ANSWER: When do you use "nor" versus "or"?
When do you use "nor" versus "or"?
With examples from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
It can be difficult to determine whether to use nor versus or, especially since both words are used to group two objects in a sentence. But the best way to choose the correct one is to remember that nor always conveys a negative message.
Neither Cameron nor John saw the car until it was nearly upon them. "Watch out," John yelled as he grabbed the handle above his head and braced his feet on the dashboard.
They didn't wait for the inevitable explosion, nor did they say a word.
Here are some examples of the usage of the word or to convey the opposite:
The road was blocked, but John knew he didn't have a choice. It was either do or die, so he put the car in gear and drove straight through the barrier.
"We can do this," Sarah said, more to herself than to the others. "We blow it up or we destroy it another way." She turned her gaze to her companions and added confidently. "We have to do this."
You can also use these words to link the objects over the space of two sentences, and don't be afraid to begin a sentence with either one of the words:
"It's not going to happen," Reese said in a snarl. "Nor will you even try to defy me on this."
Sarah watched as her son turned his back on her and walked out the door. She let him go. It was either that or drag him back for another argument.
Verb Usage: Plural or singular?
There are two objects being grouped together in a sentence, so that must mean the verb has to be plural, right? Well, no. That's not entirely correct. The verb is only plural if at least one of the objects is plural:
Neither John nor his friends were in danger of getting anything done.
It was inevitable, Cameron realized. There was no way around the fact that it would either be she or the Connors who were going to be hurt.
When both objects are singular, the verb is singular:
Neither Sarah nor John was willing to go back into that building, but somebody had to do it.
"It is either going to be you or me," Sarah said as John geared up for an argument. "And we both know it will be me going out there. You are much more valuable to the cause."
Beware the Double Negative
As was discussed in this entry at fandom_grammar, double negatives aren't always a good thing and should be avoided as much as possible. The same goes for using nor with another negative word. Take the following versions of the same sentence, for example:
Even though Reese told him specifically where to find them, John still did not find neither the shotgun nor the grenades.
Even though Reese told him specifically where to find them, John still did not find either the shotgun or the grenades.
Can you see how the first sentence is considered a double negative? Two negative words in the same sentence usually make a positive statement, which is not what we want to convey.
And a final thought on this subject:
It should also be said that nor is usually paired with the word neither, while or is sometimes paired with either, but it's not a requirement for either one. And for the record, you should never mix them up. In other words, only use neither with nor or either with or.
With examples from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
It can be difficult to determine whether to use nor versus or, especially since both words are used to group two objects in a sentence. But the best way to choose the correct one is to remember that nor always conveys a negative message.
Neither Cameron nor John saw the car until it was nearly upon them. "Watch out," John yelled as he grabbed the handle above his head and braced his feet on the dashboard.
They didn't wait for the inevitable explosion, nor did they say a word.
Here are some examples of the usage of the word or to convey the opposite:
The road was blocked, but John knew he didn't have a choice. It was either do or die, so he put the car in gear and drove straight through the barrier.
"We can do this," Sarah said, more to herself than to the others. "We blow it up or we destroy it another way." She turned her gaze to her companions and added confidently. "We have to do this."
You can also use these words to link the objects over the space of two sentences, and don't be afraid to begin a sentence with either one of the words:
"It's not going to happen," Reese said in a snarl. "Nor will you even try to defy me on this."
Sarah watched as her son turned his back on her and walked out the door. She let him go. It was either that or drag him back for another argument.
Verb Usage: Plural or singular?
There are two objects being grouped together in a sentence, so that must mean the verb has to be plural, right? Well, no. That's not entirely correct. The verb is only plural if at least one of the objects is plural:
Neither John nor his friends were in danger of getting anything done.
It was inevitable, Cameron realized. There was no way around the fact that it would either be she or the Connors who were going to be hurt.
When both objects are singular, the verb is singular:
Neither Sarah nor John was willing to go back into that building, but somebody had to do it.
"It is either going to be you or me," Sarah said as John geared up for an argument. "And we both know it will be me going out there. You are much more valuable to the cause."
Beware the Double Negative
As was discussed in this entry at fandom_grammar, double negatives aren't always a good thing and should be avoided as much as possible. The same goes for using nor with another negative word. Take the following versions of the same sentence, for example:
Even though Reese told him specifically where to find them, John still did not find neither the shotgun nor the grenades.
Even though Reese told him specifically where to find them, John still did not find either the shotgun or the grenades.
Can you see how the first sentence is considered a double negative? Two negative words in the same sentence usually make a positive statement, which is not what we want to convey.
And a final thought on this subject:
It should also be said that nor is usually paired with the word neither, while or is sometimes paired with either, but it's not a requirement for either one. And for the record, you should never mix them up. In other words, only use neither with nor or either with or.