.g., big → bigger).
Words with more than one vowel or more than one
consonant at the end, add –er to the end of the
word (e.g., hard → harder).
–er Words of two This doll is prettier. Change ‘y‘ to ‘i‘, and add –er to the end of the word.
syllables ending
with ‘y‘
more Words of two He is more charming Insert more before the adjective
syllables not than his friend.
ending with ‘y‘
more Three syllable This is Insert more before the adjective
words or longer a more powerful cable.

Superlatives Form
The superlative is used to say what thing or person has the most of a particular quality within a
group or of its kind. The superlative can be formed in two ways:
1. Adding –est to the Positive form of the adjective.
2. Adding the word most before the adjective.

Here are the rules for choosing and forming the right form:
Add When Example Forming and Exceptions
–est Words of one This is the longest book. Words ending with ‘e‘, add ‘st‘ to the end of the
syllable word (e.g., large → largest).
Words with one vowel and one consonant at the
end, double the consonant and add –est to the
end of the word (e.g., big → biggest).

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 Words with more than one vowel or more than one
consonant at the end, add –est to the end of the
word (e.g., blue → bluest).
–est Words of two This doll is the prettiest. Change ‘y‘ to ‘i‘, and add –est to the end of the
syllables ending word.
with ‘y‘
most Words of two He is Insert most before the adjective
syllables not the most charming boy
ending with ‘y‘ at school.
most Three syllable This is Insert most before the adjective
words or longer the most powerful story.

Positive form
The positive form is used in cases where there are no differences between the two compared things or
persons. To form the positive, we use the word as before and after the positive form of the adjective. For
example:
1. Danny is as smart as Phillip.
2. She is as beautiful as her older sister.
This can also be applied in a negative context to indicate that the compared objects are not similar:

1. Danny is not as smart as Phillip.

2. She is not as beautiful as her older sister.

3. Adjectives and Adverbs

Definitions

 An adjective is a word or set of words that modifies (i.e., describes) a noun or pronoun. Adjectives
may come before the word they modify.
Examples:
That is a cute puppy. She likes a high school senior.
Adjectives may also follow the word they modify:
Examples:
That puppy looks cute. The technology is state-of-the-art.
 An adverb is a word or set of words that modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Adverbs
answer how, when, where, why, or to what extent—how often or how much (e.g., daily, completely).
Examples:
He speaks slowly (tells how)
He speaks very slowly (the adverb very tells how slowly)
She arrived today (tells when)

Rules for Adverbs and Adjectives:

a) Rule 1. Many adverbs end in -ly, but many do not. Generally, if a word can have -ly added to
its adjective form, place it there to form an adverb.
Examples:
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 She thinks quick/quickly.
How does she think? Quickly.

She is a quick/quickly thinker.

Quick is an adjective describing thinker, so no -ly is attached.

She thinks fast/fastly.

Fast answers the question how, so it is an adverb. But fast never has -ly attached to it.

We performed bad/badly.
Badly describes how we performed, so -ly is added.
b) Adverbs that answer the question how sometimes cause grammatical problems. It can be a
challenge to determine if -ly should be attached. Avoid the trap of -ly with linking verbs such
as taste, smell, look, feel, which pertain to the senses. Adverbs are often misplaced in such
sentences, which require adjectives instead.
Examples:
Roses smell sweet/sweetly.
Do the roses actively smell with noses? No; in this case, smell is a linking verb—which
requires an adjective to modify roses—so no -ly.

The woman looked angry/angrily to us.

Did the woman look with her eyes, or are we describing her appearance? We are describing
her appearance (she appeared angry), so no -ly.

The woman looked angry/angrily at the paint splotches.

Here the woman actively looked (used her eyes), so the -ly is added.

She feels bad/badly about the news.

She is not feeling with fingers, so no -ly.
c) The word good is an adjective, whose adverb equivalent is well.
Examples:
You did a good job. Good describes the job.

You did the job well. Well answers how.

You smell good today.

Good describes your fragrance, not how you smell with your nose, so using the adjective is
correct.

You smell well for someone with a cold.

You are actively smelling with your nose here, so use the adverb.

d) The word well can be an adjective, too. When referring to health, we often use well rather
than good.
Examples:
You do not look well today. I don't feel well, either.
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 e) Adjectives come in three forms, also called degrees. An adjective in its normal or usual form
is called a positive degree adjective. There are also
the comparative and superlative degrees, which are used for comparison, as in the
following examples:
A common error in using adjectives and adverbs arises from using the wrong form of
comparison. To compare two things, always use a comparative adjective:
Example: She is the cleverer of the two women (never cleverest)

The word cleverest is what is called the superlative form of clever. Use it only when
comparing three or more things:

Example: She is the cleverest of them all.

Incorrect: Chocolate or vanilla: which do you like best?

Correct: Chocolate or vanilla: which do you like better?

f) There are also three degrees of adverbs. In formal usage, do not drop the -ly from an
adverb when using the comparative form.
Incorrect: She spoke quicker than he did.

Correct: She spoke more quickly than he did.

Incorrect: Talk quieter.

Correct: Talk more quietly.

g) When this, that, these, and those are followed by a noun, they are adjectives. When they
appear without a noun following them, they are pronouns.
Examples:
This house is for sale.
This is an adjective.

This is for sale.

This is a pronoun.

4. Word order of Adverbs

The three main positions of adverbs in English sentences
a) Adverb at the beginning of a sentence
Unfortunately, we could not see Mount Snowdon.

b) Adverb in the middle of a sentence

The children often ride their bikes.

c) Adverb at the end of a sentence

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 Andy reads a comic every afternoon.

More than one adverb at the end of a sentence

If there are more adverbs at the end of a sentence, the word order is normally:

Manner – Place – Time

Peter sang the song happily in the bathroom yesterday evening.

5. All/Most/Some/Any/None
1) You can use the words in the box (and also no) with a noun (some food / few books etc.):
• All cars have wheels.
• Some cars can go faster than others.
• (on a notice) No cars. (= no cars allowed)
• Many people drive too fast.
• I don't go out very often. I'm at home most days.

2) You cannot say 'all of cars', 'most of people' etc.

• Some people are very unfriendly, (not 'some of people')
Note that we say most (not 'the most'):
• Most tourists don't visit this part of the town, (not 'the most tourists')
Some of... / most of... / none of, etc.
You can use the words in the box (also none and half) with of. You can say some of (the people),

most of (my friends), none of (this money) etc.

We use some of, most of (etc.) + the / this / that / these / those / my / his / Ann's... etc.

So we say:

Some of the people, some of those people (but not 'some of people')
most of my friends, most of Ann's friends (but not 'most of friends')

None of this money, none of their money (but not 'none of money')

For example:
• Some of the people I work with are very friendly.
• None of this money is mine.
• Have you read any of these books?
• I wasn't well yesterday. I spent most of the day in bed.

You don't need of after all or half. So you can say:

• All my friends live in London, or All of my friends...
• Half this money is mine or Half of this money.

Compare all... and all (of) the...:

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 • All flowers are beautiful. (= all flowers in general)
• All (of) the flowers in this garden are beautiful. (= a particular group of flowers)

3) You can use all of / some of / none of etc. + it/us/you/them:

'How many of these people do you know? 'None of them.' / 'A few of them.'
• Do any of you want to come to a party tonight?
• 'Do you like this music? 'Some of it. Not all of it.'

Before it/us/you/them you need of after all and half (all of, half of):
all of us (not 'all us’) half of them (not 'half them')

4) You can use the words in the box (and also none) alone, without a noun:

• Some cars have four doors and some have two.

• A few of the shops were open but most (of them) were closed.
• Half (of) this money is mine, and half (of it) is yours, (not 'the half).

6. Adjectives +Preposition
Here are a few of the most common combinations of adjectives and prepositions in English:
AT – SURPRISED AT, ANGRY AT, GOOD AT, TERRIBLE AT
 I’m surprised at how fast my students are learning.
 My mother is angry at me because I forgot her birthday.
 Jamila is good at songwriting and painting.
 He’s terrible at math – he failed the class twice!

OF – PROUD OF, AFRAID OF, FOND OF, FULL OF

 You practiced a lot and gave a great performance – I’m proud of you!
 Jewell is afraid of swimming in the ocean.
 The kids are very fond of the puppy.
 The mall is always full of teenagers on the weekend.

WITH – SATISFIED WITH, BUSY WITH, FED UP WITH, ASSOCIATED WITH

 I wasn’t satisfied with the customer service at the bank.
 We’ve been working overtime lately because we’ve been busy with a new project.
 I was fed up with my boyfriend’s lies, so I ended the relationship.
 There are many health risks associated with smoking.

IN – DISAPPOINTED IN, SKILLED IN, INTERESTED IN, INVOLVED IN

 The teacher was disappointed in the behavior of the class.
 She was highly skilled in physics and chemistry.
 Giovanni is interested in classic English literature.
 Marlene is very involved in volunteer work.
*Notice that in can have a similar function to at. Ex) She’s skilled at soccer. She’s skilled in playing
soccer.
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 FOR – KNOWN FOR, GOOD FOR, TERRIBLE FOR, EXCELLENT FOR
 Brazil is known for its wonderful music and friendly people.
 Chocolate and red wine are actually good for your heart!
 Looking at screens all day is bad for your eyesight.
 Playing memory games is excellent for improving your brain function.

TO – MARRIED TO, FRIENDLY TO, SIMILAR TO, RUDE TO

 He’s married to an Australian woman.
 Everyone I met on the trip was friendly to me.
 The movie is very similar to the book.
 The little boy was punished after being rude to his grandfather.

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7. Present Tense for Future
We use the present simple for something scheduled and arranged
We have a lesson next Monday.
The train arrives at 6.30 in the morning.
The holidays start next week.

In other words, we use the present simple to talk about:

something that is true in the present:

I'm nineteen years old.
I'm a student.
He lives in London.

something that happens regularly in the present:

I play football every weekend.

something that is always true:

The human body contains 206 bones.
Light travels at almost 300,000 kilometers per second.

It's my birthday tomorrow.

8. Present continuous for Future

We use the present continuous tense to talk about the future when an action or situation is part of a:
plan
an arrangement
intention.
As example:
Mary’s studying in the library. (now)
She’s studying at Bethan’s house this evening. (future)
Stan’s arriving. (now) He’s just called from the airport
He’s arriving tomorrow morning about 7.30 (future)
We’re driving to Manchester. (now)
We’re driving to Glasgow next week. (future)

9. Present Perfect and Perfect Continuous

We use the present perfect tense to talk about things where there is a connection between the past
and the present.
 He’s written 16 books.
He started writing books at some time in the past. So far, he has written 16 books. He may write
more books.

As well as the present perfect simple, we can use the present perfect continuous tense to talk
about events with a connection to the present.

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 1. Look at these 2 sentences:
 I’ve been decorating the house this summer. The focus is on the action – decorating – and the
action is unfinished.
 I’ve painted the living room blue. The focus is on the finished result. The activity is finished but we
can see the result now.
We use the present perfect continuous when the focus is on an activity that is unfinished.

2. Look at these two sentences.

 I’ve read that book you lent me. I finished it yesterday.
 I’ve been reading that book you lent me. I’ve got another 50 pages to read.
The present perfect simple (I’ve read) gives the idea of completion while the present perfect
continuous (I’ve been reading) suggests that something is unfinished.

3 Look at these two sentences.

 She’s been writing emails for 3 hours.
 She’s written 10 messages.
The present perfect continuous (has been writing) talks about how long something has been
happening. The present perfect simple (has written) talks about how much/how many have been
completed.

4 Look at these two sentences.

 I’ve worked here for thirty years.
 I usually work in London but I’ve been working in Birmingham for the last 3 weeks.
We can use the present perfect simple to talk about how long when we view something as
permanent. But the present perfect continuous is often used to show that something is temporary.

10. Past Perfect

When we talk about something that happened in the past we sometimes want to refer back to
something that happened before that time. We can use the past perfect tense (had + past
participle) to do this.

Look at these two sentences.

 John left the house at 7:30 yesterday morning.
 Mary rang John’s doorbell at 8:15 yesterday.
Both actions happened in the past so we use the past simple tense. But look at how we can
combine the sentences.

 Mary rang John’s doorbell at 8:15 yesterday but John had already left the house.
We use the past perfect (had left) because the action happened before another action in the past
(Mary rang the doorbell.)

Look at some more examples of the past perfect.

 When Mrs Brown opened the washing machine she realised she had washed someone else's
laundry.
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  I got a letter from Jim last week. We’d been at school together but we’d lost touch with each other.
The past perfect is used because they were at school before he received the letter. It refers to an
earlier past.

Look at these 2 sentences.

 James had cooked breakfast when we got up.
 James cooked breakfast when we got up.
In the first sentence, the past perfect tells us that James cooked breakfast before we got up. In the
second sentence, first we got up and then James cooked breakfast.

Past perfect continuous

The past perfect can also be used in the continuous.

 I realised I had been working too hard so I decided to have a holiday.
 By the time Jane arrived we had been waiting for 3 hours.
NOTE
The most common mistake with the past perfect is to overuse it or to use it simply because we are
talking about a time in the distant past.
For example, we would not say
The Romans had spoken Latin
but rather
The Romans spoke Latin
because it simply describes a past event, and not an event before and relevant to another past
event.
Remember that we only use the past perfect when we want to refer to a past that is earlier than
another time in the narrative.

11. To/For/So that

Grammar Tables: To, for, so that
To talk about purpose, or the reason why we do things, we can use for + verb-ing, we can use the
infinitive with to, and we can use so that + subject + verb.
Action or event
'for' + verb-ing
I'm bringing some pots and pans for cooking.
I've got special glasses for reading small print.
A thermos flask is for keeping hot food hot.

Action or event
Infinitive with 'to'
We've got some water to make tea.
I went to the shops to buy some milk.

Action or event
'so that' + subject + verb
I'm taking some extra blankets so that we don't get cold.

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 I chained my bicycle to the fence so that it wouldn't get stolen.
I worked very hard so that I would do well in the exam.

12. Rather/ would rather/Prefer/Would prefer

Would prefer, would rather:
expressing specific preference
When we speak about a specific preference, would
rather and would prefer have the same meaning
and are interchangeable.
Would rather can be abbreviated to 'd rather.
Would prefer can be abbreviated to 'd prefer.
Would rather is followed by the infinitive without to.
Would prefer is followed by to + infinitive or a noun.
We use a past tense after would rather when we
speak about the actions of other people, even
though that action may be in the present or future.
We say:
would rather . . . than
We say:
would prefer . . . rather than / instead of
We went to the theatre yesterday. Today I would
rather go to the cinema.
We went to the theatre yesterday. Today I would
prefer to go to the cinema.
I'd rather go to the cinema.
I'd prefer to go to the cinema.
I'd rather have fruit juice.
I'd prefer to have fruit juice.
I'd prefer fruit juice.
I'd rather you took a taxi (instead of walking) – it's not
safe on the streets at night.
The film is quite violent. I'd rather our children didn't
watch it.
It's such nice weather – I'd rather sit in the
garden than watch TV.
It's such nice weather – I'd prefer to sit in the
garden rather than watch TV.

Prefer, would rather:

expressing general preference
When we talk about general preferences, we I prefer walking to cycling.
can use prefer or would rather. The meaning is I would rather walk than cycle.
the same.
After prefer we use the verb in the -ing form. I prefer using a keyboard to writing with a pen.
I’d rather use a keyboard than write with a pen.
After would rather we use the infinitive (I’d = I would)
without to.
We say: prefer . . . to . . . I prefer walking to driving.
I’d rather walk than drive.
We say: would rather . . . than . . .

13. If/Unless/whether
Unless means the same as if...not. Like if, unless is followed by a present tense, a past tense, or a
past perfect tense (never by a conditional). Unless is used instead of if...not in conditional sentences
of all types. The order of the clauses doesn't matter with sentences using unless.

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TYPE 1 CONDITIONAL: UNLESS + PRESENT TENSE

With If Equivalent with Unless

You will be sick if you don't stop eating. You'll be sick unless you stop
eating.

I won't pay if you don't provide the goods immediately. I won't pay unless you provide
the goods immediately.

If you don't study dilligently, you'll never understand Unless you study dilligently, you'll
trigonometry. never understand trigonometry.

TYPE 2 CONDITIONAL: UNLESS + PAST TENSE

With If Equivalent with Unless

If he wasn't very ill, he would be at work. Unless he was very ill, he would be
at work.

I wouldn't eat that food if I wasn't really hungry. I wouldn't eat that food unless I
was really hungry.

She would be here by now if she wasn't stuck in traffic. She would be here by now unless
she was stuck in traffic.

TYPE 3 CONDITIONAL: UNLESS + PAST PERFECT

With If Equivalent with Unless

Our director would not have signed the contract if she hadn't Our director would not have signed
had a lawyer present. the contract unless she had had a
lawyer present.

I wouldn't have phoned him if you hadn't suggested it. I wouldn't have phoned him unless
you'd suggested it.

They would have shot her if she hadn't given them the They would have shot her unless
money. she'd given them the money.

Whether
In indirect speech, we can use if or whether to introduce reported yes/no questions:

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Can you feed the cat for me while I’m away? - She wanted to know whether I could feed the cat for her
while she was away.
Do you have any free time on Sunday? - I’m not sure if I’ll have any free time on Sunday.
When there is a choice of two possibilities, particularly in a two-part question with or, we normally
use whether:
Let me know whether you can come or not.
I asked him whether he wanted to stay in a hotel or a B&B.
Whether (or not) he’ll be fully fit when the new football season kicks off, we don’t yet know.
Compare the following conditional use with whether:
I’ll come with you to the hospital, if you want me to.
I’m coming with you to the hospital, whether you want me to or not.
In the first, where your friend is talking, there are a number of possibilities: you can go alone, go with a
friend, go with your mother, etc, so if is used. In the second, where your mother is talking, there are only
two possibilities: you either want her with you or not, so whether is used.

14. Much/Many/Little/Few
We use much and little with uncountable nouns:
• much time / much luck / little energy / little money/

We use many and few with plural nouns:

• many friends / many people / few cars / few countries

We use much/many especially in negative sentences and questions. A lot (of) is also possible:
• We didn't spend much money, (or We didn't spend a lot of money.)
• Do you know many people? (or Do you know a lot of people?)
• I don't go out much, (or I don't go out a lot.)

In positive sentences a lot (of) is more usual. Much is unusual in positive sentences in spoken
English:
• We spent a lot of money, (not 'We spent much money')
• He goes out a lot. (not' He goes out much')

You can use many in positive sentences, but a lot (of) is more usual in spoken English:
• A lot of people (or Many people) drive too fast.

But note that we use too much and so much in positive sentences:
• We spent too much money.

Little and few (without 'a') are negative ideas (=not much / not many):
• We must be quick. There is little time. (=not much, not enough time)
• He isn't popular. He has few friends. (=not many, not enough friends)

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 You can say very little and very few:
• There is very little time.
• He has very few friends.

15. Both/Either/Neither
BOTH
Both = the two; that one AND the other one; this one AND that one
Both can be used as a pronoun to refer to two things that we have already mentioned.
 A: Do you want the blue shirt or the red one?
B: I’ll buy both (= the blue shirt AND the red shirt = both shirts)
Both X and Y
= not only X but also Y
Both + Adjective + and + Adjective
 He’s both tall and handsome.
 I’m both happy and confused at the same time!
 I have had a long, hard day and I’m both tired and hungry.
Both + Noun + and + Noun
Both can be used with a singular noun + and + singular noun
 She speaks both English and Arabic.
 They have both a cat and a dog.
 He is both an actor and a director.
We can also use Both + plural noun (see more below)
 She speaks both languages.
Both or Both of?
Both or Both of can be used without a difference in meaning though Both of is more common in
the United States.
Both (of) + determiner + plural noun
You can use Both or Both of before a determiner (my, his, these, the etc.) and a plural noun.
 Both (of) my friends arrived late to class.
 Both of the wheels wobble too much.
 A prize was given to both of the players.
When we use Both (without of), we drop the article the.
 Both of the parents were nervous.
 Both parents were nervous.
Both of + Object Pronoun
When using Both with a plural object pronoun (us, them), we need the preposition OF before that
pronoun.
 He has invited both us. (incorrect)
 He has invited both of us. (correct)
 I’ll take both of them. (correct)
 I need to speak to both of you. (correct)
Verb + Object pronoun + both
We can use both after a plural object pronoun.
 I hope they invite us both (= I hope they invite both of us)
 Do you need them both? (= Do you need both of them)

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 The teacher sent them both to the principal’s office.
To be + both
Both comes after To Be (or an auxiliary such as have or modal verbs).
 He is both intelligent and agile.
 My sister and I are both ready for the trip.
 We were both happy with our exam results.
Modal verb + both + verb
 My parents can both speak French.
 They should both try harder.
 My brothers would both be shocked if they knew the truth.
Both + other verbs
Both goes before the other verbs. If there is an accompanying auxiliary verb, then it goes in the
middle of the two verbs (i.e. auxiliary + both + verb)
 We both wanted to stay in bed and not go to work.
 They both liked the surprise.
 My parents both work in the same building.
 They have both studied a lot.
Both - Negative
We don’t use both in negative structures. Instead, we normally use Neither.
 We don’t say: Both of them are not ready (incorrect)
 We say: Neither of them are ready (correct)
See more about Neither below:

NEITHER
Neither = not one and not the other
Neither is a negative word and is accompanied by an affirmative singular verb.
Neither X nor Y
Neither … nor … is used as a conjunction. It is the opposite of “Both … and …” If a verb comes
after this phrase, that verb is in the singular form (Sometimes you will hear it used in the plural form
though it is not grammatically correct)
 Neither John nor Fred likes doing the dishes. (= “Both John and Fred don’t like doing the dishes”)
 I want neither the red shirt nor the blue shirt.
 I neither smoke nor drink.
Neither + singular noun
Neither is used as a determiner before a single noun.
 Neither team wanted to lose.
 That tennis game was very close. Neither player had a clear advantage.
 Neither parent knew about the accident.
Neither of + determiner + plural noun
You can use Neither of before a determiner (my, his, these, the etc.) and a plural noun.
 Neither of my friends came to class today.
 Neither of the parents understood what the baby was trying to say.
 Neither of our cars has enough petrol so we have to take the bus.
Neither of + Pronoun
When using Neither + of + pronoun (you, us, them), we need the preposition OF before that
pronoun. (If a verb comes after this phrase then it is in singular form)
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 The present is for neither of us.
 Neither of them is married.
 Neither of us expected to be fired.
Neither in short responses
Neither is frequently used as part of a short response when someone says something negative and
you agree with them.
 A: I have never been to Switzerland
 B: Neither have I.
 A: I don’t want to go.
 B: Neither do I.
See more about So, Neither and Either as short answers
Neither can also be used alone.
 A: Would you like a blue tie or a green tie?
 B: Neither. (= Neither tie)
Neither vs. Either
You can use Either with a negative verb to replace Neither with a positive verb
 I have neither time nor money
 I don’t have either time or money.
See more about Either below.

EITHER
Either = any one of the two = this one or the other one
Either is accompanied by an affirmative singular verb and is mostly used in questions or negative
sentences
Either X or Y
Either … or … is used as a conjunction. It is used to express alternatives and or a choice between
two (and sometimes more) things. It is used a verb in singular form (Sometimes you will hear it used
in the plural form though it is not grammatically correct).
 Either you or John has to finish the report before 5pm.
 You can have either the red shirt or the blue shirt. (= but not both)
 Either you leave the building now or I call the security guards.
Either + singular noun
Either is used as a determiner before a single noun.
 There are only two options and I’m not interested in either film.
 A: Do you want it ready for Thursday or Friday? B: Either day is fine for me.
Either of + determiner + plural noun
You can use Either of before a determiner (my, his, these, the etc.) and a plural noun.
 We’ve been dating for 6 months and I haven’t met either of her parents.
 I haven’t read either of these books.
 I don’t want either of those apples. Do you have one that is not rotten?
Either + of + Pronoun
When using Either + of + object pronoun (you, us, them), we need the preposition OF before that
pronoun.
 I don’t think he is going to invite either of us.
 A: Which photo do you prefer? B: I don’t like either of them
 I think I left my keys and wallet at the office. I don’t want to lose either of them.
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 Either can also be used alone. It means it doesn’t matter which alternative. Sometimes it is
accompanied by the pronoun “one”.
 A: Would you like a coffee or a tea?
 B: Either (one). (= I don’t mind if it’s coffee or tea, both alternatives are fine)
Either in short responses
Either can be used at the end of a negative sentence when you agree with something negative
someone else has said. It is similar to meaning TOO and ALSO (which are used in affirmative
sentences).
 A: I wasn’t thirsty. B: I wasn’t either. (You cannot say “I wasn’t too”)
 A: I’ve never been to Portugal. B: I haven’t either.
 A: I didn’t go to class yesterday. B: I didn’t either
See more about So, Neither and Either as short answers
Pronunciation of Either and Neither
You will hear the word Either pronounced two different ways:
 /ˈaɪðər/ (eye-ther – with a long I sound at the beginning) – British English
 /ˈiːðər/ (ee- ther – with a long E sound at the beginning) – American English
Both forms of pronunciation are correct and supposedly one is British English and the other
American English. However, within each country you may hear both forms used.
The same happens with the pronunciation of the word Neither:
 /ˈnaɪðər/ – British English  /ˈniːðər/ – American English

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