Either and Neither as Determiners
Either is about one or the other of two people or things . It can also mean one and the other of two people or things . As for neither, it’s not one or the other of two people or things . As determiners, either and neither come before a singular countable noun.
- A noun that follows either or neither is singular.
Examples:
- You can choose either piece, and I will take the other one.
- He was punched hard on the nose, but neither nostril was bleeding.
Either: one or the other of two.
Examples:
- I don’t mind which fish. Just give me either one, please.
- You can take either road; both roads will lead you there.
- You may use either hand to hold it.
Either: one and the other of two.
Examples:
- It has big ears on either side (= both sides) of its head.
- There are toilets at either end of the long corridor.
- She will return home to live if either of the parents dies.
Either is commonly used before a pronoun.
Examples:
- Either she is telling the truth, or she does not know she is telling a lie.
- Either he or his brother is going to fetch the mother home.
Neither is used to show not either of two people or things .
Examples:
- Neither one of our parents is a smother.
- Neither sweater you bought for me fits me.
- Neither coin he found is foreign.