Grammar exercise sheet designed to help students practice using 'either/or' and 'neither/nor' in complex sentence structures.

The worksheet titled "Either Or Neither Nor" is a grammar exercise focused on the correct use of correlative conjunctions: *either/or* and *neither/nor*. These pairs are used to connect two parallel elements in a sentence, and they require subject-verb agreement and proper structure.

Let’s go through each sentence and fill in the blanks correctly with either/or or neither/nor, then explain the logic behind each choice.

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1. A mere change in itself does not imply ________ progress ________ retrogression.

✔ Answer: *either...or*

Explanation: The sentence contrasts two possibilities: progress or retrogression. Since it's saying that a change doesn't necessarily mean one or the other, we use *either...or* to present both options as possible but not certain.

> ✔ "A mere change in itself does not imply either progress or retrogression."

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2. Good manners are ________ more ________ less than beautiful behavior.

✔ Answer: *neither...nor*

Explanation: This sentence denies both extremes — good manners are not more and not less than beautiful behavior. So, we use *neither...nor* to negate both sides.

> ✔ "Good manners are neither more nor less than beautiful behavior."

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3. But on this day there was ________ shouting ________ racing.

✔ Answer: *neither...nor*

Explanation: The sentence implies that no shouting and no racing occurred. Both actions were absent, so *neither...nor* is appropriate.

> ✔ "But on this day there was neither shouting nor racing."

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4. Now in each of these sections there are ________ one ________ two points, each of which is called a focus, and these are indicated by conspicuous dots.

✔ Answer: *either...or*

Explanation: This sentence presents two possibilities: a section can have one or two points. It's a choice between two options, so *either...or* fits.

> ✔ "Now in each of these sections there are either one or two points..."

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5. I do not think ________ men ________ women have the same honest pride in our democracy that they had fifty years ago.

✔ Answer: *neither...nor*

Explanation: The speaker believes both men and women have lost that pride. So, neither group retains it. We use *neither...nor* to deny both subjects.

> ✔ "I do not think neither men nor women have the same honest pride..."

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6. The nation is now free to give itself a good government, ________ with ________ without a Bourbon; and France unsubdued, will still be a bridle on the enterprises of the combined powers, and a bulwark to others.

✔ Answer: *either...or*

Explanation: The sentence suggests that a good government is possible with or without a Bourbon. Two alternatives are presented, so *either...or* is correct.

> ✔ "...a good government, either with or without a Bourbon..."

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7. In nine states the judges were elected by the state legislature, ________ with ________ without the consent of a council.

✔ Answer: *either...or*

Explanation: Judges could be elected with or without consent — two possible conditions. Hence, *either...or* applies.

> ✔ "...elected by the state legislature, either with or without the consent of a council."

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8. It struck me as a good example of the cleverness that is so much more useful than ________ genius ________ industry.

✔ Answer: *either...or*

Explanation: The sentence compares cleverness to genius or industry — implying cleverness is more useful than either one. So, we say "more useful than either genius or industry".

> ✔ "...more useful than either genius or industry."

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9. But do not mistake; not one of my tears falls for ________ king ________ queen.

✔ Answer: *neither...nor*

Explanation: The speaker says their tears are not for king nor queen — both are rejected. So, *neither...nor* is used.

> ✔ "not one of my tears falls for neither king nor queen."

Wait — grammatically, this sounds awkward. Let's fix the word order.

Actually, the correct phrasing should be:

> "Not one of my tears falls for neither king nor queen."

But this is double negative and awkward. Better version:

> "Not one of my tears falls for either king or queen." → This means no tears for any of them.

Alternatively, if using *neither...nor*, we must rephrase:

> "My tears fall for neither king nor queen."

So, the blank should be filled as:

> "neither king nor queen"

✔ Final answer: neither...nor

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10. It still remains an authentic monument to contradict and confound those venal orators, who were too well satisfied with their own situation to discover ________ vice ________ misery under the government of a generous sovereign.

✔ Answer: *either...or*

Explanation: The orators didn’t notice vice or misery — meaning they failed to see either of these things. So, “either vice or misery” fits.

> ✔ "...to discover either vice or misery..."

Note: This uses *either...or* in a negative context (they didn’t discover either), which is correct.

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11. The cloister has seven bays on each side, of which the five in the middle are nearly equal, having ________ five ________ six lights.

✔ Answer: *either...or*

Explanation: The bays have five or six lights — a choice between two numbers. So, *either...or* is correct.

> ✔ "...having either five or six lights."

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12. Suddenly, with no warning whatever, for there was no suspicion on the part of ________ officers ________ men, the magnificent battleship was blown up.

✔ Answer: *neither...nor*

Explanation: There was no suspicion from officers or men — both groups were unaware. So, *neither...nor* is correct.

> ✔ "...on the part of neither officers nor men..."

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## ✔ Final Answers:

| # | Answer |
|---|--------|
| 1 | either ... or |
| 2 | neither ... nor |
| 3 | neither ... nor |
| 4 | either ... or |
| 5 | neither ... nor |
| 6 | either ... or |
| 7 | either ... or |
| 8 | either ... or |
| 9 | neither ... nor |
|10 | either ... or |
|11 | either ... or |
|12 | neither ... nor |

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## 📝 Summary of Rules:

- Use either...or when presenting two choices (affirmative).
- Use neither...nor when denying both (negative).
- Subject-verb agreement follows the second noun in *neither/nor* constructions.
- Parallel structure is essential: both parts after *either* and *or* (or *neither* and *nor*) must be grammatically similar.

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✔ Total Correct: 12/12

This student would score 12 out of 12 if all answers were filled correctly. The worksheet tests understanding of correlative conjunctions in context.