. . . and leaves with neither acknowledging his presence.

[shootingstar]

(William is living with the Finches during his training as an embalmer at the Thames embalming company. He is coming into contact with their daughter Gloria.)

She (Gloria) is waiting in the galley kitchen doorway with a tray holding two cups and a plate of biscuits. 'Take this to Mum and Dad, and then we can have ours in here. They're watching Armchair Theatre, and no one's allowed to speak, or Dad loses track.'
William takes the tray from the attractive young woman he thinks is roughly the same age as him., catching his thumb between her fingers as she hands it over. The silvery TV light reflects off Mr and Mrs Finch's spectacles. He gently puts the tray on the small table in between their two seats and leaves with neither acknowledging his presence.
'Thank you, William,' Mr Finch shouts, making him jump in the doorway.
'Yes, thank yoooou,' sings Mrs Finch.
'My pleasure,' shouts back William. 'What's so funny?' he says to Gloria.
'You're very polite.' She smiles, . . .

(From A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe, Part III Family Business, chapter 34)

What does "with neither acknowledging" mean there? Who isn't acknowledging his presence - he himself or the Finches? I take "neither" to be the adverb there.

 

[5jj]

Neither Mr nor Mrs Finch acknowledges William's presence.

 

[emsr2d2]

William is living with the Finches during his training as an embalmer at the Thames Embalming Company.

Note the correct way to capitalise a company name.

He is coming into contact with their daughter Gloria.

I'm not sure what you mean by this, even with my correction to the preposition. Do you mean he's meeting her for the first time when they have this conversation?

 

[shootingstar]

I'm not sure what you mean by this, even with my correction to the preposition. Do you mean he's meeting her for the
first time when they have this conversation.

Yes, that's what I want to say. It's a bit odd but it's true. Later on she is introducing herself.

Note the correct way to capitalise a company name.

Thames embalming company isn't the company name. Its company name is Thames College of Embalming.

There remains the question whether "neither" is the adverb or the pronoun there. I now think it's the pronoun, right?

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes, that's what I want to say. It's a bit odd but it's true. Later on, she is introducing introduces herself.

In that case, in your opening part, say "He comes into contact with their daughter, Gloria, for the first time".

Thames embalming company isn't the company name. Its company name is Thames College of Embalming.

Use the official name of the college.

 

[5jj]

There remains the question whether "neither" is the adverb or the pronoun there. I now think it's the pronoun, right?

It's a pronoun in the original sentence.

 

[shootingstar]

In that case, in your opening part, say "He comes into contact with their daughter, Gloria, for the first time".

Please, can you explain to me why the present continuous on its own doesn't work in that case?
Can I say "Later on, she will introduce herself" in this context?

 

[emsr2d2]

Please no comma here can you explain to me why the present continuous on its own doesn't work in that case?
Can I say "Later on, she will introduce herself" in this context?

You can.

 

[jutfrank]

Please, can you explain to me why the present continuous on its own doesn't work in that case?

There's no reason to use the continuous here. To say what happens in a narrative, such as when talking about the plot of a novel, the present simple is the tense to use. It's a typical German-speaker's error to use the present continuous for this.

Can I say "Later on, she will introduce herself" in this context?

You don't need 'will' to express that something happens at a relative future point. Stay with the present simple to describe everything in the story, regardless of when it happens.