BOTH - NEITHER - EITHER

We use both/neither/either for two things. You can use these words with a noun (both books, neither book etc.).

For example, you are talking about going out to eat this evening. There are two restaurants where you can go. You say:

Ø  Both restaurants are very good. (not ‘ the both restaurants’).

Ø  Neither restaurant is expensive.

Ø  We can go to either restaurant. I don’t mind. ( either=one or the other, it doesn’t matter which one)

Both of... / neither of…/ either of…

When we use both/neither/either + of, you always need the …/ these/ those…/ my/ yours/ his/ Tom’s…. (etc.). You cannot say ‘both of restaurants’. You have to say ‘both of the restaurants’, ‘both of those restaurants’ etc. :

Ø  Both of these restaurants are very good.

Ø  Neither of the restaurants we went to was (or were) expensive.

Ø  I haven’t been to be either of those restaurants. (= I haven’t been to one or the other)

You don’t need of after both. So you can say:

Ø  Both my parents are from London. or Both of my parents….

You can use both of / neither of / either of + us/you/them:

Ø  (talking to two people) Can either of you speaking Spanish?

Ø  I asked two people the way to the station but neither of them knew.

You must say ‘both of’ before us/you/them (of is necessary):

Ø  Both of us were very tired. (not ‘ Both us were…’)

After neither of... a singular or a plural verb is possible:

Ø  Neither of the children wants ( or want) to go to bed.

You can also use both/neither/either alone:

Ø  I couldn’t decide which of the two shirts to buy. I liked both. ( or I liked both of them. )

Ø  ‘Is your friend British or American?’ ‘Neither. She’s Australian.’

Ø  ‘Do you want tea or coffee?’ ‘Either. I don’t mind.’

You can say: Both… and…:

Ø  Both Sara and Abdullah were late.

Ø  I was both tired and hungry when I arrived home.

Neither ….nor…:

Ø  Neither Ali nor Omer came to the party.

Ø  She said she would contact me but she neither wrote nor phoned.

Either… or…:

Ø  I’m not sure where he’s from. He’s either Arabic or Italian.

Ø  Either you apologies or I’ll never speak to you again.

Compare either/neither/both (two things) and any/none/all (more than two):

Ø  There are two good hotels in the town. You can stay at either of them.

Ø  There are many good hotels in the town. You can stay at any of them.

Ø  We tried two hotels. Neither of them had any rooms. / Both of them were full.

Ø  We tried a lot of hotels. None of them had any rooms. / All of them were full.