8.182 Emphasizing coordinating conjunctions

When you are using coordinating conjunctions, you sometimes want to emphasize that what you are saying applies to both the word groups linked by the conjunction. You usually do this by putting a word such as 'both' or 'neither' in front of the first word group.

8.183

When you are using 'and', the most common way of emphasizing that what you are saying applies to two word groups is to put 'both' in front of the first word group.

• By that time both Robin and Drew were overseas.
• They feel both anxiety and joy.
• These headlines both mystified and infuriated him.
• Investment continues both at home and abroad.
• Because the medicine is both expensive and in great demand, huge profits can be made.

Another way is to use 'and also' instead of 'and'.

• Wilkins drove racing cars himself and also raced powerboats.
• The job of the library is to get books to people and also to get information to them.

8.184

For stronger emphasis, you can put 'not only' or 'not just' in front of the first word group, and 'but' or 'but also' between the two groups.

• The effortless freshness and spontaneity of his singing put him into the front rank of popular singers, not only of the present time but of any time.
• Employers have got to think more seriously not only of attracting staff, but of keeping them.
• Professor Kleber suggests that law enforcement activities should be directed not just at drug importers and main suppliers, but also at local dealers.

8.185

When you are using 'or', the most common way of emphasizing that what you are saying applies to two word groups is to put 'either' in front of the first word group.

• Sentences can be either true or false.
• You can either buy a special insecticide or get help from an expert.
• Either Margaret or John should certainly have come to see me by now.
• Either we raise money from outside or we face unpalatable options such as closing part of the museum.

When you are linking clauses in this way, you can use 'or else', instead of 'or'.

• If you can't iron them at once, either roll up the sheets while they are damp or else damp them before you iron them.

8.186

If you want to emphasize that a negative statement applies to two word groups, you put 'neither' in front of the first group and 'nor' in front of the second group.

For example, instead of saying 'The girl did not speak or look up', you say 'The girl neither spoke nor looked up'.

• The thought neither distressed nor delighted her.
• She had neither received nor read the letter.
• Neither Margaret nor John was there.

Note that you use a singular verb after singular noun groups and a plural verb after plural noun groups.

• Neither Binta nor anyone else was going to speak.
• Neither city councils nor wealthy manufacturers have much need of painters or sculptors.

Note also that you cannot put a complete finite clause after 'nor'. For example, you cannot say 'Neither Mary has called nor I know where she is'.

8.187

Sometimes you want to draw attention to a clause or word group by contrasting it with something different. One way to do this is to link the two elements by putting 'but' between them. You put 'not' in front of the first element.

• We wept, not because we were frightened but because we were so dirty.
• He was not galloping but quietly trotting.
• I felt not jubilation but sadness.
• The upright chairs were not polished but painted.