Too vs. Either | Grammar Quizzes https://www.grammar-quizzes.com/too-either.

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Grammar-Quizzes › Adverbials › Adverbs › Too vs. Either

Too vs. Either

Add a positive or negative comment

In Context

Today, I am eight. I will be attending a new school, and so will my cousin. The new school is opening because our old school building was too¹ small for our class. I will have a desk
and my classmates will too. I won't have to share a book, and my classmates won't either.

I will work hard because I want to have a good education. My cousin will work hard too. She wants to become a pediatrician, a doctor for children. My mother did not have this
opportunity, and neither did my grandmother. I feel fortunate, and my cousin does too.

Too vs. Either

AND…TOO

After mentioning a positive idea or fact, add another positive comment with and… too. (a conjunctive expression)

POSITIVE

I am eight today, and my cousin is too.

I am waiting for our new school to open, and my cousin is too. (present)

I have a new reader (book), and my classmates do too / have too (Br-Eng)

I wished for a new school, and my parents did too. (past)

I will work very hard, and my classmates will too. (modal verb)

AND…NOT EITHER

After mentioning a negative idea or fact, add another negative comment with and… not either. (a negative conjunctive expression)

NEGATIVE

I am not a child, and my cousin isn't either.

I am not worrying, and my cousins aren't either.

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¹too (degree adverb) – excessively; The old school was too small for us to use.

Two Parts: Coordination and Focus

Draw attention to particular information

Coordination and Focus

COORDINATION — AND

Two clauses with like structures can be joined (coordinated) with and. However, if the content is very similiar, we tend to shorten the verb phrase in the second clause to the auxiliary
verb (be, do, have) and too, also or either (neg).

TWO CLAUSES

Jill walks to school at 6:30. Sara walks to school at 6:30

COORDINATED CLAUSES

Jill walks to school at 6:30, and Sara walks to school at 6:30. (with a comma)

*Jill walks to school at 6:30, and Sara does. (cannot shorten like this)

FOCUS — TOO

Including too or either allows us to shorten the second clause by drawing attention to the particular part of the first clause (often the verb phrase) that we are omitting in the second
clause. In speech, we use intonation to indicate the focused part.

WITH A FOCUSING ADVERB

Jill walks to school at 6:30, and Sara does too. [focus (VP) = walk to school]

Jill walks to her school, and Sara does too. [focus (PP) = to her different school]

Jill walks fast, and Sara does too. [focus = (Adv) = fast or (VP) = walks fast]

Jill walks to school, and Sara also walks to school. [focus (N) = Sara]

Jill doesn't like rain, and Sara doesn't either. [focus (VP) = doesn't like rain]

omit (V) – leave out, omitted (Adj) – something not included

N – Noun; VP – Verb Phrase; Adv –Adverb; PP –Prepositional Phrase (See Word Categories for other abbreviations.)

Also see Focusing Adverbs (only, just, too, etc.), Coordinators (and, but, nor, etc.) And so / And too and Either…or / Neither…nor

Too v. Either (Polarity)

In positive or negative environments

Positive v. Negative Responses in Agreement

A POSITIVE STATEMENT

A clause with a neutral (non-negative) verb has positive polarity even if the meaning is negative. We use too when adding a comment of agreement.

POSITIVE VERB – POSITIVE MEANING

I like this book, and he does too.

I like this book, and so does he.

(A clause with a positive verb and no other negatives has positive polarity.)

I look forward to beginning school, and my friends do too.

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POSITIVE VERB – NEGATIVE MEANING

I dislike this book, and they do too.

I avoid / detest watching that movie, and they do too.

POSITIVE ADVERB – POSITIVE MEANING

They truly believe what he is saying, and I do too. (always, usually, mostly, never / totally, utterly, completely / confidently, assuredly, reasonably, logically)

POSITIVE PRONOUN – POSITIVE MEANING

Everyone believes me, he does too.

A NEGATIVE STATEMENT

A clause with a negative verb still has negative polarity even if the meaning is positive. We use either or neither when adding a comment of agreement.

NEGATIVE VERB – POSITIVE MEANING

I can't help reading this book, and he can't either. like, can't stop

I can't help reading this book, and neither can he.

(A clause with a negative verb but a positive meaning still has negative polarity.)

I can't wait to begin school, and she can't either. eagerly anticipate, look forward to

I can't wait to begin school, and neither can she.

NEGATIVE VERB – NEGATIVE MEANING

I can't stand reading this book, and she can't either. dislike

I can't bear watching that movie again, and I can't either. cannot tolerate

NEGATIVE ADVERB – NEGATIVE MEANING

They hardly believe what he is saying, and I don't either. (seldom, rarely, never / barely, scarcely)

NEGATIVE PRONOUN – NEGATIVE MEANING

No one believes me, and he doesn't either. (nobody, not any one, none of them, not one person, hardly anyone)

¹polarity—some words occur only in negative or only in positive environments. For example, too is positively-oriented, occurring in neutral environments, and either is negatively-oriented, occurring in
negative environments (negative verbs). I like going to school, and my sister does too. The main clause is positive, and the coordinated clause is also positive if it expresses agreement. I don't like
staying home from school, and my sister doesn't either. The main clause is negative, and the coordinated clause is also negative if it expresses agreement. See tests for polarity in Cambridge Grammar of
English Language 9 §1.1.

Negative polarity sensitive words occur in negative environments: any, anybody, any longer, any more, anyone, anything, anywhere, at all, either, ever, long, much, until, too, yet.

Also see Negatives—verbs, determiners and word forms. (Huddleston 8 § 14.1.2, , 9 § 4.3 [b]); 10 § 4.7.4 polarity-sensitve items)

Also see Already v. Yet—Polarity and Either…or / Neither…nor.

Too / Either
Short responses

Short Responses of Agreement

TOO

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We can use too to add a comment of agreement after someone makes a positive statement.

POSITIVE SHORTENED AGREEMENT

I am excited. Me too! (informal)

(modal) I am too!

He is too!

They are too!

I have a backpack. Me too! (informal)

(US-Eng – auxiliary = do) I do too! (Br-Eng – have too)

(Br-Eng – auxiliary = have) He does too! (Br-Eng – has too)

They do too! (Br-Eng – have too)

I would like a desk. Me too! (informal)

(modal) I would too!

He would too!

They would too!

I hoped for a new school. (past verb) Me too.

I did too.
He did too.
They did too.

NOT EITHER

We can use either to add a comment of agreement after someone makes a negative statement.

NEGATIVE SHORTENED AGREEMENT

I am not worried. Me either! (informal)

I am not either!

He isn't either!
They aren't either!

I do not have a backpack. Me either! (informal)

I don't either! (Br-Eng – haven't either)

He doesn't either! (Br-Eng – hasn't either)

They don't either! (Br-Eng – haven't either)

I would not like to sit on the floor. Me either! (informal)

I wouldn't either!

He wouldn't either!

They wouldn't either!

I did not like the old one. Me either. (informal)

I didn't either.
He didn't either.
They didn't either.

Me too (informal speech) – is more commonly used in a present, immediate context, less commonly for an activity or action in the past.

But Not Too

Indicating restrictions

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But… Not…Too

BUT NOT TOO

After mentioning a positive idea or fact, we can add a negative point using but not…too.

You can take a cookie, but you can't take a cupcake too.

He's drinking a lot, but at least he isn't driving too.

You can have your cake, but you can't eat it too.

EITHER X or Y

We can offer a choice between two items with either X or Y. "Select one".

You can take either a cookie or a cupcake. (a choice of one item)

You can either drink or drive as much as you like. (a choice of one activity)

You can either have your cake or you can eat it. (a choice of one activity

"You can't have your cake and eat it too." (expression) – You have to make choices in life.

Common Mistakes
Errors and Solutions

Error and Solution

ERROR

I'm not going, and he isn't going neither.

"I thought he was dead."

"Me too."

I can't wait for the opening, and they can't too / also / as well. (verb + not)

"I can hardly believe my eyes! " (negative adverb)

"Me too."

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"No one helped me." (negative pronoun)

"Me too."

SOLUTION

I'm not going, and he isn't either. (Also see neither…nor)

"I thought he was dead.."

"I did too." We tend to use me too in a present, immediate context. (Me too is informal.)

I can't wait for the opening, and they can't either.

Use either after a verb with not: can't help, can't wait, can't stand, can't bear.

"I can hardly believe my eyes! "

"Me either." (informal) "I can't either. (neg. can+hardly = can+not)
Use either after a negative adverb: hardly, barely, seldom, rarely, never.

"No one helped me."

"Me either."
Use either after a negative pronoun: no one, nobody, not one person, none of them

Practice 1
Storytelling

Add a point of agreement.

1. Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
2. Compare your response to the feedback by clicking the "check" button.

1.

My cousin loves to hear stories, and I do

Feedback 1

2.

She doesn't watch much television, and I don't

Feedback 2

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3.

My uncle is a wonderful storyteller, and my aunt is

Feedback 3

4.

He tells scary stories, and she

Feedback 4

5.

I can never guess the endings, and no one else

Feedback 5

6.

My uncle has a hundred or more stories, and my aunt

Feedback 6

7.

He rarely repeats a story, and she rarely

Feedback 7

8.

I like the use of their hands and faces, and everyone else

Feedback 8

9.

I wish I could tell stories well, and my father sometimes wishes he

Feedback 9

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10.

I will never forget their stories, and the family

Feedback 10

Practice 2
Setting limits (rules)

Determine whether to add too or either.

1. Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
2. Compare your response to the feedback by clicking the "check" button.

11.

You can stay up late tonight, but you can't get up early , or you will be very tired!

Feedback 11

12.

You can come watch the movie, but you can't talk on your mobile phone .

Feedback 12

13.

You can come inside and watch the movie or go outside and talk on your mobile phone.

Feedback 13

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14.

You can see your friends after school, but you can't see them tonight , because you have homework to do.

see (V) - to visit

Feedback 14

15.

You may see your friends after school or later tonight.

Feedback 15

16.

I can offer you a cookie, but I can't give you a cupcake .

Feedback 16

17.

I can give you an allowance, but I cannot give you money for small jobs .

allowance (N) – a weekly or monthly amount of money that is given to a child to teach him or her how to spend wisely as well as save.

Feedback 17

18.

You can have a snack before doing your homework or after.

Feedback 18

19.

You can carry your backpack, but you can't carry your book bag .

Feedback 19

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20.

You should make two trips or take less and put everything into your backpack.
make two trips (expression) – go once, return, go again

Feedback 20

Grammar-Quizzes › Adverbials › Adverbs › Too vs. Either

Julie Sevastopoulos (contact) — ESL / ELL / TEFL — English Grammar Reference / Resource – Practices & Exercises – Palo Alto, California USA — 22 Jun 2020

Grammar Quizzes by Julie Sevastopoulos is licensed for use under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 International.

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