Episode 68: Both Sides, Neither Option

both/either/neither — King Solomon, 950 BC (B1-B2)

Grammar Box

Meaning: “Both” = the two together, “either” = one or the other (choice between two), “neither” = not this one and not that one (both excluded).

Form: Both + plural verb (“Both are”). Either/Neither + singular verb (“Either is,” “Neither was”). Can use “of”: “both of them,” “either of us,” “neither of the options.”

Example 1: “Both solutions have advantages, but neither is perfect for every situation.” (Two solutions exist; neither solves everything.)

Example 2: “You can choose either path — both lead to the same destination eventually.” (Two paths; pick one; they both work.)

Common mistake: Wrong: “Neither of them are ready.” Better: “Neither of them is ready.” (Neither takes singular verb despite plural “them.”)

The Challenge

Luna puzzled over a sentence. “Professor, why do people say ‘neither is correct’ with singular but ‘both are correct’ with plural? They’re both talking about two things!”

The watch glowed with ancient wisdom. Professor Wisdom appeared with a thoughtful expression. “Ah, the grammar of twos. Sometimes the most difficult choices involve neither clear right nor wrong answer, yet both options seem impossible. Let me show you the wisest king who ever faced such a dilemma.”

The Journey

Jerusalem, around 950 BC. King Solomon’s throne room where two women stood before him, both claiming to be the mother of a single living infant, both insisting the dead baby belonged to the other woman. The case had come to Solomon because neither local judge could determine the truth, and both women presented equally passionate claims. Either could be telling the truth; neither had witnesses to support her story.

This was Solomon, a king whose wisdom had become legendary throughout the ancient world. He had inherited a kingdom from his father David, but neither military might nor inherited authority could solve this particular problem. Both women were poor, living together in the same house where both babies had been born. Either woman could have accidentally rolled onto her infant during sleep, causing the tragedy; neither wanted to admit guilt.

He faced a dilemma that seemed impossible. Neither woman would confess to having the dead child. Both claimed the living baby with equal conviction. Either he could give the child to the first woman, or he could give it to the second — but neither choice seemed just without knowing the truth. Both mothers’ tears appeared genuine; neither showed obvious signs of lying.

Then Solomon did something that shocked everyone present. “Bring me a sword,” he commanded. “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one woman and half to the other. Since neither will yield her claim, both shall receive equal portions.”

The throne room fell silent. Both women gasped, but their reactions revealed everything. The first woman cried out immediately: “Please, my lord, give her the living child! Don’t kill him!” The second woman nodded coldly: “Neither she nor I shall have him. Cut him in half.” In that moment, neither judge nor king needed further proof.

The air smelled of incense and tension, of marble halls where justice and wisdom met. You could hear both women’s breathing, the rustle of courtiers leaning forward to witness this judgment, the baby’s innocent cooing unaware that both his survival and his mother’s identity hung in balance. Solomon’s voice, calm and certain, announced what everyone now understood: the first woman was the true mother because neither fear of losing the case nor pride mattered more to her than the child’s life.

The Deep Dive

Both emphasizes the two together as a unit, taking plural verbs: “Both options are expensive,” “Both of them were present.” It means you’re considering two things jointly. Either presents a choice between two alternatives, taking singular verbs: “Either option is acceptable,” “Either of them is qualified.” It means one or the other, not both simultaneously.

Neither is negative, meaning “not one and not the other,” but it takes singular verbs: “Neither choice is ideal,” “Neither of the proposals was approved.” This confuses learners because it refers to two things but grammatically treats them as singular. Think of it as “not either” — if “either is” then “neither is,” not “neither are.”

You can use these words alone or with “of”: “Both students passed” or “Both of the students passed.” With “either” and “neither,” you can create correlative structures: “Either you apologize, or I leave” and “Neither rain nor snow stops the mail.” In questions and negatives, we often use “either” instead of “too”: “I don’t like it either” (not “I don’t like it too”).

More Examples

History: “Both world wars devastated Europe, but neither conflict taught humanity enough to prevent future violence.”

Science: “Either theory could explain the data, though neither accounts for all the anomalies we’ve observed in recent experiments.”

Everyday: “I tried both restaurants, but neither impressed me enough to recommend to friends visiting the city.”

Formal: “Both candidates possess excellent qualifications; either would serve the position well, though neither has experience in our specific industry sector.”

Informal: “I asked both of my roommates, but neither knows where the package went — either it’s lost or someone else took it.”

Contrast: “Both are correct” (two things, both valid) vs. “Either is correct” (two options, pick one) vs. “Neither is correct” (two options, both wrong).

Practice & Reflection

Exercises:

1. Fill in the blank: “_ of the women was telling the whole truth, but ___ loved the child enough to sacrifice her claim.”

2. Correct the mistake: “Neither of the solutions are perfect, but both of them deserves consideration.”

3. Choose and explain: Which is grammatically correct?
   a) “Either choice are acceptable to me.”
   b) “Either choice is acceptable to me.”

4. Rewrite: Combine these into one sentence using “both…and…”: “The first woman showed compassion. The first woman showed wisdom.”

5. Compare: What’s the difference in meaning? “Both students failed” vs. “Neither student passed.”

6. Your reflection: Describe a difficult choice you faced using either, neither, or both to explain the options.

Answer Key:
1. Neither… one (or possibly “Both… one” — neither told complete truth initially, but one proved her love)
2. “Neither… is perfect, but both… deserve” (neither = singular, both = plural)
3. (b) is correct — either takes singular verb “is”
4. “The first woman showed both compassion and wisdom” (both…and… links two qualities)
5. Same outcome, different emphasis — first emphasizes the two together, second emphasizes each one individually as not passing
6. Check: Does either/neither use singular verb? Does both use plural verb?

The Lesson

Luna wrote thoughtfully. “Solomon faced a choice where neither option seemed right, but both women claimed the truth. His wisdom revealed which claim was real.”

“Exactly,” Professor Wisdom said. “The genius was understanding that both women said they wanted the child, but neither true mother would let harm come to him regardless of the cost to herself. Either he could judge based on words, or he could create a test based on love. He chose neither conventional approach but instead created a third option.”

“So sometimes ‘neither’ opens the door to finding a better solution?” Luna asked.

“Precisely. When both available choices seem inadequate, and neither conventional option works, wisdom often requires creating a third path. Solomon understood this. Both women couldn’t be the mother. Either he could guess, or he could be certain. He chose neither, and instead revealed the truth through wisdom that still teaches us millennia later.”