0
Mr. Tom Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Can neither be used to describe many?

Hi

Can the word "neither" be used to describe "some" or "a couple"?

We saw a couple of houses but neither was really what we wanted

Thanks,

Tom
  

Top answer

We saw a couple of houses but neither was really what we wanted. "Neither' is used in relation to 'a couple' (two). If there are more than two houses, use 'None'.

— Yoong Liat

  • We saw a couple of houses but neither was really what we wanted.
  • "Neither' is used in relation to 'a couple' (two).
  • If there are more than two houses, use 'None'.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

4 Answers
0
We saw a couple of houses but neither was really what we wanted.

"Neither' is used in relation to 'a couple' (two). If there are more than two houses, use 'None'.
0
0
Thanks!

...but does the sentence really mean that the writer saw only two houses? I felt from "a couple of houses" that the writer saw more than two houses.

Tom
0
0
Mr. TomThanks!...but does the sentence really mean that the writer saw only two houses? I felt from "a couple of houses" that the writer saw more than two houses.Tom
'Couple' can mean 'a pair'. Informally, it can mean 'a few'. See the following definitions.

To prevent ambiguity, I suggest the sentence be rephrased as follows:

We saw two
0
0
Mr. Tom..but does the sentence really mean that the writer saw only two houses? I felt from "a couple of houses" that the writer saw more than two houses.Tom
If the writer has used the word 'neither', then s/he saw only two houses.
0

Related Questions