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Rules: So - Neither - Either

1. "So" is used to show agreement with positive statements and is followed by an auxiliary verb and subject that matches the tense of the original statement. 2. "Neither" is used to show agreement with negative statements and follows the same structure as "so" by using an auxiliary verb and subject. 3. Both "so" and "neither" have similar meanings to adding "too" or "either" to statements to indicate agreement.

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Veronica Morales Miranda
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100 views3 pages

Rules: So - Neither - Either

1. "So" is used to show agreement with positive statements and is followed by an auxiliary verb and subject that matches the tense of the original statement. 2. "Neither" is used to show agreement with negative statements and follows the same structure as "so" by using an auxiliary verb and subject. 3. Both "so" and "neither" have similar meanings to adding "too" or "either" to statements to indicate agreement.

Uploaded by

Veronica Morales Miranda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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So - Neither – Either Rules

Taken from: http://www.grammar.cl/Notes/So_Neither_Either.htm

SO
SO is used to show agreement with positive statements.

SO + Auxiliary/Be + Subject (pronoun)

The Auxiliary (or To Be/Have) needs to agree with the verb tense in the original statement.

It is similar to using TOO at the end of a sentence.

Person A Person B

I am happy. So am I. = I am happy too.

I'm going to Brazil in the summer. So am I. = I am going to Brazil too.

You look nice today. So do you. = You look nice too.

Stephanie has a new boyfriend. So does Mary. = Mary has a new one too.

We went to the concert last night. So did I. = I went to the concert too.

I would love a coffee right now. So would I. = I would love a coffee too.

He will win a prize. So will I. = I will win one too.

They have finished their homework. So have I. = I have finished too.

I can speak two languages. So can I. = I can speak two too.

He should study more. So should I. = I should study more too.

We could see the mountains. So could we. = We could see them too.

My brother had eaten too much. So had I. = I had eaten too much too.

Sometimes you can use So + Auxiliary + Subject as a continuation of the first part of the sentence.

John can sing well and so can his brother.


(= John can sing will and his brother can sing well too)
NEITHER
Neither is used to show agreement with negative statements.

Neither + Auxiliary + Subject (pronoun)

The Auxiliary needs to agree with the verb tense in the original statement.

It is similar to using either at the end of a sentence, although Neither is more commonly used, especially in
spoken English.

A: I don't understand Spanish.


B: Neither do I. (= I don't understand Spanish either.)

A: I cannot swim.
B: Neither can I. (= I can't swim either.)

Sometimes people respond Me Neither instead of Neither + Auxiliary + Subject though this is very informal
spoken English.

Person A Person B

I am not hungry. Neither am I. = I'm not hungry either.

I'm not going to quit. Neither am I. = I'm not going to quit either.

They don't speak French. Neither do I. = I don't speak French either.

Stephanie doesn't eat meat. Neither does Mary. = Mary doesn't eat meat either.

Mary didn't go to the party. Neither did I. = I didn't go either.

I wouldn't like to do his job. Neither would I. = I wouldn't like to do it either.

He won't stop talking. Neither will you. = You won't stop either.

You haven't finished your meal. Neither have you. = You haven't finished either.

I can't reach the top shelf. Neither can I. = I can't reach it either.

You shouldn't talk in the movie. Neither should you. = You shouldn't talk either.

We couldn't hear him. Neither could we. = We couldn't hear him either.

I hadn't seen her before. Neither had I. = I hadn't seen her before either.

Try some interactive games with the students at:

http://www.grammar.cl/Games/So_Neither_Either.htm

http://www.grammar.cl/english-games/neither-auxiliary-subject.htm

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