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Conjunction Either Or Neither Nor Not Only – Quiz 1
Conjunction Either Or Neither Nor Not Only Quiz 1 (30 MCQs)
This multiple-choice question set evaluates the understanding and application of conjunctions, specifically focusing on "either/or," "neither/nor," and "not only/but also" in compound sentences. It tests skills such as subject-verb agreement, identifying correlative conjunctions, and using conjunctions to present alternatives or negations.
Quiz Instructions
Select an option to see the correct answer instantly.
1.
My mother goes ..... shopping ..... working. My father does everything needed.
A) Either, or.
B) Both, and.
C) Neither, nor.
D) Either, nor.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "My mother goes ..... shopping ..... working." indicates that the mother does neither of these activities, as her partner (the father) is said to do everything needed. Therefore, "Neither, nor" is correct because it expresses that she doesn't go either for shopping or for working.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. "Either, or" implies a choice between two options, which does not fit the context of neither activity being performed.
Option B:
Incorrect. "Both, and" suggests that both activities are happening, which contradicts the statement about her partner doing everything needed.
Option C:
Correct. "Neither, nor" accurately conveys that she does not go for shopping or working.
Option D:
Incorrect. "Either, nor" is grammatically incorrect and does not fit the context of neither activity being performed.
2.
Mr. Chan teaches ..... Maths ..... English. He is an art teacher.
A) Either or.
B) Either nor.
C) Neither or.
D) Neither nor.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Mr. Chan teaches neither Maths nor English." indicates that Mr. Chan does not teach both subjects, but he is an art teacher, which means he teaches only one of the mentioned subjects. The conjunction "neither...nor" is used to connect two negative ideas and is appropriate here as it correctly conveys that Mr. Chan does not teach either subject.
Option D) Neither nor is correct because:
- It accurately reflects the situation where Mr. Chan does not teach both Maths and English.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Either or implies he teaches one of the subjects, which contradicts the statement.
Option B:
Either nor is grammatically incorrect as "either" cannot be paired with "nor."
Option C:
Neither or is also incorrect because it does not properly connect the two negative ideas.
Option D:
Neither nor correctly conveys that he does not teach both subjects, aligning with his role as an art teacher.
3.
We not only dressed up for the holiday ..... decorated the school.
A) Or.
B) Nor.
C) But also.
D) And.
Show Answer
Explanations:
"Nor" and "Or" are used to introduce alternatives, while "And" is for listing items together. The sentence structure suggests a progression of actions: dressing up and then decorating the school. "Not only... but also" correctly indicates an additional action beyond what was initially mentioned.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Or - Incorrect, as it introduces an alternative rather than an addition.
Option B:
Nor - Incorrect, as there is no negation or contrast in the sentence.
Option C:
But also - Correct, indicating an additional action beyond dressing up.
Option D:
And - Incorrect, as it would imply two separate actions without the progression indicated by "not only... but also."
4.
..... the UK ..... Spain are in Asia.
A) Neither nor.
B) Either or.
C) Neither or.
D) Both and.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "..... the UK ..... Spain are in Asia" is incorrect because both the United Kingdom and Spain are located in Europe, not Asia. Therefore, neither of them can be used with "either...or" or "both...and". The correct conjunction to use here would be "neither...nor".
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. "Neither the UK nor Spain are in Asia." is the proper way to express that both countries are not in Asia.
Option B:
Incorrect. "Either the UK or Spain" would imply one of them could be in Asia, which is false.
Option C:
Incorrect. "Neither...or" is a grammatical error and does not correctly express that both countries are not in Asia.
Option D:
Incorrect. "Both the UK and Spain" would imply they are together in Asia, which is false.
5.
..... Angiela ..... JeadaMay tried out for the school play.
A) Whether or.
B) Both and.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Both and are used to connect coordinate conjunctions, which is the case with "or" in this sentence. "Angiela or JeadaMay tried out for the school play." indicates that either Angiela or JeadaMay or both could have tried out.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Whether or not introduces a conditional clause, which is not applicable here.
Option B:
Both and are correctly used to connect the coordinate conjunctions in this sentence.
Option C:
All the above would imply that "whether or not" is also correct, but it is not.
Option D:
None of the above is incorrect since option B is valid.
6.
..... Mark ..... his wife is very tall.
A) Neither nor.
B) Either or.
C) Both and.
D) Neither or.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Mark ..... his wife is very tall" uses a conjunction to connect two related ideas: Mark and his wife's height. The correct answer, "Neither nor," indicates that neither Mark nor his wife is the subject being described as tall. This usage of "neither...nor" correctly pairs subjects in a negative statement.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. "Neither nor" properly connects two subjects, indicating that both are not the focus of the description.
Option B:
Incorrect. "Either or" is used for alternatives, which does not fit here as we are not describing an alternative between Mark and his wife's height.
Option C:
Incorrect. "Both and" implies both subjects share a quality, but the sentence describes only one of them (his wife) being tall.
Option D:
Incorrect. "Neither or" is grammatically incorrect as it mixes conjunctions improperly.
7.
I only like ketchup on my cheeseburger. Therefore, I want ..... pickles ..... mustard.
A) No sooner; than.
B) Either; or.
C) Not only; but also.
D) Neither; nor.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "I only like ketchup on my cheeseburger. Therefore, I want neither pickles nor mustard." indicates a contrast and negation of preferences. The conjunction "neither...nor" is used to express that the speaker does not want both options (pickles and mustard) because they are alternatives that are being rejected together.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
No sooner; than. This option is incorrect as it implies a sequence of events, which is not relevant to the context.
Option B:
Either; or. This option suggests an exclusive choice between two options, but the sentence indicates both pickles and mustard are being rejected.
Option C:
Not only; but also. This option implies a positive addition to preferences, which contradicts the context of rejection.
Option D:
Neither; nor. This is correct as it accurately expresses that both pickles and mustard are not desired options.
8.
She is ..... beautiful and smart.
A) Either.
B) Not only.
C) Both.
D) Neither.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Both is the correct answer because it indicates that she possesses both beauty and intelligence simultaneously, using a conjunction to link two positive attributes without implying exclusivity.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Either is incorrect as it implies only one of the attributes is true, not both.
Option B:
Not only is used when emphasizing that something is true in addition to other things. It does not fit here since we are stating she has two positive traits without additional emphasis.
Option C:
Both is correct as it accurately conveys that she possesses both beauty and intelligence.
Option D:
Neither is incorrect because neither would imply a negative statement, which does not fit the context of describing her positively.
9.
Let's meet on ..... Monday or Tuesday
A) Neither.
B) Either.
C) Both.
D) And.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The phrase "Let's meet on Monday or Tuesday" uses the conjunction "or," which is equivalent to saying "either Monday or Tuesday." Therefore, the correct answer is
Option B: Either.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. Neither means not one and not the other, which does not apply here.
Option B:
Correct. Either indicates a choice between two options, matching "Monday or Tuesday."
Option C:
Incorrect. Both would mean meeting on both days, but the original statement allows for either day.
Option D:
Incorrect. And is used to connect words of similar meaning, not choices between alternatives.
10.
Both Emily ..... Cathy are from Paris.
A) Or.
B) Nor.
C) And.
D) But also.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Both Emily
And
Cathy are from Paris" correctly uses the conjunction "and" to connect two subjects, indicating that both individuals share a common attribute (being from Paris). The word "both" at the beginning of the clause also supports the use of "and" as it is used with plural subjects.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Or - Incorrect. "Or" would imply a choice between Emily and Cathy, not that both are from Paris.
Option B:
Nor - Incorrect. "Nor" is used to add negative statements or to continue a list of things that do not apply, which does not fit the context here.
Option C:
And - Correct. This conjunction properly connects two subjects sharing a common attribute.
Option D:
But also - Incorrect. "But also" is used to add information or emphasize something additional, which is not necessary in this sentence structure.
11.
I found ..... my homework ..... my textbook on the kitchen counter.
A) Both and.
B) Either or.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "I found ... my homework ... my textbook on the kitchen counter" requires a conjunction that connects two related items: "my homework" and "my textbook." The correct choice is "Both and," as it indicates that both items were found together. "Either or" would imply only one of the items was found, which does not fit the context.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. Indicates both items were found.
Option B:
Incorrect. Suggests a choice between the two items, not that both are present.
Option C:
Incorrect. This option is redundant and does not fit grammatically or contextually.
Option D:
Incorrect. There is a correct answer among the options provided.
12.
My sister babysits for ..... Mrs. Clarke and Mrs. Simpkin.
A) Either.
B) Neither.
C) Both.
D) Not one.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "My sister babysits for ... Mrs. Clarke and Mrs. Simpkin" uses the conjunction "and," which indicates that both individuals are included in the activity described. The correct answer, C) Both, is therefore correct because it accurately reflects that my sister babysits for both Mrs. Clarke and Mrs. Simpkin.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Either - Incorrect as "either" would imply a choice between one of the two individuals.
Option B:
Neither - Incorrect as neither is used when none of the options are true, which is not applicable here.
Option C:
Both - Correct as it accurately reflects that both Mrs. Clarke and Mrs. Simpkin are included in the babysitting activity.
Option D:
Not one - Incorrect as "not one" would imply exclusion, which is not the case here.
13.
Paula is sad because she found ..... the shoes she had lost ..... her favorite jacket.
A) Either or.
B) Neither nor.
C) Both and.
D) Not only but also.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Neither is used to indicate that none of the options are true, which fits well with Paula's situation where she found neither the shoes nor her favorite jacket. This makes "B) Neither nor." the correct answer as it accurately reflects the scenario.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Either or is used to present two alternatives, not applicable here.
Option B:
Correct. Paula found neither the shoes nor her favorite jacket, indicating both are missing.
Option C:
Both and suggests that all options are true, which doesn't fit the context of Paula's situation.
Option D:
Not only but also is used to emphasize two or more things in a positive way, not suitable here as Paula lost both items.
14.
..... I can go to the movies on Saturday, ..... I can go to the mall.
A) Not only but also.
B) Either or.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "I can go to the movies on Saturday, I can go to the mall." uses a structure that indicates two options for an action. The conjunction "Either...or" is used to present alternatives, which fits perfectly with this scenario where both going to the movies and going to the mall are presented as possible activities.
Option A: Not only but also - This would imply that both actions are included without exclusion, which does not fit the structure of the sentence.
Option C: All the above - Since option B is correct, this cannot be true.
Option D: None of the above - This is incorrect because option B is valid.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. Not only but also implies both actions are included without exclusion.
Option B:
Correct. Either...or presents alternatives, fitting the sentence structure.
Option C:
Incorrect. All the above is not valid since option B is correct.
Option D:
Incorrect. None of the above is incorrect because option B is valid.
15.
Both Sara and her sister ..... football
A) Play.
B) Has played.
C) Is playing.
D) Plays.
Show Answer
Explanations:
"Both Sara and her sister play football" is correct because "both...and" requires a plural verb when referring to two subjects. The verb "play" agrees with the plural subject "Sara and her sister."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. Both Sara and her sister use the plural verb "play."
Option B:
Incorrect. "Has played" is singular, not matching the plural subject.
Option C:
Incorrect. "Is playing" is singular, not matching the plural subject.
Option D:
Incorrect. "Plays" is singular, not matching the plural subject.
16.
Which of the following is TRUE about Correlative Conjunction?
A) Related to posession.
B) Related to habitual activities.
C) Related to future plan.
D) Related to pair of things or actions.
E) Related to past event.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Correlative conjunctions like "either/or" and "neither/nor" are used to connect pairs of things or actions, making option D the correct answer.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Not related; correlative conjunctions do not deal with possession.
Option B:
Not directly; they don't specifically relate to habitual activities.
Option C:
Not necessarily; while future plans can be expressed, it's not the defining characteristic of correlative conjunctions.
Option D:
Correct; used for pairs of things or actions.
Option E:
Not related; past events are not their primary function.
17.
I have ..... the time ..... the motivation to play handball right now.
A) Neither nor.
B) Either or.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "I have neither the time nor the motivation to play handball right now." uses the conjunctions "neither...nor," which correctly pairs with negative elements (lack of time and lack of motivation). This structure is used when negating two or more options.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. Uses "neither...nor" to negate both the time and motivation.
Option B:
Incorrect. "Either...or" is used for choosing between options, not negating them.
Option C:
Incorrect. "All the above" cannot be correct since only Option A is correct.
Option D:
Incorrect. "None of the above" is not applicable as one option (A) is correct.
18.
I can't decide ..... to play soccer this year ..... to take dance lessons.
A) Neither nor.
B) Whether or.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "I can't decide ..... to play soccer this year ..... to take dance lessons." requires a conjunction that introduces two alternatives, which are mutually exclusive in this context. The correct conjunction for presenting two options is "whether...or". Therefore, the claimed correct answer B) Whether or is accurate.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Neither nor is used when negating both options, e.g., "I don't like neither apples nor oranges." This does not fit the context of presenting two choices.
Option B:
Whether or introduces two alternatives, fitting the sentence structure perfectly.
Option C:
All the above is incorrect because only one option fits the context.
Option D:
None of the above is incorrect as Option B correctly fits the sentence.
19.
Either Chris or Edgar ..... the game.
A) Win.
B) Is.
C) Wins.
D) Are.
Show Answer
Explanations:
"Either Chris or Edgar wins the game." is correct because "either...or" conjunction requires the subject to be in singular form, and the verb should also agree with this singular subject. Therefore, "wins" is the appropriate choice.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Win - Incorrect as it does not match the singular subject-verb agreement.
Option B:
Is - Incorrect as it does not agree with the plural subjects Chris and Edgar.
Option C:
Wins - Correct for the singular verb form agreeing with the singular subject "Either Chris or Edgar."
Option D:
Are - Incorrect as it does not match the singular verb form required by the sentence structure.
20.
She is ..... beautiful but also very intelligent.
A) Either.
B) Not only.
C) Both.
D) Neither.
Show Answer
Explanations:
"Either" is used to present alternatives, "neither" negates two options, and "both" indicates that all of the mentioned qualities are true. In this sentence, we need to show that she possesses both beauty and intelligence simultaneously. Therefore, "Not only" is correct as it emphasizes that she has multiple positive attributes.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect. "Either" suggests a choice between two options.
Option B:
Correct. "Not only" indicates possession of more than one quality.
Option C:
Incorrect. "Both" would be redundant here as the sentence already conveys multiple qualities with "Not only."
Option D:
Incorrect. "Neither" negates two options, which is not applicable in this context.
21.
Either Carlos or his sisters ..... how to speak Spanish.
A) Know.
B) Knows.
C) Are.
D) Is.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Either Carlos or his sisters know how to speak Spanish" uses the conjunction "either...or," which is used when two options are mutually exclusive and only one of them applies. In such cases, the verb should agree with the subject that is closest to it, in this case, "sisters." Since "sisters" is plural, the verb must also be in its plural form, "know."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. The verb "know" agrees with the plural subject "sisters."
Option B:
Incorrect. "Knows" is singular and does not agree with the plural subject.
Option C:
Incorrect. "Are" is a linking verb, which does not fit the context of the sentence.
Option D:
Incorrect. "Is" is singular and does not agree with the plural subject.
22.
Neither my yo-yo nor my ball ..... as fun as my tablet.
A) Is.
B) Aren't.
C) Are.
D) Isn't.
Show Answer
Explanations:
Neither introduces a negative statement, and when used with "nor," both subjects should be treated as singular in their verb agreement if they refer to the same type of subject (in this case, activities). Since "my yo-yo nor my ball" are being compared to the fun provided by your tablet, which is singular, the correct verb form must also be singular.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Is. Correct. Both subjects are treated as a single entity for verb agreement.
Option B:
Aren't. Incorrect. This would be used with plural subjects.
Option C:
Are. Incorrect. This would be used if the subjects were considered separately, which is not the case here.
Option D:
Isn't. Incorrect. This would be used for a single subject, but "neither...nor" requires singular agreement.
23.
You ..... come with us or I will punish you.
A) Either.
B) Not only.
C) Both.
D) Neither.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "You either come with us or I will punish you." uses the conjunction "either...or," which is used to present two alternatives, where only one can be chosen. This structure indicates that both options are possible but mutually exclusive.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. The sentence employs "either...or" to present two choices.
Option B:
Incorrect. "Not only" is used when emphasizing one of the alternatives, which does not fit here.
Option C:
Incorrect. "Both" suggests that both options are true or can be chosen together, which contradicts the sentence's structure.
Option D:
Incorrect. "Neither" is used to negate two alternatives, which does not fit here since only one option is presented as a choice.
24.
Which one is NOT the example of correlative conjunction?
A) Both-and.
B) Neither-nor.
C) Either-or.
D) Whether-or.
E) Not-only.
Show Answer
Explanations:
"Both-and," "Neither-nor," "Either-or," and "Whether-or" are examples of correlative conjunctions used in English grammar. They always come in pairs and are used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that have equal importance.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Both-and is a correct example of a correlative conjunction.
Option B:
Neither-nor is a correct example of a correlative conjunction.
Option C:
Either-or is a correct example of a correlative conjunction.
Option D:
Whether-or is a correct example of a correlative conjunction.
Option E:
Not-only is not a complete pair and thus does not fit the definition of a correlative conjunction. It is often used as part of "not only...but also" or "not only...also," but on its own, it lacks the paired structure required for a correlative conjunction.
25.
..... Joe ..... his sisters could understand what their parents were saying when they spoke French.
A) Neither-or.
B) Either-nor.
C) Neither-nor.
D) Either-not.
E) Neither-and.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Joe neither his sisters could understand what their parents were saying when they spoke French." is grammatically incorrect and incomplete, but the focus here is on the conjunction usage. The correct answer is
C) Neither-nor.
This option correctly uses "neither" to indicate that both Joe and his sisters had the same issue of not understanding their parents speaking French.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Incorrect, as it does not fit the context.
Option B:
Incorrect, as "either-nor" is not a correct conjunction usage in this case.
Option C:
Correct, uses "neither-nor" appropriately to show both subjects share the same condition.
Option D:
Incorrect, as it does not fit the context.
Option E:
Incorrect, as it does not fit the context.
26.
Neither Mary nor her parents ..... going to the birthday party.
A) Is.
B) Will.
C) Have.
D) Are.
E) Was.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Neither Mary nor her parents are going to the birthday party" uses the conjunction "neither...nor," which is used when referring to two subjects and indicating that neither of them performs an action. In such cases, the verb agrees with the last subject mentioned, in this instance, "parents." Since "parents" is plural, the verb must also be in its plural form, "are."
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Is - Incorrect; singular verb for plural subjects.
Option B:
Will - Incorrect; tense mismatch with context.
Option C:
Have - Incorrect; incorrect form and tense.
Option D:
Are - Correct; agrees with the last subject "parents."
Option E:
Was - Incorrect; past tense does not fit context.
27.
..... my iPad ..... my phone stopped working last night.
A) Both and.
B) Whether or.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "my iPad and my phone stopped working last night" uses the conjunction "and," which is used to connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal importance. Since both devices (iPad and phone) are mentioned as having stopped working, it makes sense that "Both and" would be correct in this context.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. The sentence uses "and" to connect two items of equal importance.
Option B:
Incorrect. "Whether or" is used for choice, not listing connected items.
Option C:
Incorrect. "All the above" would imply both A and B are correct, which they are not in this case.
Option D:
Incorrect. The sentence does work with only "and," making "None of the above" incorrect.
28.
..... Sarah ..... her sisters are very tall.
A) Either, nor.
B) Both, and.
C) Neither, nor.
D) Weather, or.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Sarah and her sisters are very tall" indicates that both Sarah and her sisters share the same characteristic of being tall. The conjunction "both and" is used to connect two positive statements about the subjects involved, which fits this context perfectly.
Option C) Neither nor is incorrect because it would imply a negative statement for both subjects, which does not apply here.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Either or is typically used in situations where one of two options must be true, but neither Sarah nor her sisters are excluded from being tall.
Option B:
Both and correctly connects the positive attribute shared by both subjects.
Option C:
Neither nor incorrectly suggests that neither subject is tall, which contradicts the given sentence.
Option D:
Weather or does not make sense in this context as it introduces an unrelated topic.
29.
..... we go home ..... stay at the park doesn't matter to me.
A) Whether or.
B) Not only but also.
C) All the above.
D) None of the above.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "..... we go home ..... stay at the park doesn't matter to me." uses a structure that indicates an option between two choices, which is best represented by the conjunction "whether...or". This means that either choice (going home or staying at the park) is acceptable.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. "Whether...or" is used to indicate a choice between two options.
Option B:
Incorrect. "Not only...but also" indicates additional or cumulative actions, not choices.
Option C:
Incorrect. This option suggests both conjunctions are correct, which they are not in this context.
Option D:
Incorrect. There is a correct answer among the options provided.
30.
..... Peter ..... Sam can sing. I don't want to listen to them singing.
A) Neither nor.
B) Neither or.
C) Either nor.
D) Either or.
Show Answer
Explanations:
The sentence "Peter
.....
Sam can sing. I don't want to listen to them singing." uses the conjunction "neither...nor" correctly because it indicates that both Peter and Sam have the ability to sing, but the speaker does not wish to hear either of them. The correct answer is A) Neither nor.
Option Analysis:
Option A:
Correct. Indicates a negative choice between two options.
Option B:
Incorrect. "Neither...or" is grammatically incorrect in this context.
Option C:
Incorrect. "Either...nor" implies a choice, which doesn't fit the sentence structure.
Option D:
Incorrect. "Either...or" also implies a choice between two options, not a negative statement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are correlative conjunctions?
Correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that work together to connect parts of a sentence, such as "either...or," "neither...nor," and "not only...but also." These pairs help ensure grammatical balance in sentences.
How do you use the conjunction "either"?
The conjunction "either" is used to present two alternatives, often with a negative connotation. For example, "You can either go to the park or stay home." It's part of the correlative pair "either...or."
Can you use "neither" and "nor" together?
Yes, "neither" and "nor" are often used together to negate two or more alternatives. For example, "He neither likes coffee nor tea." This pair is commonly used in negative sentences.
What's the difference between "either...or" and "neither...nor"?
"Either...or" presents two alternatives, often with a choice or decision in mind. In contrast, "neither...nor" is used to negate two or more options, indicating that none of the choices are acceptable.
How do conjunctions like "either...or," "neither...nor," and "not only...but also" affect sentence structure?
These conjunctions help to create balanced and clear sentences by connecting words, phrases, or clauses. They ensure that the structure of the sentence is grammatically correct and easy to understand.