18 Quick Fixes: Either/Neither, Every Time/All The Time
Either and Neither
Either
You use either to mean one or the other.
- I’ll buy either chocolate or strawberry ice cream, but not both.
Neither
You use neither to mean not either one.
- Neither flavor sounds good to me. I want vanilla ice cream.
However, if there is already a negative auxiliary verb, then you still use either.
- I don’t want chocolate. I don’t want strawberry. I don’t want either flavor.
Practice
Quiz
INSTRUCTIONS: Choose either or neither to complete each sentence. Remember to use appropriate capitalization if the word begins a sentence.
- She said she didn’t want to go, and I said, “Me __________________.”
- Please get me __________________ a pencil or a pen.
- Both answers are wrong. __________________ is correct.
- He’s not going to the movies, and __________________ is she.
- The video isn’t on __________________YouTube or TikTok.
- Kathy will go to __________________ Seattle or Los Angeles for her vacation.
- __________________ of us has the new book.
- Burke is looking for his shoes, but he can’t find __________________ one.
- You have a choice of movies: __________________ a comedy or a drama.
- If you’re not going, then I’m not going __________________.
Every time and All the time
Every time
You use every time to emphasize the individual parts.
- Sheila goes to the comic book store every time she has extra cash.
All the time
You use all the time to emphasize the whole.
- Sheila goes to the comic book store all the time.
Practice
Quiz
INSTRUCTIONS: Choose every time or all the time to complete the sentences below. Remember to use appropriate capitalization if the word begins a sentence.
- __________________ we go out to eat, I pay the bill.
- __________________ I come home from work, my cat is waiting for me on the couch.
- You order pizza for dinner __________________ I visit.
- She drinks iced coffee __________________ .
- __________________ I click on a YouTube video, there is always an advertisement.
- He locks the door __________________ he goes outside.
- My dog is always barking. It barks __________________ .
- She gets sick __________________ she drinks milk.
- I don’t complain __________________ the food server makes a mistake.
- The weather in San Diego is very nice __________________.
