Correlative Conjunctions

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Some conjunctions are used in pairs. They are called correlative conjunctions. Most of these are of the coordinating type.

Either -- or

• You must either follow my instructions or resign.
• He is either a fool or a madman.
• Either you or he will have to go.
• Either you will leave this house or I will call the police.
• I don’t speak either French or German.

We use either--or to talk about a choice between two possibilities (and sometimes more than two).

• If you want ice-cream you can have either chocolate, vanilla or strawberry.

Neither -- nor

• I will neither follow your instructions nor resign.
• He is neither a fool nor a madman.
• I neither smoke nor drink.

We use neither -- nor to join two negative ideas. It is the opposite of both--and. Sometimes more than two ideas are connected by neither--nor.

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

Not only--but also

• They not only looted the shop, but also set fire to it.
• Not only John, but Peter also got a prize.
• He visited not only France but also Germany.
• She not only plays the piano, but also the violin.

Also is often omitted.

• He was not only brave but prudent.

Note that in informal English not only--but also is not very common; other structures are generally preferred.

• She doesn’t only play the piano. She plays the violin too.

Not--but

• The culprit was not John but Peter.
• He did not stop the car but drove on.
• It is not the best but reasonably good.

Whether--or

• I don’t know whether I should stay or leave.
• Whether he comes or not makes no difference.

Both--and

• She is both clever and pretty.
• He is both scholarly and cultured.
• Both John and Peter spoke at the meeting.

As/so--as

• He is not as/so bad as many think.
• She is not as/so successful as her sister.
• The situation is not as/so difficult as people make out.

So -- that

• The task is so difficult that one man alone can’t do it.
• The officer was so inefficient that he had to be sacked.

Such--that

• I have such regard for him that I will do anything to please him.
• Such was her beauty that princes from far and near came to woo her.

Such--as

• I gave him such help as I could.
• You must give such an assurance as will satisfy people.
• Such valuables as she left were sold at an auction.

Note that it is wrong to use that instead of as in these sentences.

Sections in this article

Conjunctions
Using coordinating conjunctions
The conjunctions and, or and but New!
The conjunction nor
The conjunction yet
Common errors with conjunctions New!

Tenses exercises and worksheets

Mistakes with verbs | Exercise 1
Mistakes with verbs | Exercise 2
Mistakes with verbs | Exercise 3
Mistakes with verbs | Exercise 4