Tips and Strategies How to Prepare TOEFL Test series

Correlative conjunctions: neither/nor, either/or, both/and, . . .

Correlative conjunctions are pairs such as neither . . . nor, not . . . only, and but . . . also. These conjunctions connect two balanced clauses, phrases, or words.

The two elements that correlative conjunctions connect are usually similar in length and grammatical structure.

Here are a few example sentences containing correlative conjunctions:

• either . . . or
  We can go to either Greece or Spain for our holiday.
  It’s my final offer – you can either take it or leave it.

• both . . . and
  Both rugby and football are popular in France.
  Both English and Welsh are spoken in Wales.

• not only . . . but also
  Not only is he a professional footballer, but he’s also a successful businessman.

• not . . . but
  There are not two but three Baltic states: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
  In sport, what counts is not the winning but the taking part.

• neither . . . nor
  Neither Norway nor Switzerland is in the European Union.
  Marriage is neither heaven nor hell, it is simply purgatory. (Abraham Lincoln)
  

• whether . . . or
  Whether you love them or hate them, you have to admit that the Rolling Stones are very popular.
  I’m totally confused – I don’t know whether I’m coming or going.

• no sooner . . . than
  No sooner had I finished watering the garden than it started raining.

 Subject-verb agreement

Watch out! The verb which follows two subjects joined by a correlative conjunction must agree with the second subject, NOT the first:

• Either my brother or my mum look looks after our cat when we’re away on holiday.
• Either my brother or my parents looks look after our cat when we’re away on holiday.
• Neither the manager nor his assistant are is here today.
• Neither the manager nor his assistants is are here today.

Correlative conjunctions in  TOEFL test

Directions: In questions 1 - 5 each sentence has four underlined words or phrases. The four underline parts of the sentence are marked (A), (B), (C), and (D). Identify the one underlined word or phrase that   must be changed in order for the sentence to be correct. Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter or the answer you have chosen.

1.       1. Thomas Jefferson was a magnificent writer as well for a noted

                                                  A                                  B                C

             scholar in the area of languages.

                             D

  2.  By geological dating of rocks, scientists have determined that either  the Rocky

                        A                                                                                       B

            Mountains stretching from Canada to Mexico nor the sierra Nevada Mountains

                                  C

            of the pacific coast is the continent's oldest mountain chain.

                                            D

3.        3. Movie critics agree that Riddle Scott's' movies contain both an original vision

                                      A                                                 B

             of the future or a disquieting perspective about the past.

                                  C          D

    4.   Female cockroaches are about three times numerous than male

                                                      A                            B

            cockroaches and have rudimentary wings.

                                     C                                D

       5.  Practically as same as those obtained from eating meat, fat and

                                   A                   B

protein consumption statistics from eating cheese show that

                                                                                              C

cheese is a viable substitute when eaten in moderation.

                                                      D