Distributives in English Grammar: Neither/Neither ... nor

Distributives are words we use to describe how a group of people or things are divided or shared out. Some of the most common distributives in English are both, either, and neither. We use them to refer only to two things or people.

Neither

Rule 1: We use neither before singular nouns in the negative meaning not one and not the other in reference to two things.

Rule 2: We can use neither alone as a short answer to questions.

Rule 3: We must use neither of if it comes before an object pronoun (us, them, etc.) or a plural noun with a determiner (the, those, etc.).

Rule 4: We use neither followed by inverted word order neither + auxiliary + subject to express the idea of also not.

Note: We can also use the construction not … either to express the same idea.

Neither ... nor

Rule 5: We can use neither combined with the word nor to connect two things or people.