Booher's Rules of Business Grammar - Dianna Booher 2009

The seesaw effect
Verbosity about verbs: The big blunders

EITHER/OR, NEITHER/NOR, NOT ONLY/BUT ALSO

Consider both halves of either/or, neither/nor, and not only/but also subjects as if they are separate elements.

Subjects linked by either/or and neither/nor usually take a singular verb.

If one subject is plural and the other subject is singular, make the verb agree with the closest subject.

Unless there is a reason not to do so, it’s better to write the plural subject second, because the construction will not grate on your ear.

Either your manager or your mentor has made a mistake in recommending this job assignment.

Either the salespeople in Atlanta or the salespeople in Los Angles have misunderstood the contest rules.

Neither friends nor relatives understand the loneliness of divorce like someone who has experienced it.

Neither a friend nor a relative understands the loneliness of divorce like someone who has experienced it.

Not only Horatio but also my team members are looking forward to the presentation. (the typical and preferred way to structure this situation, with the plural subject closest to the verb)

Not only my team members but also Horatio is looking forward to the presentation. (atypical structure, obviously meant to emphasize Horatio’s state of mind more than that of the team members)

Memory tip

Think of this construction as a playground seesaw. The individual items on each end balance but are separate.

The either/or, neither/nor, and not only/but also constructions mimic the seesaw. The words on both sides of the link are separate subjects that “balance.” If one subject weighs more (is plural), the verb must match it to stay in balance.