Correlative conjunctions

Correlative means (“related or “used together but not to each other”)

Unlike other conjunctions, correlative conjunctions always come in pairs,
with words between the two parts. They are conjunctions that work
together(in pairs) to indicate the relationship between two equal elements
(words, phrases, or clauses) in a sentence.
Rules of using correlative conjunctions
When using correlative conjunctions, ensure verbs agree so your sentences
make sense. For example: Every night, either loud music or fighting
neighbors wake John from his sleep.
When you use a correlative conjunction, you must be sure
that pronouns agree. For example: Neither Debra nor Sally expressed her
annoyance when the cat broke the antique lamp.
When using correlative conjunctions, be sure to keep parallel structure intact.
Equal grammatical units need to be incorporated into the entire sentence. For
example: Not only did Mary grill burgers for Michael, but she also fixed a
steak for her dog, Vinny.

Using correlative conjunctions

Parallel Structure
When we use correlative conjunctions, it’s important to use parallel
structure, especially in formal writing. Parallel structure requires both
elements that are joined by the correlative conjunction to be equal. For
example:

• “This house is both large and cozy.” (Two adjectives are joined.)
• “Let’s either go swimming or go shopping.” (Two verb phrases are
joined.)
• “Either your father will pick you up, or you’ll get a ride home with a
friend.” (Two independent clauses are joined.)

Using correlative conjunctions to join non-parallel structures is considered

incorrect. For example:

• “It was both a long movie and boring.” (Incorrect—a noun phrase is
joined with an adjective phrase.)
• “I’m not sure whether the white paint or painting it green would be
better.” (Incorrect—a noun phrase is joined with a verb phrase.)
• “Either your father will pick you up or a friend.” (Incorrect—an
independent clause is joined with a noun phrase.)

Although the sentences above may be heard in everyday speech, they are
considered incorrect.
Punctuation
When we use a correlative conjunction to join two independent clauses, we
separate the two clauses with a comma, as in:

• “Either your father will pick you up, or you’ll get a ride home with a
friend.”
• “Not only is she an award-winning singer, but she also runs track.”
• “She not only cleaned her room, but she also washed the dishes.”

We generally do not use commas when the two elements being joined are
not independent clauses. For example:

• “This house is both large and cozy.”

• “I want to paint the house either white or green.”
• “Neither James nor Mike enjoys playing basketball.”

Subject-verb agreement
When we join two subjects with a correlative conjunction, subject-verb
agreement can be tricky. Luckily, there are some widely accepted rules to
help us.
Two singular subjects
In general, when we join two singular subjects using a correlative
conjunction, the verb that follows should be singular. For example:

• “Neither the plumber nor the electrician is here yet.”

• “Not only Mike but also Daniel is coming with us.”

One exception to this rule is when using both … and. In this case, we use a
plural subject:

• “Both Mike and Daniel are coming with us.”

Two plural subjects
When we join two plural subjects, the verb that follows should also be
plural. For example:

• “Neither the plumbers nor the electricians are here yet.”

• “Not only Mike’s friends but also Daniel’s friends are coming with
us.”

One singular and one plural subject

Sometimes, we join a singular subject to a plural subject. In this case, the
majority of style guides state that the verb should agree with the noun that is
closest to it. For example:

• “Every day both the cat and the dogs wake me up.” (Wake is plural
because the dogs is plural.)
• “Neither my cousins nor my mom likes swimming.” (Likes is
singular, because mom is singular.)

However, there are also those who believe that if either of the subjects is
plural, then the verb should also be plural. According to this preference, the
second sentence above would require the plural form of the verb because
the first subject, my cousins, is plural:

• “Neither my cousins nor my mom like swimming.”

If this is confusing or you’re not sure which style you should use, you can
avoid the problem entirely by switching the order of the subjects so that the
plural subject comes closest to the verb. In this way, we satisfy both styles:

• “Neither my mom nor my cousins like swimming.”

Pronoun agreement
Just as we have to take extra care with subject-verb agreement, we also
have to be careful with pronoun agreement when using correlative
conjunctions.
Two singular subjects
When we join two singular subjects, we should use a singular pronoun. For
example:

• “Neither Mike nor Daniel found his shoes.”

• “Not only Jen but also Sara lost her book.”
Again, both … and presents an exception. We normally use a plural
pronoun with this correlative conjunction:

• “Both Mike and Daniel found their shoes.”

Two plural subjects

When we join two plural subjects, we should use a plural pronoun to refer
back to them. For example:

• “Neither Mike’s friends nor Daniel’s friends brought their shoes.”

• “I don’t know whether the girls or the boys have had their breakfast.”

One singular subject and one plural subject

When we join a singular subject and a plural subject, we run into the same
problem that we had with subject-verb agreement. Again, the most widely
accepted practice is that the pronoun should agree with whichever noun is
closest to it. For example:

• “Neither Mike nor his friends stated their opinion.” (Their agrees
with his friends.)
• “Neither Mike’s friends nor Mike stated his opinion.” (His agrees
with Mike.)

As with subject-verb agreement, the other side of the argument is that if

either of the subjects is plural, the pronoun should be plural. In this case, the
second example above would be rewritten as:

• “Neither Mike’s friends nor Mike stated their opinion.”

Again, we can avoid the issue entirely by rewriting the sentence so that the
plural subject is closest to the pronoun:

• “Neither Mike nor his friends stated their opinion.”

1. Correlative conjunctions are conjunctions that join ________ together.
a) one element
b) two elements
c) three elements
d) three or more elements
2. Which of the following word pairs is not a correlative conjunction?
a) either … or
b) neither … nor
c) not only … but also
d) and … but
3. Complete the following sentence with the correct correlative conjunction:
“________ my friend studied a lot ________ he’s a genius, because he got an A+ on the test.”
a) Either … or
b) Neither … nor
c) Not only ... but also
d) Not … but
4. Complete the following sentence with the correct correlative conjunction:
“He’s ________ a great rock climber ________ an expert skier.”
a) just as … so
b) whether … or
c) not only … but also
d) all of the above
5. Which of the following sentences must have a comma?
a) “Not only Mike but also Daniel is coming with us.”
b) “I think that we should not only go skiing but also go kayaking.”
c) “The house is not only large but also cozy.”
d) “Not only do I need you to come home early but I also need you to pick up dinner.”

1. We use: both…and when we want to put emphasis on two

elements that are true in a sentence. We could also use the
coordinating conjunction and but it doesn’t achieve same
emphatic effect.
Examples of both…and:
This house is large and cozy.
This house is both large and cozy.
She cleaned her room and washed the dishes.
She both cleaned her room and washed the dishes
My mother and father are bookworms.
Both my mother and father are bookworms.
Everyday both the cat and the dogs wake me up.
Both Mike and Daniel found their shoes.
Both Jane and Alice are introverts and get along very well.
She played both hockey and basketball when she was a student.
 2. We use: either… or to present two options. Again it
emphasizes the fact the choice is limited to only the two
given options. For example:
I want to paint the house either white or green.
Let us either go swimming or go shopping.
Either your father will pick you up, or you will get a ride home with a
friend.
I will eat either carrots or peas for dinner.
Either John or Sophia will be there.
We should bring either tea or coffee.
I do not speak English. You do not either.

3. We use: not…but, to express a contradiction negating

the first option while emphasizing the second. For
example:
He is not happy but thrilled.
She did not like but loved her new earrings.
Not just one friend turned up to help, but the entire team arrived.
He is not educated, but he possesses practical wisdom.
We use: neither… nor, to negate two options.
 4. Note that when neither & nor, begin two independent
clauses, we must use negative inversion (the reversal of
the subject and auxiliary verb) for each, as in he third
example. We use: neither… nor, to negate two options.
For example:
I have neither the time nor the patience for silly Tv programs.
(I don’t have time, and I don’t enjoy patience)
Neither James not Mike enjoys playing basketball.
(James and Mike both do not enjoy playing basketball.)
Neither does he understand, nor does he care.
Neither my cousins nor my mom likes swimming.
Neither Mike nor Daniel found his shoes.
Neither Martin nor his father is tall.
She is neither honest nor hard working.
I eat neither meat nor fish.
Can neither sing or dance.
Natalie likes neither milk nor cream cake.
Neither Myrat nor Aisha will be there.
We brought neither tea nor coffee.

5. We use not only…but also to emphasize an additional

element in the sentence, especially when its occurrence
seems contradictory or surprising in light of what we already
know. For example:
This house is not only large but also cozy.
She not only cleaned her room, but she also washed the dishes.
Not only is she an award-winning singer, but she also runs track
Not only will they paint the outside of the house but also the inside.
I have taught English not only in the U.S, but also in other countries.
She is not only beautiful but also very smart.
Not only does he play guitar, but he also writes his own songs.
Not only do I love this band, but I have also seen them in concert twice.
Not only will I see your 20$, but also raise you $30.
She not only wrote the screenplay for the movie but also acted a role in it.
 Post Test
1. My brother was____________ the first winner_______ he was the best student of the year.
a) neither…nor
b) both…or
c) either…or
d) not only…but also
2. Whales and walruses are _______ fish _______mammals.
a) not only…both
b) either…or
c) neither…nor
d) not only…but also
3. ___________ Sarah _____ I will be failed because we have learned all the time.
a) both…and
b) either…or
c) neither…nor
d) not only…but also
4. I never heard your friend's name. ________ Jasmine _____ Hana live here.
a) not only…but also
b) either…or
c) neither…nor
d) both…and
5. You can decide _________ you move to Jakarta _____ your parents come here.
a) not only…but also
b) both…and
c) neither…nor
d) either…or
6. _________ He wash his clothes by hand _______ use washing machine.
a) not only…but also
b) neither…nor
c) both…and
d) either…or
7. ________ my mother _________my father want me to be a lawyer.
a) either…or
b) neither…nor
c) both…and
d) not only…but also
8. I would like to try _____ sushi_____kim bab to know the differences.
a) either…or
b) but…and
c) neither…nor
d) both…and
9. She is ______ beautiful ______ talented.
a) Both…and
b) Either…or
c) Not…but
d) Neither…nor
10. _________ you can wear sandals _______ shoes to the event.
a) Both…and
b) Not only…but also
c) Either…or
d) Nether…nor
11. __________ Fajar _________Musa like soccer. They like badminton.
a) both…and
b) neither…nor
c) not only…but also
d) either…or
12. ________ will we have problems _________ we will be fired.
a) not only…but also
b) neither…nor
c) both…and
d) either…or
 6. We use: just as … so, to indicate that the two
elements being joined are similar. Usually, just as,
begins an independent clause, and so is followed by
a second independent clause. Traditionally, the
clause after so should be inverted, as in:
Just as I love films, so does my brother love sports.
Just as Americans love baseball, so do Europeans love soccer.
Just as French is spoken in France, so is English spoken in England.
Just as she loves hiking, so she enjoys travelling as well.
However, it’s also common (especially in informal writing and
speech) for this structure to occur without inversion, as in:
Just as I love films, so my brother loves sports.
Just as Americans love baseball, so Europeans love soccer.
Just as French is spoken in France, so English is spoken in England.
Just as she loves hiking, so she enjoys travelling as well.

точно так же, как; когда; в то время как; так же, как;
ровно как

7. a) We can use: whether … or, to express doubt

between two possible options. Whether has the
same meaning as , if in this regard. For example:
I don’t know whether the white paint or the green paint is better
He is not sure whether he’ll be able to attend the game or not.

- b) We also use whether…or, to indicate that

something will happen no matter which choice is
made. For example:
Whether we stay home and eat a pizza, or we go out and watch a
film, I’m sure we’ll have a good time.
I am going to help you whether you like it or not.
8. We use: no sooner… than, to show that one thing
happens immediately after another thing. T is often
used with the past perfect, and usually followed by
than:
(event 1) (event 2)
They had no sooner arrived than they were arguing.
(event 1) (event 2)

We had no sooner started cooking than there was a

power cut and we had no electricity.

When no sooner is used in front position, we invert

the order of the auxiliary verb and subject. This is
common in more formal literary styles:
(event 1) (event 2)
No sooner had they started their walk than it started to
rain.
No sooner had I received her call, than left for her
place. (Not no sooner I had received her call,…)
No sooner had she finished one project, than she
started the next. (=as soon as she finished one project,
she started the next.)
No sooner had I eaten the fish, than I started feeling
sick. (As soon as I ate the fish, I started feeling sick. )
 9. So is placed before a modifier — adjective or adverb — to intensify its
quality or manner. This emphasis on the modifier expresses a remarkable
situation. This clause can stand alone as a sentence, or it can be paired
with that + clause to express an effect (result) of the remarkable situation
mentioned in the main clause.
Cause Effect
So +adj/adv That + clause
The meteor storm was so beautiful (Adj) that we watched it all night.

The meteor storm passed so quickly (Adv) that it went by in one week.

It was so / *very / *too amazing that we'll never forget it.

*Note: — very or too cannot be used in place of so.

that is omitted in informal usage
An adjective is not required in a noun phrase with such. The quality
being emphasized may be understood from contextual
information. Such stress was placed on the foundation that the building
began to sink. They built it in such a way that it was likely to sink.
Predeterminer modifier (a modifier placed before the article of the
noun) — such a sight; such a display, such a disaster
Predeterminer in a noun phrase — You are such a snob.
Such is one of few modifiers placed before the article of the noun.

In the examples below, so modifies or intensifies an adjective or adverb

in the cause-clause. And that follows in the effect-clause with a
remarkable or extraordinary comment.
Event with emphasis Remarkable effect
that we watched it all night. (remarkable)
that we couldn’t believe our eyes.
The meteor storm that we called everyone out to see it.
was so beautiful that we shouted “ooow” and “awww”.
that we wished it would never end.
*that we watched it.
that everybody amazed to see it.
 10. Such is placed before a modifier and noun to intensify the quality of
the modifier. This emphasis on the noun phrase expresses a remarkable
situation. This clause can stand alone as a sentence or it can be paired
with that + clause to express an effect (result) of the remarkable situation
mentioned in the main clause.
Cause Effect
Such +Adj+Noun That + clause
It was such a beautiful meteor strom that we watched it all night.

It was such a quick meteor storm that it passed by in one week.

It was such an amazing sight that we'll never forget it.

Such… that… is a correlative conjunction. It is used to give reason.

Use such to place emphasis on the quality of the modifier to the object-
noun in the cause-clause.

Emphasis on quality
We will learn such interesting information that we will want to read
more. (such - adjective +noncount noun)

We will see such beautiful stars that we will be amazed.

We will see so beautiful stars that we will be amazed. (incorrect)

 Error
The night was so cold that we were cold. The result is unremarkable. It doesn't
need emphasis. Use "and”.
The night was very cold that we were shivering. Use "so…that".
shiver (V) –to shake slightly because of the cold
It was so cold night that we wore extra layers.
It was so cold a night that we wore extra layers. (archaic)
Solution
The night was so cold that we had to wear two coats / we had to turn the heat
on in the car / we had to put a camping blanket around us.
When emphasizing a cause-effect relationship, the effect should be something unusual or
remarkable.
The night was so cold that we were shivering.
When stating a cause-effect relationship, very is not used. Very is used to intensify the quality of an
adjective, adverb.

It was such a cold night that we wore extra layers.

Use such before a singular count noun. (a night)
 Simple test
1. There were several clouds in the sky.
There were (so many clouds/ such many clouds) in the sky that we couldn’t see
much.
2. It was (such a cloudy night/ so much cloudy night) that we couldn’t see
much.
3. The passing of the comet Swift- Tuttle is (so rare occurrence/ such a rare)
occurrence that it only comes every 133 years.
4. The comet has (such a large wake/ so large wake) that it passes through
Earth’s upper atmosphere every year.
5. The burning bits of dust and debris, “shooting stars”, appear (so
frequently/such frequently) that you can see two or three a minute.
6. The particles are (so small/such small) that they burn up before they reach
Earth.
7. The meteor particles move (so fast/such fast) that they become bullets in space.
8. A meteor storm is (so big threat/such a big threat/so much big threat) to
satellites that they have to be moved or turned away from the storm.
9. Scientists consider this (so unique opportunity/such a unique opportunity)
that they are flying in aircraft to study it.
10. These observations will reveal (so much important information/such much
important information) that scientists will be studying results for years.

Combine the following sentences using such… that…

Study the example given below.
• It was a very cold afternoon. We stopped playing.

We can combine these two sentences using such… that…

• It was such a cold afternoon that we stopped playing. (Not It was a very cold
afternoon that we stopped playing)
Very cannot be followed directly by that-clauses.
1. The boy asked a very foolish question. Everybody laughed at him.

2. The man spoke with great passion. All listeners were moved to tears.
 3. It was a hot day. Nobody could do any work.

4. It was a very interesting story. I read it in one sitting.

5. He used very bad words. I couldn’t help but slap him.

6. The boy has very fine manners. Everyone likes him.

7. Russia is a big country. It has eleven time zones.

“So + many/few + plural countable nouns + that + result

“So + much/little + uncountable nouns + that +result
We can also use “so” with “quantifiers”(many/few/much/little) + that” to explain the
result. However, using “that” is not necessary.
Examples:
The child had so many toys ( that ) he could not decide which to play.
She has so few friends ( that ) she always spends time watching TV at home.
He eats so much sugar ( that ) he may be a diabetic.
There was so little food ( that ) many people died of hunger.
Just…as
As much/many …as
If… then
What with… and
So…as
Hardly/barely/scarcely… when
As…as
Rather…than
Would rather…than
The…the
Answers

1. The boy asked such a foolish question that everybody laughed at him.

2. The man spoke with such passion that all listeners were moved to tears.

3. It was such a hot day that nobody could do any work.

4. It was such an interesting story that I read it in one sitting.

5. He used such bad words that I couldn’t help but slap him.
6. The boy has such fine manners that everyone likes him.

7. Russia is such a big country that it has eleven time zones.