How & When to Use “Nor” vs. “Or”

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A complete guide to using “nor” properly for stronger writing
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Conjunctions like "nor" and "or" give you more options for joining two sentences or creating lists. However, it's often hard to determine which one to use in a sentence. While either/or are positive, the word "nor" is a negative conjunction, which means it's telling the reader something is missing. Typically, you'd use "nor" in a pair with the word "neither," but there are also a few other ways to use it. Read on to learn how to correctly use “nor” both with and without “neither.”

How to Use “Nor” in a Sentence

When you use “neither” to introduce the first of two alternatives in a sentence, use “nor” to introduce the second. For example, “Neither Jacob nor Emma played basketball last winter.” Alternately, use “nor” to introduce a second negative option after words like “never” and “not.”

Section 1 of 3:

Using "Nor" with "Neither"

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  1. Usually, "nor" follows "neither" in the same sentence listing two things that are not present, as in "neither A nor B ." Together, this neither/nor structure forms what is known as a correlative conjunctive pair, or a two-part conjunction that connects words or phrases that carry equal weight. [1] The information the first term “neither” introduces is connected or related to the information the other “nor” introduces.
    • The two terms are used when discussing actions or listing nouns. For instance, "He neither listens to music nor plays it," or "Alex likes neither candy nor cake."
    • "Neither” can also start a sentence. For example, “Neither Sarah nor Jim can make it to the party on Saturday.”
    • This negative conjunctive pair is also used to list words that describe actions or nouns negatively. For example, “He is neither large nor small,” or “The plane flew neither above nor below the clouds, but directly through them.”
    • On the other hand, either/or shows when something does occur. For example, "Alex wants either candy or cake." Notice how this sentence tells us that Alex likes both of these things and will eat either. The neither/nor sentence told us that Alex doesn't like either one.
  2. Typically, the neither/nor structure is used when drawing a negative connection between two objects, actions, or descriptions. When discussing more than two ideas, repeat the word "nor" after each item. This rhetorical technique is called polysyndeton and is used to make the reader slow down and pay closer attention to the words. [2]
    • Note that "neither" is only used once, no matter how often you use "nor."
    • When using polysyndeton, do not separate the items in your list by commas.
    • Correct example: "The store had neither peanut butter nor jelly nor bread.
    • Incorrect example: "The store had neither peanut butter, nor jelly, nor bread."
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  3. Parallel structure is when the information described in both halves of the phrase matches. [3] This means when you use "neither" with an action verb, "nor" must also be used with an action, not a noun or description – or vice versa. Both parts of the conjunctive pair must introduce a verb, a noun, or a description.
    • Correct example: "We saw neither Gwen nor Eric during our trip.
    • Correct example: "We neither saw Gwen nor spoke to Eric during our trip."
    • Correct example: “During our trip, Gwen and Eric spoke neither quietly nor quickly.”
    • Incorrect example: "We neither saw Gwen nor Eric during our trip."
  4. The terms “either” and “neither” are used in similar ways, but “either” is positive while “neither” is negative. [4] To use the words as correlative conjunctions, pair the negative “neither” with the negative “nor” and the positive “either” with the positive “or.”
    • Just as “neither” is always paired with “nor,” “either” is always paired with “or.”
    • Correct example: "Neither James nor Rebecca is interested in basketball.”
    • Correct example: "Either eat your vegetables or skip your dessert.”
    • Incorrect example: “I neither know the rules of the game or care to know.”
    • Incorrect example: “I will either go to the library nor take a nap.”
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Section 2 of 3:

Using "Nor" Without "Neither"

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  1. Even though "nor" is almost always used after "neither," you can use it with other negative expressions and still form grammatically correct phrases and sentences. [5]
    • For example, "The final guest is not here, nor should we wait for her before we start the festivities," or "He has never gone fishing, nor does he have any desire to learn."
  2. When listing more than two objects or actions, separate each item in the list by a comma and precede the final one with “nor.” Do not introduce each separate item in the list with “nor.”
    • When used with “neither,” you must say “nor” before each item in a list. When used without “neither,” you should only use “nor” once.
    • Correct example: He has never experienced joy, sadness, nor anger with such passion before.”
    • Incorrect example: He has never experienced joy nor sadness nor anger with such passion before.”
  3. There are times when a negative mood in a sentence should be followed through with "or" instead of "nor." However, if the second part of the negative is a verb phrase or action, then "nor" is correct. [6]
    • If the second part of the negative is a noun, adjective, or adverb phrase, however, the initial negative will carry through the rest of the sentence, making "nor" redundant. In these instances, "or" should be used instead.
    • Correct example: "He never comes to practice, nor does he listen to the coach."
    • Correct example: "She does not enjoy music or art."
    • Incorrect example: "She does not enjoy music nor art."
  4. As a negative conjunction, "nor" is almost always used to connect two thoughts or items in a sentence with an established negative tense. You can technically use "nor" without any other negative term to express a positive thought, but this is rarely done outside of literary or rhetorical writing. [7]
    • Using "nor" alone will usually seem stiff and unnatural. Since using it without “neither” or another negative is so rare, many will also think that you are using "nor" improperly.
    • Even though there is no negative element within the sentence, you still need to make sure the idea expressed after "nor" connects to the idea described before it in a sensible manner.
    • Example: "The report was done on time, nor does it appear to contain any mistakes."
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Section 3 of 3:

Following Grammar Rules with “Nor”

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  1. A singular noun requires a singular verb, while a plural noun requires a plural verb. Otherwise, they won't be in agreement. [8]
    • Correct example: "Neither Marie nor Jorge is going to the movies."
    • Correct example: "Neither cats nor dogs are allowed at the hotel."
    • Incorrect example: “Neither Marie nor Jorge are going to the movies.”
    • Incorrect example: “Neither cats nor dogs is allowed at the hotel.”
  2. Sometimes, a singular verb is paired with a plural verb in the same sequence. Look at the noun closest to the verb (usually the noun following "nor") to determine the tense. If this noun is plural, make your verb plural. If it is singular, make the verb singular. [9]
    • If you're in doubt, read only the second noun and verb aloud to see if they sound right.
    • Incorrect example: "Neither they nor he are interested."
    • Correct example: "Neither they nor he is interested."
    • Incorrect example: "Neither he nor they is interested."
    • Correct example: "Neither he nor they are interested."
  3. As with any independent clause that begins with a coordinating conjunction, use a comma in front of “nor.” Coordinating conjunctions are and, but, yet, so, or, nor, and for. [10] When “nor” begins a dependent clause, no comma is necessary. Similarly, a comma is unnecessary if “nor” is only used to draw a relationship between two nouns. However, if it begins an independent clause, you should place a comma before the “nor.”
    • A dependent clause is a sentence fragment that relies on the rest of the sentence to be complete. An independent clause contains both a subject and a verb and as a result, it could be separated from the rest of the sentence and still stand on its own.
    • Correct example: “No one knew the answer, nor did they make a guess.”
    • Incorrect example: “No one knew the answer nor did they make a guess.”
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  • Question
    The dogs nor the cat goes to the store. Is this grammatically correct? If not, can you explain why.
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.
    Christopher Taylor, PhD
    English Professor
    Expert Answer
    To make your sentence grammatically correct, add "neither" to the beginning of the sentence. You'd write it like this: "Neither the dogs nor the cat goes to the store." You need both parts of the correlative pair neither/nor in order for your sentence to be grammatically correct.
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  • Question
    Is the sentence "no other venue could be more romantic, nor more peaceful" correct?
    Community Answer
    Use a comma plus 'nor' with an independant clause. For example, "No other venue could be more romantic, nor could it be more peaceful." You can also use the following: "Another venue could not be more romantic, nor more peaceful."
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  • Question
    Can I say, "there was no water nor fresh air"?
    Donagan
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    "There was no water or fresh air." You could say, "there was neither water nor fresh air."
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/sites/default/files/2023-03/CorrelativeConjunctionsTipSheet.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.uhv.edu/curriculum-student-achievement/student-success/student-resources/e-p/polysyndeton-and-asyndeton/
      3. ↑ https://www.menlo.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/PARALLEL_STRUCTURE.pdf
      4. ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/either-or
      5. ↑ https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/nor
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/MZfCQkU7nK0?t=185
      7. ↑ https://myenglishgrammar.com/lessons/using-nor-without-neither/
      8. ↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/grammar/subjectverbagreement
      9. ↑ https://www.nova.edu/tutoring-testing/study-resources/forms/subject-verb-agreement.pdf
      1. ↑ https://east.iu.edu/student-success/coursework/commas.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To use “nor,” typically you’d have it follow “neither” in a sentence that draws a negative connection between 2 objects or actions. For example, “He neither listens to music nor plays it.” You can also you “nor” multiple times in a list, as in “The store had neither peanut butter nor jelly nor bread.” Although “nor” is often used with “neither,” it can be used with other negative expressions, like “He has never gone fishing, nor does he have any interest to learn.” To learn how to keep your “neither” and “nor” sentences parallel, keep reading!

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