Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Neither … nor

Neither … nor

function as a correlative coordinator (

Û

308

). They are used to link

two or more alternatives:

Neither the American company nor its British subsidiary have prepared for the

takeover.

It’s 

neither possible nor likely that they will succeed.

A similar meaning is expressed by either … or plus a negative verb:

They didn’t have 

either still or sparkling water, so I just got tap water.

(or: They had neither still nor sparkling water, so I just got tap water.)

When two or more clauses are coordinated, there is subject-verb inversion in the

clause introduced by nor. Coordination with subject-verb inversion is associated

with formal styles:

They can 

neither understand practical causes, 

nor are they

sympathetic to the

relationship between theory and practice.

Nor … nor

can occur after neither:

He stood like a statue. He 

neither spoke nor moved. 

Nor did he

appear to be

listening to what was happening around him.

Not … or/nor

Alternatives introduced by not can be linked with either or or nor. Nor is more

emphatic than or and less common:

It is

n’t good or bad. It’s just pretty mediocre. 

She was 

not annoyed or offended. In fact she seemed completely indifferent.

It is 

not sweet nor sour, but something in between.