Page 382 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

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Which one do you want? - Neither. pronunciation
In British English. neither can be pronounced both I'naIOa(r)/ and /,ni:Oa(r)/. In American English. the usual pronunciation is /,ni:Oar/.
neither ... nor
This structure is used to join two negative ideas. (It is the opposite of both . .. and.) It is usually rather formal.
I neither smoke nor drink. (less formal: I don't smoke or drink.)
The film was neither well made nor well acted.
Sometimes more than two ideas are connected by neither. . . nor.
He neither smiled, spoke. nor looked at me.
Neither cannot begin a complete clause in this structure.
He neither smiled . .. nor ... (BUT NOT ....reithet' he smiktl . ..)
When singular subjects are connected by neither. . . nor, the verb is normally singular, but it can be plural in a less formal style.
Neither James nor Virginia was at home. (normal) Neither James nor Virginia were at home. (less formal)
See also botll ... and (Ill) and eitller ... or (175). For not . .. or and not . .. nor, see 370.5.
neither, nor and not ... either neither and nor
We can use neither and nor as adverbs to mean 'also not'. Neither and nor come at the beginning of a clause, and are followed by inverted word order (see 302-303): auxiliary verb + subject.
I can't swim. -Neither/nor can 1. (NOT {als6 can't.)
Ruth didn't tum up, and neitherlnordidKate. (NOT ••• antlKate tJitIn'ttBB.) In American English, nor is not normally used after and.
not either
We can also use not . .. either with the same meaning and normal word order. I can't swim. - I can't either.
Ruth didn't tum up, and Kate didn't either.
In very informal speech, me neither (and occasionally me either, especially in ArnE) can be used instead of I .. .n't either.
I can't swim. -M e neither.
one negative
Only one negative word (not or neither) is necessary to give a negative meaning.
Neither did Kate OR Kate didn't either. (NOT Neither tJitIn't Kate OR Kttte tiitln't neither)
For the pronunciation of neither, see 372. For neither . .. nor, see 373.
For other uses of either, see 174-175. For not .•. or and not . . . nor, see 370-375. For$0 amI,sodoIetc,see541.
For the difference between too/also and either in negative sentences, see 47.
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