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Emphatic coordination: both … and; (n)either … (n)or; not only

We may want to emphasise that both (or all) parts of a coordination have equal weight. There are several common ways of doing this.

both … and​

We often balance this structure, so that the same kind of words or expressions follow both and and.

  • She’s both pretty and clever. (adjectives)
  • I spoke to both the Director and her secretary. (nouns)
  • She both dances and sings. (verbs)

However, unbalanced sentences with both … and are common. Some people prefer to avoid them.

  • She both dances and she sings. (both + verb; and + clause)
  • I both play the piano and the violin.

Both cannot begin a complete clause in this structure.

  • He can both borrow the house and (he can) use the car. (but not Both he can borrow the house and he can use the car.)

either … or​

We use either … or to talk about a choice between two or more possibilities.

  • I don’t speak either Russian or Polish.
  • You can either come with me now or walk home.
  • If you want ice cream there’s either raspberry, lemon or vanilla.

We often balance this structure, so that the same kind of words or expressions follow either and or.

  • You can have either tea or coffee. (nouns)
  • He’s either in London or in New York. (prepositional phrases)
  • Either you’ll leave this house or I’ll call the police. (clauses)

However, unbalanced sentences with either … or are common.

  • You can either have tea or coffee.
  • He’s either in London or New York.
  • You’ll either leave this house or I’ll call the police.

There is a prescriptive ‘rule’, found in some books, which says that either should not introduce more than two alternatives (as in either raspberry, lemon or vanilla). This rule is mistaken: it does not correspond to normal usage.

note

For either as a determiner, (see here).

For pronunciation, (see here).

neither … nor​

This structure is the opposite of both … and. It is usually rather formal.

  • I neither smoke nor drink. (less formal: I don’t smoke or drink.)
  • The film was neither well made nor well acted.

Sometimes more than two ideas are connected by neither … nor.

  • He neither smiled, spoke, nor looked at me.

Neither cannot begin a complete clause in this structure.

  • He neither smiled … nor … (but not Neither he smiled …)

When singular subjects are connected by neither … nor, the verb is normally singular, but it can be plural in a less formal style.

  • Neither James nor Virginia was at home. (normal)
  • Neither James nor Virginia were at home. (less formal)

As with either … or, there is a prescriptive ‘rule’ , found in some books, which says that neither should not introduce more than two alternatives (as in He neither smiled, spoke nor looked at me). This rule is mistaken.

not only … but also​

In the rather formal structure not only … but also, the expressions not only and but also can go immediately before the words or expressions that they modify.

  • We go there not only in winter, but also in summer.
  • Not only the bathroom was flooded, but also the rest of the house.
  • The place was not only cold, but also damp.

Mid-position with the verb (see here) is also possible.

  • She not only sings like an angel, but also dances divinely.
  • She not only plays the piano, but also the violin.

Not only can be moved to the beginning of a clause for emphasis. It is then followed by auxiliary verb + subject; do is used if there is no other auxiliary (for more about this word order, (see here). But can be left out in this case.

  • Not only has she been late three times; she has also done no work.
  • Not only do they need clothing, but they are also short of water.

In informal English not only … but also is not very common; other structures are generally preferred.

  • We don’t only go there in winter. We go in summer too.