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Correlative Conjunctions: Practice Questions with Answers

11 practice questions on Correlative Conjunctions, with answers; most also have an explanation or a worked solution. Try each one before you open its answer.

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1. Q.1

   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.

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   Answer: (A) Hardly had the movie started when the power went off.

   Solution:

   1. "Hardly" also requires inversion in its clause ("had the movie started"), which (A) follows correctly and (B) does not.

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2. Q.2

   Choose the correct sentence: (A) Either you apologize or you leave. (B) Either you apologize nor you leave.

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   Answer: (A) Either you apologize or you leave.

   Solution:

   1. "Either" must pair with "or," never "nor" — "neither" is the one that pairs with "nor." (A) is correct.

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3. Q.3

   Choose the correct sentence: (A) He is either lazy or he is foolish. (B) He is either lazy or foolish.

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   Answer: (B) He is either lazy or foolish.

   Solution:

   1. "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."

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4. Q.4

   Choose the correct sentence: (A) She neither called nor she messaged. (B) She neither called nor messaged.

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   Answer: (B) She neither called nor messaged.

   Solution:

   1. "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."

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5. Q.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.

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   Answer: (B) No sooner had he reached home than it started raining.

   Solution:

   1. "No sooner" requires the subject and auxiliary to invert in the first clause ("had he reached"), not stay in normal order — (B) is correct.

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6. Q.6

   Choose the correct sentence: (A) He is not only intelligent but also hardworking. (B) He is not only intelligent but hardworking also.

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   Answer: (A) He is not only intelligent but also hardworking.

   Solution:

   1. "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).

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7. Q.7

   Choose the correct sentence: (A) The book is both informative and it is entertaining. (B) The book is both informative and entertaining.

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   Answer: (B) The book is both informative and entertaining.

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8. Q.8

   Choose the correct sentence: (A) Scarcely he had sat down when the guests arrived. (B) Scarcely had he sat down when the guests arrived.

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   Answer: (B) Scarcely had he sat down when the guests arrived.

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9. Q.9

   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.

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   Answer: (A) No sooner did she see the snake than she screamed.

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10. Q.10

    Choose the correct sentence: (A) Neither the teacher or the students were present. (B) Neither the teacher nor the students were present.

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    Answer: (B) Neither the teacher nor the students were present.

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11. Q.11

    Choose the correct sentence: (A) Both my sister and my brother is doctors. (B) Both my sister and my brother are doctors.

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    Answer: (B) Both my sister and my brother are doctors.

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