ESL Inventory

Paired Conjunctions: Examples & Exercises

Have you ever heard of Paired Conjunctions? If so, try this exercise first:

EXERCISE: Complete the Paired Conjunction

Choose the correct answer to fill the gaps.

1 / 20

Neither John ___ his brother likes spicy food.

2 / 20

The weather was both sunny ___ warm.

3 / 20

____ the soup nor the salad looked fresh.

4 / 20

Both the teacher ___ the students were surprised.

5 / 20

We will go to the beach _____ tomorrow or the day after.

6 / 20

She is interested in both music ___ art.

7 / 20

She enjoys neither reading ___ writing.

8 / 20

He speaks ____ English and German.

9 / 20

I don’t know whether to stay ___ to leave.

10 / 20

We can either go by train ___ by bus.

11 / 20

I want to visit ___ Miami or Los Angeles next summer.

12 / 20

You can have ____ rice and noodles with your meal.

13 / 20

____ my phone and my tablet are charging right now.

14 / 20

____ the red shirt or the blue one will match your jeans.

15 / 20

She is interested in ____ biology nor chemistry.

16 / 20

I want to know whether you’re coming ___ not.

17 / 20

Neither my phone ___ my laptop is working.

18 / 20

I could not decide _____ to study math or history.

19 / 20

You can either have coffee ___ black tea.

20 / 20

____ we win or lose, we’ll still be proud.

Your score is

0%

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Was this too hard? Study the article below and do the exercises at the bottom of the page.

Paired conjunctions, also called correlative conjunctions, are sets of two words that work together to connect ideas in a sentence. They always come in pairs and help make sentences clearer or more emphatic. Below are the most common paired conjunctions:

Common Paired Conjunctions

Paired ConjunctionUsageExample
Both…andTo join two positive ideasBoth Alex and Maria are coming.
Not only…but alsoTo add extra emphasis or importanceShe is not only smart but also kind.
Either…orTo show a choice between two optionsYou can either walk or take the train.
Neither…norTo deny both optionsNeither Sam nor John likes coffee.
Whether…orTo show two possibilitiesI don’t know whether to stay or leave.

If Paired Conjunctions are too confusing for you, try studying Conjunctions first, click here.

Rules for Using Paired Conjunctions

  1. Parallel Structure: The two parts of the sentence must have the same grammatical structure.
    • Correct: She is both smart and hardworking. (adjective + adjective)
    • Incorrect: She is both smart and works hard. (adjective + verb)
  2. Agreement: Ensure the subject-verb agreement in the sentence is correct.
    • Neither the teacher nor the students are ready.
    • Either the cat or the dog is sleeping.

Infographic

Infographics showing paired conjunctions: not only... but also; both... and; neither... not; either... or; whether... or. Keywords and examples.
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Examples in Sentences

  1. Both…and
    • Both pizza and pasta are popular Italian dishes.
    • The book is interesting for both children and teenagers.
    • She speaks both English and French fluently.
  2. Not only…but also
    • Not only did he pass the test, but he also scored the highest marks.
    • The hotel is not only luxurious but also affordable.
    • She is not only my teacher but also my mentor.
  3. Either…or
    • We can either take a taxi or walk to the station.
    • Either you apologize, or we will leave.
    • You can either have coffee or tea with your breakfast.
  4. Neither…nor
    • Neither the manager nor the employees were aware of the problem.
    • I have neither the time nor the energy to attend the party.
    • Neither Anna nor Ben likes horror movies.
  5. Whether…or
    • I’m not sure whether to apply for the job or continue studying.
    • We need to decide whether we’ll have dinner at home or go out.
    • Whether he stays or leaves is entirely his decision.

Exercises on Paired Conjunctions

EXERCISE: Complete the Paired Conjunction (Round 2)

Write the correct answer to fill the gaps.

1 / 10

she is rich, but also she is generous.

2 / 10

He is neither tall short.

3 / 10

Not only is she smart   kind.

4 / 10

Both the manager the assistant were absent.

5 / 10

I will either study tonight go out with friends.

6 / 10

you leave now or later, the result will be the same.

7 / 10

he nor his brother knows the answer.

8 / 10

my cousin and my aunt were there.

9 / 10

You can have coffee or tea.

10 / 10

he studies hard or not, he always passes.

Your score is

0%

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Question Tags
Gerund or Infinitive
Wish Clauses