either

The word "either" indicates one or another thing or person. A choice is offered and a person picks one, or there are two choices of equal value:

• You can use either a blue pen or a black pen on the test.
• You can use either one.
• The students are either interested or bored during the day. It depends on the class they’re taking.
• Tom’s flight is leaving at either 1:00 or 1:30. I’m not sure when.
• Cindy either loves or hates her job. Some days are great while other days are terrible.
• We can order either Chinese food or pizza.
• Either one is okay.
• The children were offered either spinach or broccoli with their meal.
• Either choice looked bad.
• Neither choice was good. (The negative form of "either" is "neither.")

The word "either" often appears at the end of a sentence when negative verbs are used to show a similarity:

• He didn’t like the movie, and she didn’t either.
• I don’t have much time, and they don’t either.
• You don’t have to work today, and I don’t either.
• You don’t have to work today, and neither do I. (The negative form of "either" is "neither.")

To learn more about the use of "either," go to Orange Level Lesson Seventeen.

Note: There are two different ways to pronounce this word. Either one is okay.

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First published on May 29, 2013.