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Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
both...and...
Why is this sentence not correct in Longman dictionary of common errors?
Both the husband and the wife aren't reliable.
Both the husband and the wife aren't reliable.
Top answer
" is redundant. Note that you could say, correctly: The husband and the wife aren't reliable. Both of them aren't reliable.
- " is redundant.
- Note that you could say, correctly: The husband and the wife aren't reliable.
- Both of them aren't reliable.
- ) They aren't reliable.
- ) Both people aren't reliable.
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2 Answers
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The problem with this is that you already have the word "and," which carries with it the sense of "both," thus, to say, "Both ____ and ____ aren't reliable." is redundant. Note that you could say, correctly:
The husband and the wife aren't reliable.
Both of them aren't reliable. (Where "them" is the husband and wife.)
They aren't reliable. (Where "they" is the
The husband and the wife aren't reliable.
Both of them aren't reliable. (Where "them" is the husband and wife.)
They aren't reliable. (Where "they" is the
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BOTH is not usually used in the negative. If you say, both of them haven't passed the examination, what do you mean? Neither of them passed or either of them passed? If two brothers have passed the examination, you can say Both of them have passed. If one of them has passed, you can say Either of them has passed. If they haven't passed, you can say Neither of them has passed. When there are only
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