"Both" vs "Either" vs "Neither": Two-Option Grammar Explained

Both, either, and neither explained with two-option meaning, paired structures, agreement rules, common mistakes, and practice questions.

May 17, 2026 Updated on May 17, 2026 English Grammar , Writing Skills 8 min read

When English talks about two people, two things, or two choices, three words appear again and again: both, either, and neither. They look simple, but they create many agreement and pair-word mistakes:

Incorrect: Both of them is absent.
Correct: Both of them are absent.

Incorrect: Neither Ram or Shyam came.
Correct: Neither Ram nor Shyam came.

The problem is not only meaning. These words also control the noun after them, the verb form, and the second word in paired structures. If you know the two-option logic, most errors become easy to spot.

Both = the first and the second together.
Either = one of the two; also used after a negative verb.
Neither = not the first and not the second.

Rule box: Use both…and, either…or, and neither…nor. Keep the two sides parallel.

Compare:

Both answers are correct.
Either answer is correct.
Neither answer is correct.

These three sentences are not interchangeable. Both accepts two. Either accepts one of the two. Neither rejects two.

For a closer look at the difference between two of these words, see “Either” vs “Neither”.

Pattern	Meaning	Example
both + plural noun	two together	Both answers are correct.
both of + plural noun/pronoun	two together	Both of them are ready.
either + singular noun	one of two	Either answer is acceptable.
either of + plural noun/pronoun	one of two	Either of the answers is acceptable.
neither + singular noun	not one and not the other	Neither answer is acceptable.
neither of + plural noun/pronoun	not one and not the other	Neither of them is ready.
both…and	adds two	Both tea and coffee are available.
either…or	chooses one	Choose either tea or coffee.
neither…nor	rejects two	I want neither tea nor coffee.

Because both means two together, it normally takes a plural noun and plural verb:

Both students are present.
Both of the books have notes.

Do not write “both student” or “both is” in standard English.

When either or neither comes directly before a noun, that noun is singular:

Either answer is acceptable.
Neither answer is acceptable.

With either of and neither of, formal English usually prefers a singular verb:

Either of the two answers is acceptable.
Neither of the two answers is acceptable.

In speech, “neither of them are” is common, but exams and formal writing usually expect is.

Use this checklist when choosing among both, either, and neither:

Are there two people, things, or choices? These words normally work with two.
Do you mean the two together? Use both.
Do you mean one of the two? Use either.
Do you mean not one and not the other? Use neither.
Is there a paired structure? Use both…and, either…or, or neither…nor.
Check agreement: both + plural verb, but either/neither + singular noun + singular verb in formal grammar.

___ tea and coffee are available.

The sentence accepts the two together. Correct: Both tea and coffee are available.

___ answer is acceptable; choose one.

Only one of two is needed. Correct: Either answer is acceptable.

___ answer is acceptable; both are wrong.

Both are rejected. Correct: Neither answer is acceptable.

Both of them are absent.
Two people are absent, so plural verb are is correct.
Either answer is acceptable.
One of the two answers is acceptable.
Neither answer is acceptable.
Both answers are rejected.
Both tea and coffee are available.
The two drinks are available together.
You can choose either tea or coffee.
You may choose one of the two.
She wants neither tea nor coffee.
She wants no tea and no coffee.
Neither Ram nor Shyam came.
Ram did not come, and Shyam did not come.
Both Ram and Shyam came.
Ram came, and Shyam came.
I do not trust either explanation.
With a negative verb, either can reject both options.
The candidate was both confident and careful.
Both qualities are true together.

Paired expressions should be balanced. The words after both, either, and neither should match in grammar.

Both the manager and the assistant were present.
You may apply either online or by post.
The answer is neither clear nor complete.

Each pair has matching parts: 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.

This is not only a style issue. In exams, parallel structure often decides the correct option.

Both refers to two together, so use plural agreement:

Incorrect	Correct
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 and neither focus on one option at a time, or no single option, so the direct noun is singular:

Incorrect	Correct
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.

When either…or or neither…nor joins two subjects, many grammar books recommend agreement with the nearer subject:

Neither the teachers nor the principal is available.
Neither the principal nor the teachers are available.

For exams, follow the expected agreement rule of the test. In careful writing, you can often rewrite the sentence to avoid awkwardness:

The principal and the teachers are not available.

Both needs and, not or.

Incorrect: Both tea or coffee are available.
Correct: Both tea and coffee are available.

Neither is paired with nor.

Incorrect: Neither Ram or Shyam came.
Correct: Neither Ram nor Shyam came.

Incorrect: Either answers are acceptable.
Correct: Either answer is acceptable.

Use “either of the answers” if the plural noun phrase is needed:

Either of the answers is acceptable.

When the verb is already negative, use either:

Incorrect: I don’t like neither plan.
Correct: I don’t like either plan.
Correct: I like neither plan.

This pattern also appears in “Some” vs “Any”, where negative sentences change the expected word.

Strictly, both means two. For more than two, use all:

Two: Both students passed.
More than two: All students passed.

Similarly, for more than two rejected options, none is often better than neither:

Neither option is correct.
None of the options is correct.

Incorrect	Correct	Why
Both of them is absent.	Both of them are absent.	Both takes plural agreement.
Neither Ram or Shyam came.	Neither Ram nor Shyam came.	The pair is neither…nor.
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.	The pair is both…and.
I don’t want neither option.	I don’t want either option.	Negative verb takes either.
Neither of the answers are correct.	Neither of the answers is correct.	Formal grammar prefers singular agreement.

Choose the correct option.

___ 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

Find and correct the error.

Both of the boys is ready.
Neither tea or coffee is available.
Either roads are safe.

Rewrite as instructed.

Tea is available. Coffee is available. Use both…and.
You may choose tea. You may choose coffee. Use either…or.
Ram did not come. Shyam did not come. Use neither…nor.

Both — two students together; plural verb.
Either — one of two answers.
Neither — both answers are wrong.
neither — the pair is neither…nor.
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 means two together, either means one of two, and neither means not one and not the other.

Memory trick:

Both = and
Either = or
Neither = nor

Revise these correct patterns:

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.

Suggest Edit Contribute