You can go either <way> <of these ways>.

[Michaelll]

I'd like to ask you if each sentence in each of these pairs means the same thing (in relation to the other in the same pair)?

• 1a. I saw an accident this morning. One car drove into the back of another. Fortunately neither driver was injured.
• 2a. I saw an accident this morning. One car drove into the back of another. Fortunately neither of the(se) (two) drivers was injured.
  
  
• 1b. I went to Carl’s house twice, but both times he wasn’t at home.
• 2b. I went to Carl’s house twice, but both (of) the(se) (two) times he wasn’t at home.
  
  
• 1c. To get downtown, you can walk along the river or along the road. You can go either way.
• 2c. To get downtown, you can walk along the river or along the road. You can go either of the(se) (two) ways.

Are both ways of using 'neither', 'both', 'either' correct and natural?
1. 'neither', 'both' or 'either' + a singular countable noun.
2. 'neither', 'both' or 'either' + of + the(se) a plural countable noun.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'd like to ask you if each sentence in each of these pairs means the same thing (in relation to the other in the same pair)?

• 1a. I saw an accident this morning. One car drove into the back of another. Fortunately, neither driver was injured.
• 2a. I saw an accident this morning. One car drove into the back of another. Fortunately, neither of the(se) (two) drivers was injured.
  
  
• 1b. I went to Carl’s house twice, but both times he wasn’t at home.
• 2b. I went to Carl’s house twice, but both (of) the(se) (two) times he wasn’t at home.
  
  
• 1c. To get downtown, you can walk along the river or along the road. You can go either way.
• 2c. To get downtown, you can walk along the river or along the road. You can go either of the(se) (two) ways.

Are both ways of using 'neither', 'both', 'either' correct and natural?
1. 'neither', 'both' or 'either' + a singular countable noun.
2. 'neither', 'both' or 'either' + of + the(se) + a plural countable noun.

1a and 2a are grammatical and mean the same. 1a is more natural and likely.
1b and 2b are grammatical and mean the same. 1b is a lot more natural and likely.
1c and 2c are grammatical and mean the same. 1c is a lot more natural and likely.

 

[Tarheel]

One car hit another car.

I went to Carl's house twice, but he wasn't home either time.

 

[Michaelll]

• 1a. I saw an accident this morning. One car drove into the back of another. Fortunately neither driver was injured.
• 2a. I saw an accident this morning. One car drove into the back of another. Fortunately neither of the(se) (two) drivers was injured.

Are both ways of using 'neither' correct and natural?
1. 'neither' + a singular countable noun.
2. 'neither' + of + the(se) a plural countable noun.

1a and 2a are grammatical and mean the same. 1a is more natural and likely.

Thanks! So, with 'neither' the first way (out of the two shown above) is more natural.
Does the same apply to 'none' or is with 'none' the second way more natural or even the only correct?

1d. Neither restaurant we went to was expensive.
2d. Neither of the restaurants we went to was expensive.

1e. None restaurant we went to was expensive.
2e. None of the restaurants we went to was expensive.

1f. There were two shops in the street, but neither was open.
2f. There were two shops in the street, but neither of them was open.

1g. There were a few shops in the street, but none was open.
2g. There were a few shops in the street, but none of them was open.

 

[emsr2d2]

Thanks! So, with 'neither' the first way (out of the two shown above) is more natural.
Does the same apply to 'none' or is with 'none' the second way more natural or even the only correct way?

1d. Neither restaurant we went to was expensive.
2d. Neither of the restaurants we went to was expensive.

1e. None restaurant we went to was expensive.
2e. None of the restaurants we went to was expensive.

1f. There were two shops in the street, but neither was open.
2f. There were two shops in the street, but neither of them was open.

1g. There were a few shops in the street, but none was open. though many native speakers, including me, would use "were open".
2g. There were a few shops in the street, but none of them was open.

See above. The only outright wrong one is 1e. "None restaurant" is never correct.

 

[Michaelll]

The only outright wrong one is 1e. "None restaurant" is never correct.

But "Neither restaurant" is fine and even "more natural and likely" than "Neither of the restaurants". That's odd.

 

[5jj]

But "Neither restaurant" is fine and even "more natural and likely" than "Neither of the restaurants". That's odd.

No.

Neither (one) restaurant (nor the other).
Neither (one) of the (two) restaurants.

 

[Michaelll]

No.

What do you mean by 'no'?

Emsr2d2 told me that 1a is "more natural and likely" than 2a. It's what I wrote about in #6.

1a and 2a are grammatical and mean the same. 1a is more natural and likely.

• 1a. I saw an accident this morning. One car drove into the back of another. Fortunately, neither driver was injured. (more natural)
• 2a. I saw an accident this morning. One car drove into the back of another. Fortunately, neither of the drivers was injured. (less natural)
  
  
• 1h. I saw an accident this morning. One car drove into the back of two others. Fortunately, none driver was injured.
• 2h. I saw an accident this morning. One car drove into the back of two others. Fortunately, none of the drivers was injured.

See?

 

[5jj]

But "Neither restaurant" is fine and even "more natural and likely" than "Neither of the restaurants". That's odd.

I

What do you mean by 'no'?

I saw that you had highlighted the final -s of restaurants, and thought you were referring to that when you wrote 'That's odd'.

I responded 'No', meaning that it is not odd. I was mistaken.