Wednesday, May 9, 2018

So, Too, Neither, Either

The first chart shows the structure of So + Auxiliary + Subject.
This is used to show agreement (and how you or someone else is similar) with a positive statement that the first person said.




The second chart shows the structure of Neither + Auxiliary + Subject.
This is used to show agreement (and how you or someone else is similar) with a negative statement that the first person said.





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

Exercise 1: So - Neither - Either

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