Correlative conjunctions, much like coordinating conjunctions, link two elements of similar grammatical form. They are called correlative because they always occur in pairs and work to communicate the same relative meaning.
Here are examples that illustrate the use of these conjunctions:
Example 1
You can eat pie.
You can eat ice cream.
Since the above sentences are closely related, they can be combined using the correlative conjunction pair either…or to indicate choice and avoid wordy construction.
You can eat either pie or ice cream.
Example 2
He plays indoor games.
He enjoys outdoor activities.
Here, too, the sentences are closely connected. Hence, they can be combined with the correlative conjunction pair not only…but also, which is used to link potentially contradictory choices.
He not only plays indoor games but also enjoys outdoor activities.
Examples of Correlative Conjunctions
The correlative conjunction pairs below are often used in the English language:
1. Either…or
This correlative conjunction pair is used to indicate a choice between two related elements in a sentence. While or can be used as a conjunction by itself, the same is not true with either.
For example:
Sharon can either take a sabbatical or work from home after the surgery.
Here, either…or is being used to indicate the choices Sharon has related to work post surgery. The same example sentence can be written using just or as a conjunction to separate the choices.
Sharon can take a sabbatical or work from home after the surgery.
The same cannot be done with either as the sentence becomes grammatically incorrect without or following it.
2. Not only…but also
This correlative conjunction pair is used to link two seemingly contradictory options.
For example:
Michael not only enjoys gazing at the stars but also understands astronomy quite well.
Here, Michael’s enjoyment of the stars is about more than just gazing at them; it is accompanied by a sound knowledge of astronomy (a potentially contradicting aspect).
3. Neither…nor
This correlative conjunction pair is used in a sentence while negating two options. Just as either needs to be followed by or, neither needs to be followed by nor.
For example:
Stephen bonds with neither his family nor his friends.
Here, Stephen’s bonding with his family has been negated using neither and his bonding with his friends has been negated using nor.
Other examples of correlative conjunctions include both…and, not…but, and whether…or.
Rules to Follow while Using Correlative Conjunctions
1. Ensure Parallel Sentence Construction
Since correlative conjunctions always occur in pairs, each one in the pair must be followed by the same type of word/phrase – i.e., if one is followed by a verb, the other in the pair must be followed by a verb as well. This ensures that the sentence is parallel and hence grammatically sound.
Here is an example to illustrate this:
Incorrect: Ronald neither likes buns nor biscuits.
In the above sentence, neither is followed by the verb likes while nor is followed by the noun biscuits. The sentence construction is not parallel and hence grammatically incorrect.
Correct: Ronald likes neither buns nor biscuits.
Here, the sentence has been rewritten with both neither and nor following the nouns – buns and biscuits, respectively. Thus, the sentence construction is parallel and grammatically sound.
2. Make Sure That Subject and Verb Are in Agreement
While using the correlative conjunction pairs either…or and neither…nor, subject verb agreement tends to get tricky because sentences with them have more than one subject.
However, knowing the subject verb agreement rules below can help avoid grammatical inaccuracies.
i. Proximity rule: According to this rule, in sentences with two subjects, the subject closest to the verb determines whether the verb must be singular or plural.
For example:
Either the students or the teacher organizes the fun fair every year.
In the above example, the singular subject teacher is closer to the verb. Thus, the verb takes the singular form organizes in the sentence.
ii. Logic rule: Some prefer to use this rule instead of the proximity rule while determining what form of the verb must be used in a sentence with two subjects.
According to the logic rule, if one of the subjects is plural, the verb must be plural.
Considering the same example from above:
Either the teacher or the students organize the fun fair every year.
Since the sentence has one subject that is plural (students), the verb must be plural. So, the verb used is organize.
However, as the verb form can change based on which rule is used, there may still be scope for confusion with subject verb agreement while using correlative conjunctions. The best way to avoid any confusion is to simply place the plural subject next to the verb. This way, the sentence is grammatically correct and satisfies both subject verb agreement rules.
Again, using the same example from above to illustrate:
Either the teacher or the students organize the fun fair every year.
Now, both the proximity and logic rules have been satisfied by placing the plural subject students next to the verb organize, which is plural.
3. Avoid Comma Use Except When Absolutely Necessary
A sentence using a correlative conjunction pair doesn’t require a comma to separate the pair.
For example:
Trevor enjoys not only reading but also writing.
In the above sentence, there is no need for a comma before but also.
However, there are exceptions to this rule:
i. In a sentence with a correlative conjunction pair, a comma must precede the second conjunction if it is followed by an independent clause. This is often the case with not only…but also.
For example:
Not only does Ronnie go to the gym every day, but she also manages to maintain a healthy diet.
Here, but functions as a coordinating conjunction too as it connects two independent clauses.
ii. If commas are serving a grammatical purpose, such as separating a parenthetical/non-restrictive clause from the rest of the sentence, then they must be used.
For example:
Nigel enjoys not only sandwiches, especially ham and cheese ones, but also bagels.
Here, the commas enclosing the parenthetical/non-restrictive clause especially ham and cheese ones are necessary to separate the clause from the rest of the sentence.
4. Steer Clear of Double Negatives while Using Neither…Nor
Neither…nor indicates negation in a sentence. Pairing it with another negative leads to a positive and hence alters the intended meaning. It’s important to be watchful of this and avoid such double negative usage.
Here is an example to illustrate:
Incorrect: We do not enjoy neither mountains nor beaches.
The above sentence uses double negatives – do not and neither…nor. And since two negatives lead to a positive, the sentence now means that both mountains and beaches are enjoyed, which is not the intended meaning.
The sentence can be rephrased to convey the intended meaning as follows:
Correct: We enjoy neither mountains nor beaches.
Correct: We do not enjoy either mountains or beaches.
In the first sentence, the positive verb enjoy allows the correlative conjunction pair neither…nor to convey the intended meaning – that mountains and beaches are both disliked.
In the second sentence, the negative verb do not enjoy is retained and the negative correlative conjunction pair neither…nor is replaced with either…or. This construction too conveys the intended meaning – that mountains and beaches are both disliked.
Using correlative conjunctions judiciously helps writers avoid being verbose while conveying related information. The rules discussed above will assist the process and ensure grammatical accuracy in any piece of writing.
