"Both" vs "Either" vs "Neither": Two-Option Grammar Explained
Both, either और neither को two-option meaning, both-and, either-or, neither-nor patterns, agreement rules, common mistakes और practice questions के साथ समझें।
जब English दो people, दो things या दो choices की बात करती है, तीन words बार-बार आते हैं: both, either, और neither. ये simple दिखते हैं, लेकिन agreement और pair-word mistakes बहुत करवाते हैं:
गलत: Both of them is absent.
सही: Both of them are absent.
गलत: Neither Ram or Shyam came.
सही: Neither Ram nor Shyam came.
Problem सिर्फ meaning की नहीं है। ये words noun, verb form और paired structure में second word भी control करते हैं। अगर two-option logic clear हो जाए, तो most errors easily spot हो जाते हैं।
- Both = पहला और दूसरा, दोनों together.
- Either = दो में से एक; negative verb के बाद भी use होता है।
- Neither = पहला भी नहीं और दूसरा भी नहीं।
Rule box: Both…and, either…or, और neither…nor use करें। दोनों sides parallel रखें।
Compare करें:
Both answers are correct.
Either answer is correct.
Neither answer is correct.
ये three sentences interchangeable नहीं हैं। Both दो accept करता है। Either दो में से एक accept करता है। Neither दो reject करता है।
इनमें से two-word contrast को detail में समझने के लिए “Either” vs “Neither” देखें।
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| both + plural noun | दोनों together | Both answers are correct. |
| both of + plural noun/pronoun | दोनों together | Both of them are ready. |
| either + singular noun | दो में से एक | Either answer is acceptable. |
| either of + plural noun/pronoun | दो में से एक | Either of the answers is acceptable. |
| neither + singular noun | यह भी नहीं, वह भी नहीं | Neither answer is acceptable. |
| neither of + plural noun/pronoun | दो में से कोई नहीं | Neither of them is ready. |
| both…and | दो add करता है | Both tea and coffee are available. |
| either…or | one choice | Choose either tea or coffee. |
| neither…nor | दोनों reject | I want neither tea nor coffee. |
क्योंकि both का meaning दो together है, यह normally plural noun और plural verb लेता है:
Both students are present.
Both of the books have notes.
Standard English में “both student” या “both is” न लिखें।
जब either या neither directly noun से पहले आता है, noun singular होता है:
Either answer is acceptable.
Neither answer is acceptable.
Either of और neither of के साथ formal English usually singular verb prefer करती है:
Either of the two answers is acceptable.
Neither of the two answers is acceptable.
Speech में “neither of them are” common है, लेकिन exams और formal writing में usually is expected होता है।
Both, either, और neither में choose करते समय यह checklist use करें:
- क्या दो people, things या choices हैं? ये words normally two के लिए काम करते हैं।
- क्या meaning दोनों together है? Both use करें।
- क्या meaning दो में से एक है? Either use करें।
- क्या meaning पहला भी नहीं और दूसरा भी नहीं है? Neither use करें।
- क्या paired structure है? Both…and, either…or, या neither…nor use करें।
- Agreement check करें: both + plural verb, लेकिन formal grammar में either/neither + singular noun + singular verb.
___ tea and coffee are available.
Sentence दोनों together accept कर रहा है। Correct: Both tea and coffee are available.
___ answer is acceptable; choose one.
दो में से only one चाहिए। Correct: Either answer is acceptable.
___ answer is acceptable; both are wrong.
दोनों reject हैं। Correct: Neither answer is acceptable.
-
Both of them are absent.
दो लोग absent हैं, इसलिए plural verb are correct है। -
Either answer is acceptable.
दो answers में से एक acceptable है। -
Neither answer is acceptable.
दोनों answers reject हैं। -
Both tea and coffee are available.
दोनों drinks available हैं। -
You can choose either tea or coffee.
आप दो में से एक choose कर सकते हैं। -
She wants neither tea nor coffee.
उसे tea भी नहीं चाहिए और coffee भी नहीं। -
Neither Ram nor Shyam came.
Ram नहीं आया, Shyam भी नहीं आया। -
Both Ram and Shyam came.
Ram भी आया और Shyam भी आया। -
I do not trust either explanation.
Negative verb के साथ either दोनों explanations reject कर सकता है। -
The candidate was both confident and careful.
दोनों qualities साथ में true हैं।
Paired expressions balanced होने चाहिए। Both, either, और neither के बाद आने वाले parts grammar में match करने चाहिए।
Both the manager and the assistant were present.
You may apply either online or by post.
The answer is neither clear nor complete.
हर pair में matching parts हैं: noun + noun, phrase + phrase, adjective + adjective.
Weak: She both sings and a dancer.
Better: She both sings and dances.
Better: She is both a singer and a dancer.
यह सिर्फ style issue नहीं है। Exams में parallel structure अक्सर correct option decide करता है।
Both दो together को refer करता है, इसलिए plural agreement use करें:
| गलत | सही |
|---|---|
| Both of them is absent. | Both of them are absent. |
| Both answer is correct. | Both answers are correct. |
| Both tea and coffee is available. | Both tea and coffee are available. |
Either और neither one option at a time या no single option पर focus करते हैं, इसलिए direct noun singular होता है:
| गलत | सही |
|---|---|
| Either answers are acceptable. | Either answer is acceptable. |
| Neither answers are correct. | Neither answer is correct. |
| Neither of them are ready. | Neither of them is ready. |
जब either…or या neither…nor दो subjects join करते हैं, कई grammar books nearer subject के साथ agreement recommend करती हैं:
Neither the teachers nor the principal is available.
Neither the principal nor the teachers are available.
Exams में उस test का expected agreement rule follow करें। Careful writing में awkwardness avoid करने के लिए sentence rewrite किया जा सकता है:
The principal and the teachers are not available.
Both को and चाहिए, or नहीं।
गलत: Both tea or coffee are available.
सही: Both tea and coffee are available.
Neither का pair nor है।
गलत: Neither Ram or Shyam came.
सही: Neither Ram nor Shyam came.
गलत: Either answers are acceptable.
सही: Either answer is acceptable.
अगर plural noun phrase चाहिए, तो “either of the answers” use करें:
Either of the answers is acceptable.
जब verb already negative हो, either use करें:
गलत: I don’t like neither plan.
सही: I don’t like either plan.
सही: I like neither plan.
यह pattern “Some” vs “Any” में भी दिखता है, जहाँ negative sentence expected word बदल देता है।
Strictly, both का meaning two है। दो से ज्यादा के लिए all use करें:
Two: Both students passed.
More than two: All students passed.
Similarly, दो से ज्यादा rejected options के लिए none often better है:
Neither option is correct.
None of the options is correct.
| गलत | सही | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Both of them is absent. | Both of them are absent. | Both plural agreement लेता है। |
| Neither Ram or Shyam came. | Neither Ram nor Shyam came. | Pair neither…nor है। |
| Either answers are acceptable. | Either answer is acceptable. | Either + singular noun + singular verb. |
| Both tea or coffee are available. | Both tea and coffee are available. | Pair both…and है। |
| I don’t want neither option. | I don’t want either option. | Negative verb के साथ either आता है। |
| Neither of the answers are correct. | Neither of the answers is correct. | Formal grammar singular agreement prefer करती है। |
Correct option चुनें।
-
___ students were present.
a) Both b) Either -
___ answer is acceptable; choose one.
a) Both b) Either -
___ answer is correct; both are wrong.
a) Neither b) Both -
The rule is ___ simple nor useless.
a) either b) neither
Error find करके correct करें।
- Both of the boys is ready.
- Neither tea or coffee is available.
- Either roads are safe.
Rewrite करें।
- Tea is available. Coffee is available. Both…and use करें।
- You may choose tea. You may choose coffee. Either…or use करें।
- Ram did not come. Shyam did not come. Neither…nor use करें।
- Both — two students together; plural verb.
- Either — दो answers में से एक।
- Neither — दोनों answers wrong हैं।
- neither — pair neither…nor है।
- Both of the boys are ready.
- Neither tea nor coffee is available.
- Either road is safe. / Either of the roads is safe.
- Both tea and coffee are available.
- You may choose either tea or coffee.
- Neither Ram nor Shyam came.
Final rule: Both का meaning दो together, either का meaning दो में से एक, और neither का meaning पहला भी नहीं और दूसरा भी नहीं होता है।
Memory trick:
- Both = and
- Either = or
- Neither = nor
ये correct patterns revise करें:
Both of them are ready.
Either answer is acceptable.
Neither answer is acceptable.
Both tea and coffee are available.
Choose either tea or coffee.
I want neither tea nor coffee.