Pariksha SaathiCorrelative Conjunctions Solved Questions
Correlative conjunctions come as fixed pairs — either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also — and the two most common errors are mixing the pair (either...nor) or breaking the parallel structure after each half. Here’s the approach, six fully worked examples, and a few to try yourself.
Written by Mahesh Srivastava, Founder of Pariksha Saathi. Published: 2026-10-05. Editorial standards & corrections
The approach, quickly
- The pairs are fixed and never mixed: "either" always pairs with "or"; "neither" always pairs with "nor" — never "either...nor" or "neither...or."
- What follows each half of the pair must be grammatically parallel — the same part of speech or structure both times: "either lazy or foolish" (adjective, adjective), not "either lazy or he is foolish" (adjective, clause).
- "Not only...but also" keeps "also" attached to "but" — don’t strand it at the end of the sentence instead.
- "Both...and" always takes a plural verb, since it’s joining two things as a combined subject: "Both my sister and my brother ARE doctors," not "is."
- "No sooner...than" and "scarcely/hardly...when" are also fixed correlative pairs, and both conventionally invert the subject and auxiliary in the first clause: "No sooner had he reached home than it started raining," not "he had reached home."
Worked examples
1. Choose the correct sentence: (A) He is either lazy or he is foolish. (B) He is either lazy or foolish.
Solution
- "Either...or" needs parallel structure on both sides — "lazy" and "foolish" are both adjectives in (B), while (A) breaks parallelism by switching to a full clause after "or."
Answer: (B) He is either lazy or foolish.
2. Choose the correct sentence: (A) She neither called nor she messaged. (B) She neither called nor messaged.
Solution
- "Neither...nor" needs parallel structure — (B) keeps both sides as plain verbs ("called," "messaged"), while (A) breaks parallelism by repeating the subject "she" after "nor."
Answer: (B) She neither called nor messaged.
3. Choose the correct sentence: (A) He is not only intelligent but also hardworking. (B) He is not only intelligent but hardworking also.
Solution
- "Not only...but also" is a fixed pair — "also" belongs directly after "but," as in (A), not stranded at the end of the sentence as in (B).
Answer: (A) He is not only intelligent but also hardworking.
4. Choose the correct sentence: (A) Either you apologize or you leave. (B) Either you apologize nor you leave.
Solution
- "Either" must pair with "or," never "nor" — "neither" is the one that pairs with "nor." (A) is correct.
Answer: (A) Either you apologize or you leave.
5. Choose the correct sentence: (A) No sooner he reached home than it started raining. (B) No sooner had he reached home than it started raining.
Solution
- "No sooner" requires the subject and auxiliary to invert in the first clause ("had he reached"), not stay in normal order — (B) is correct.
Answer: (B) No sooner had he reached home than it started raining.
6. Choose the correct sentence: (A) Hardly had the movie started when the power went off. (B) Hardly the movie had started when the power went off.
Solution
- "Hardly" also requires inversion in its clause ("had the movie started"), which (A) follows correctly and (B) does not.
Answer: (A) Hardly had the movie started when the power went off.
Try these yourself
Check the pairing, the parallel structure on both sides, and whether inversion is required, then check against the answer.
1. Choose the correct sentence: (A) Neither the teacher or the students were present. (B) Neither the teacher nor the students were present.
Answer: (B) Neither the teacher nor the students were present.
2. Choose the correct sentence: (A) Both my sister and my brother is doctors. (B) Both my sister and my brother are doctors.
Answer: (B) Both my sister and my brother are doctors.
3. Choose the correct sentence: (A) The book is both informative and it is entertaining. (B) The book is both informative and entertaining.
Answer: (B) The book is both informative and entertaining.
4. Choose the correct sentence: (A) No sooner did she see the snake than she screamed. (B) No sooner she saw the snake than she screamed.
Answer: (A) No sooner did she see the snake than she screamed.
5. Choose the correct sentence: (A) Scarcely he had sat down when the guests arrived. (B) Scarcely had he sat down when the guests arrived.
Answer: (B) Scarcely had he sat down when the guests arrived.
All 11 practice questions on Correlative Conjunctions, with answers →
Where this comes up
Correlative Conjunctions is tested directly in the English Language section of exams Pariksha Saathi covers — SSC CGL, SSC MTS, SSC CHSL, IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, SBI PO and SBI Clerk — most often through Sentence Improvement and Error Spotting questions.
Keep practising
Solve the questions above before opening the answers. Explain each step in your own words, then revisit any mistakes.
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