Either Neither Quiz Upper Intermediate Level

Understanding Either and Neither Usage

English quantifiers can be tricky, especially when dealing with words like “either” and “neither” at the upper intermediate level. These words follow specific grammatical patterns that often confuse even advanced English learners. Mastering these structures will significantly improve your English fluency and accuracy.

Let’s explore the correct usage of “either” and “neither” with clear examples and practice exercises that will help you prepare for upper intermediate level quizzes.

Basic Concepts: Either vs. Neither

“Either” and “neither” are used when referring to two people or things:

– Either: means “one or the other” of two possibilities
– Neither: means “not one and not the other” of two possibilities

For example:
– “You can choose either route to get to the station.” (one or the other)
– “Neither option seems ideal for our budget.” (not one and not the other)

Grammar Rules for Either and Neither

Either/Neither as Determiners

When used as determiners before singular nouns, “either” and “neither” take singular verbs:

– “Either book is suitable for the course.” (correct)
– “Neither student has completed the assignment.” (correct)

Common mistakes include using plural verbs with these determiners:
– “Either book are suitable for the course.” (incorrect)
– “Neither student have completed the assignment.” (incorrect)

Either/Neither as Pronouns

When standing alone as pronouns, they also take singular verbs:

– “I don’t like these restaurants. Either is too expensive.” (correct)
– “I asked both teachers, but neither was available.” (correct)

Either…or / Neither…nor Constructions

These paired conjunctions create more complex structures:

– Either…or: “Either John or Mary is going to present tomorrow.”
– Neither…nor: “Neither the manager nor the employees were informed about the change.”

Subject-Verb Agreement

With “either…or” and “neither…nor” constructions, the verb agrees with the nearest subject:

– “Either the students or the teacher has the answer key.” (nearest subject: teacher = singular verb)
– “Neither the teacher nor the students were prepared for the test.” (nearest subject: students = plural verb)

Construction	Rule	Example
Either…or	Verb agrees with the nearest subject	Either the cats or the dog is making that noise.
Neither…nor	Verb agrees with the nearest subject	Neither the dog nor the cats are allowed on the sofa.
Either (alone)	Takes singular verb	Either seems fine to me.
Neither (alone)	Takes singular verb	Neither was available.

So, Too, Neither, and Either in Responses

Another important aspect of upper intermediate English is using “so” and “neither/either” in responses to show agreement or similarity.

Agreeing with Positive Statements

When agreeing with positive statements, use “so + auxiliary verb + subject”:

– “I’m hungry.” → “So am I.”
– “She likes jazz.” → “So does he.”
– “They’ve been to Paris.” → “So have we.”

Agreeing with Negative Statements

When agreeing with negative statements, use “neither + auxiliary verb + subject” or “not + either”:

– “I don’t like coffee.” → “Neither do I.” or “I don’t either.”
– “She hasn’t finished her homework.” → “Neither has he.” or “He hasn’t either.”

The structure changes based on the tense and auxiliary verb in the original statement:

Original Statement	Agreement (Positive)	Agreement (Negative)
I am happy.	So am I.	–
I’m not happy.	–	Neither am I. / I’m not either.
She can swim.	So can I.	–
She can’t swim.	–	Neither can I. / I can’t either.
They have finished.	So have we.	–
They haven’t finished.	–	Neither have we. / We haven’t either.

Common Mistakes with Either and Neither

Upper intermediate learners often make these mistakes:

Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement

– Incorrect: “Neither of the options are good.”
– Correct: “Neither of the options is good.”

Confusion with “Too” and “Either”

– Incorrect: “I don’t like it too.”
– Correct: “I don’t like it either.”

Mixing Response Patterns

– Incorrect: “I can’t swim.” → “So can’t I.”
– Correct: “I can’t swim.” → “Neither can I.”

Using “Nor” Without “Neither”

“Nor” is typically used with “neither” in formal contexts:
– “She likes neither coffee nor tea.”
– “Neither the manager nor the assistant was available.”

Practice Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

Here’s a sample upper intermediate level quiz to test your understanding:

Choose the Correct Option:

1. _____ of my parents speaks German.
a) Either
b) Neither
c) Both

2. I don’t like horror movies. _____.
a) Neither I do
b) Neither do I
c) So don’t I

3. _____ the manager nor the employees were informed about the changes.
a) Either
b) Both
c) Neither

4. You can take _____ road; they both lead to the town center.
a) neither
b) either
c) both

5. She can’t attend the meeting tomorrow, and _____.
a) I can’t too
b) neither I can
c) neither can I

Fill in the Blanks:

6. John doesn’t eat meat. _____ does his wife.
7. _____ the red one _____ the blue one fits me properly.
8. You can have _____ tea _____ coffee – whichever you prefer.
9. _____ of us knows how to fix the computer.
10. I’ve never been to Australia. _____ has my brother.

Advanced Usage in Upper Intermediate Level

At the upper intermediate level, you should also be familiar with these more complex structures:

Either/Neither with Prepositions

– “There are shops on either side of the street.” (meaning both sides)
– “I couldn’t reach him on either of his phones.”
– “Neither of these solutions addresses the core problem.”

Either Way and In Either Case

These phrases introduce consequences regardless of which option is chosen:

– “We can go by train or by bus. Either way, we’ll arrive by noon.”
– “She might accept or decline the offer. In either case, we need a backup plan.”

Neither…nor with Multiple Elements

This construction can link more than two elements:

– “The film was neither interesting, nor educational, nor entertaining.”

Tips for Mastering Either and Neither

1. Practice response drills regularly (So am I, Neither do I, etc.)
2. Pay close attention to subject-verb agreement in complex sentences
3. Listen for these structures in native speech and note the patterns
4. Remember that “neither” is always negative, while “either” can be used in both positive and negative contexts
5. Practice with upper intermediate quizzes to reinforce your understanding

Conclusion

Mastering “either” and “neither” at the upper intermediate level requires understanding their various functions as determiners, pronouns, and parts of correlative conjunctions. The correct usage of these words, along with appropriate response patterns using “so” and “neither/either,” will greatly enhance your English proficiency.

Regular practice with exercises and quizzes will help solidify these concepts and improve your ability to use them naturally in conversation and writing. Focus particularly on subject-verb agreement and the correct response patterns to avoid common mistakes that even advanced learners make.

Answer Key to Practice Quiz

1. b) Neither
2. b) Neither do I
3. c) Neither
4. b) either
5. c) neither can I
6. Neither
7. Neither… nor
8. either… or
9. Neither
10. Neither