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Englsh Speaking Friends- I need your help

by zonkow
5 replies
The question isn't about marketing, I know but I couldn't find a better place to ask.
One of my students has asked me a couple of questions from a text book about the use of "nor" which I'm very confused.
The questions are:

1.)Alex:__________
George: Nor was I
a. I went to the zoo
b. We were at home last night
c. Steven wasn't at the party last weekend
d. Sue has never gone out at night

2) Alex: We won't go to Paris by train.
George:___________
a) I won't too
b) so will I
c) Neither won't I
d) Nor will I

What are the right choices for the dialogues and why?
Thanks for your help
#englsh #friends #speaking
  • Profile picture of the author Richard Van
    1 - C

    2 - D

    English is a very weird lingo at times. All I can really say is that the other options are simply wrong.

    Have I just done your homework for you?
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  • Profile picture of the author cyberdad
    If you can remember either/or and neither/nor, you will pretty much have it.
    If you can use either (either this or that) then you would use or.
    If you can use neither (neither this nor that) then you would use nor.
    This may be a difficult concept for someone who is using English as a second language, but console yourself that even native English speakers have difficulty with this.

    HTH

    Dave
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    • Profile picture of the author Richard Van
      Originally Posted by cyberdad View Post

      but console yourself that even native English speakers have difficulty with this.

      HTH

      Dave
      Exactly Dave.

      How do you explain to someone who has English as a second language the reasons for the different sounds made by the following words which all end in "ough"...

      Though - and why does throw have a similar sound?
      Through
      Bough
      Borough
      Cough
      Tough etc etc.

      I always find that completely weird.
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  • Profile picture of the author OldLodgeSkins
    I agree with Richard.
    "Nor" or "neither" are negations that reply to a negation.
    So for example "neither won't I" can't be correct because you'd have two negations one after another.

    If we take them all in order:

    #1 - the reply uses "nor" which means the original sentence must be negative.
    a. I went to the zoo => positive.
    b. We were at home last night => positive.
    c. Steven wasn't at the party last weekend => negative.
    d. Sue has never gone out at night => negative.

    So at that point, c or d would do.
    Now I can't explain why but I feel that d would go better with "neither". Which leaves us with c.

    #2 - We won't go to Paris by train.
    a) I won't too => the correct sentence here would be "I won't either".
    b) so will I => Alex won't go, so either you're doing the same (you won't) or you're doing the opposite (in which case you can't use "so" which implies you're doing the same thing as him).
    c) Neither won't I => two negations one after another.
    d) Nor will I => This is the only valid choice.

    Hope this helps.

    Seb.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    or + not = nor

    1. c

    2. d
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