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Old Eladio Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
Either vs Each vs Both
Could anyone help me on this, please?
Longman dictionary gives the following two examples of the use of “either” for one and the other of two things:
1) He sat in the back of the car with a cop on either side.
2) There are shops at either end of the street.
Can I say?
3) He sat in the back of the car with a cop on each side.
4) There are shops at each end of the street.
5) He sat in the back of the car with a cop (cops?) on both sides.
6) There are shops at both ends of the street.
Thank you in advance,
Eladio
Longman dictionary gives the following two examples of the use of “either” for one and the other of two things:
1) He sat in the back of the car with a cop on either side.
2) There are shops at either end of the street.
Can I say?
3) He sat in the back of the car with a cop on each side.
4) There are shops at each end of the street.
5) He sat in the back of the car with a cop (cops?) on both sides.
6) There are shops at both ends of the street.
Thank you in advance,
Eladio
Top answer
I'll say all your sentences are basically grammaticall fine. But each one paints a slightly different picture. I do have a uestion with # 1.
- I'll say all your sentences are basically grammaticall fine.
- But each one paints a slightly different picture.
- I do have a uestion with # 1.
- "Either" implies one or the other, as in "you can either have the apple or orange".
- " had me scratching my head for a few minutes.
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16 Answers
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I'll say all your sentences are basically grammaticall fine. But each one paints a slightly different picture.
I do have a uestion with # 1. "Either" implies one or the other, as in "you can either have the apple or orange". "with a cop on either side......" had me scratching my head for a few minutes. Do you mean a cop on each side?
I do have a uestion with # 1. "Either" implies one or the other, as in "you can either have the apple or orange". "with a cop on either side......" had me scratching my head for a few minutes. Do you mean a cop on each side?
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Goodman
I'll say all your sentences are basically grammaticall fine. But each one paints a slightly different picture.
I do have a uestion with # 1. "Either" implies one or the other, as in "you can either have the apple or orange". "with a cop on either side......" had me scratching my head for a few minutes. Do you mean a c
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Thank you Goodman and Diamondrg. So, if I understood well, yes, I can say:
3) He sat in the back of the car with a cop on each side. (=on either side)
4) There are shops at each end of the street. (on either end)
5) He sat in the back of the car with a cops (NOT cop, is that right?) on both sides.
6) There are shops
3) He sat in the back of the car with a cop on each side. (=on either side)
4) There are shops at each end of the street. (on either end)
5) He sat in the back of the car with a cops (NOT cop, is that right?) on both sides.
6) There are shops
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Thank you Goodman and Diamondrg. So, if I understood well, yes, I can say:
3) He sat in the back of the car with a cop on each side. (=on either side)
4) There are shops at each end of the street. (on either end)
5) He sat in the back of the car with cops (NOT cop, is that right?) on both sides.
6) There are shops at
3) He sat in the back of the car with a cop on each side. (=on either side)
4) There are shops at each end of the street. (on either end)
5) He sat in the back of the car with cops (NOT cop, is that right?) on both sides.
6) There are shops at
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5) He sat in the back of the car with cops (NOT cop, is that right?) on both sides.
Yes, that's right. If you said "with a cop on both sides" the meaning is a single cop who is so fat that he is simultaneously on both sides of him!
Yes, that's right. If you said "with a cop on both sides" the meaning is a single cop who is so fat that he is simultaneously on both sides of him!
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You are, of course, free to answer questions that were asked four years ago, but I don't think the person who asked the question is around anymore to profit from your answer. You might note that the time passed since each response was posted is shown, a fact that is not always obvious to our visitors to this forum.
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Anonymous5) Yes, that's right. If you said "with a cop on both sides" the meaning is a single cop who is so fat that he is simultaneously on both sides of him!
I don't think anyone would think it means that.
"with cops on both sides" can be taken to mean at least two cops on (each)(either) side.
'with a
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CalifJimYou might note that the time passed since each response was posted is shown, a fact that is not always obvious to our visitors to this forum.Perhaps that's because the date isn't displayed. I'm not seeing it in my own browser, at any rate.
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@CJ
Don't forget, the majority of people's help here remains on the internet, helping many others as it ages. Major contributors such as yourselves have view numbers in the millions. That one person who originally posted represents thousands; not just him/herself.
Ie: Time isn't as relevant as you might think on a BBS
Don't forget, the majority of people's help here remains on the internet, helping many others as it ages. Major contributors such as yourselves have view numbers in the millions. That one person who originally posted represents thousands; not just him/herself.
Ie: Time isn't as relevant as you might think on a BBS
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hitchhikerDon't forget, the majority ...Then if it's essentially irrelevant, why do we show the date and time at all?
CJ
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