Which sentence shows correct parallel structure with 'either/or' and 'neither/nor'?

Which sentence shows correct parallel structure with 'either/or' and 'neither/nor'?

• A. Either you will study or you won't.
• B. Either you will study or you won't study.
• C. Neither the coach nor the players are confident.
• D. Neither the coach nor the players is confident.

Answer: (C)

The key idea is subject-verb agreement when using correlative pairs like neither/nor. With such pairs, the verb should agree with the subject closest to it. In this sentence, the nearer subject is “the players,” which is plural. So the verb should be plural: are. Saying “Neither the coach nor the players are confident” keeps the verb in agreement with the nearer plural subject, making it correct. Using “is confident” would mismatch the closer subject and break the agreement rule.

The key idea is subject-verb agreement when using correlative pairs like neither/nor. With such pairs, the verb should agree with the subject closest to it. In this sentence, the nearer subject is “the players,” which is plural. So the verb should be plural: are. Saying “Neither the coach nor the players are confident” keeps the verb in agreement with the nearer plural subject, making it correct. Using “is confident” would mismatch the closer subject and break the agreement rule.