Either Way or No Way: Using Either vs Neither for Class 5

This Grade 5 worksheet helps students clearly understand the difference between "either" and "neither" — two of the most commonly confused correlative conjunctions in English grammar. Designed for 10–11 year olds, the worksheet uses age-appropriate sentences and a variety of activity types to build confident, accurate usage of these paired conjunctions in both spoken and written English.

Why Either vs Neither Matters in Grammar?

Understanding when to use "either" and when to use "neither" is a foundational grammar skill for Grade 5 learners. Here's why this topic is important:

1. "Either...or" expresses a positive choice between two options.
2. "Neither...nor" expresses a negative — ruling out both options at once.
3. Confusing the two leads to double negatives and unclear meaning.
4. Correct usage improves both writing clarity and spoken fluency.
5. These conjunctions appear frequently in formal writing, dialogue, and everyday conversation.

What's Inside This Worksheet?

This worksheet includes five carefully designed activities that build strong grammar skills with either and neither:

Exercise 1 – Fill in the Blanks

Students fill each blank with the correct word from a word box (not, neither, and, nor, either, but, both, too, or, also) to complete sentences using either, neither, or both correctly. Example: "He can either sing _______ dance." → or

Exercise 2 – True or False

Students read ten statements about how conjunctions like either, neither, and both work, and decide whether each is true or false. This tests conceptual understanding of grammar rules rather than just application.

Exercise 3 – Multiple Choice Questions

Students choose the correct word (either, neither, or both) to complete ten sentences. This section also tests subject-verb agreement with neither...nor constructions. Example: "Neither the students nor the teacher _______ present." → was

Exercise 4 – Sentence Rewriting

Students identify the incorrect word in each sentence and replace it with the correct one from the word box to make the sentence grammatically accurate. Example: "Rohan can either sing and dance." → Rohan can either sing or dance.

Exercise 5 – Paragraph Writing

Students write a paragraph in their own words explaining when to use "either" and "neither," supported by their own examples. This open-ended task builds analytical thinking and writing skills.

Answer Key (For Parents & Educators)

Exercise 1 – Fill in the Blanks

1. or
2. nor
3. or
4. are
5. nor
6. nor
7. or
8. nor
9. on
10. or

Exercise 2 – True or False

1. True
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. True
6. False
7. True
8. False
9. True
10. False

Exercise 3 – Multiple Choice Questions

1. b) Neither
2. a) either
3. a) Both
4. c) Either
5. a) was
6. c) either
7. b) Neither
8. c) Both
9. c) Either
10. b) Neither

Exercise 4 – Sentence Rewriting

1. Rohan can either sing or dance.
2. Neither Anjali nor her sister likes cricket.
3. You can have either tea or coffee.
4. The movie was both interesting and entertaining.
5. Either Rahul or Pooja passed the test.
6. I want neither tea nor coffee.
7. The room is either big or small.
8. Neither you nor your friend is correct.
9. They both came on time.
10. Neither Rohan nor Pooja is coming.

Exercise 5 – Paragraph Writing (Sample Answer)

"Either" and "neither" are two important words in English that help us talk about
two people, things, or choices. We use "either" when we are giving a choice between
two options, and it is always paired with "or". For example, "You can have either
milk or juice." This means you can pick one of the two options. On the other hand,
we use "neither" when we want to say that not even one of the two options is true
or accepted, and it is always paired with "nor". For example, "Neither Rahul nor
Pooja came to school today." This means both of them were absent — not just one.
It is important to remember that "either...or" is used in positive sentences to show
a choice, while "neither...nor" is used in negative sentences to rule out both options
at the same time. For instance, "Either you study or you sleep" gives two choices,
but "Neither the cat nor the dog is in the house" tells us both are absent.
Using these words correctly makes our sentences clearer and more accurate in
both speaking and writing..

Help your child stop second-guessing "either" and "neither" — enroll in a Free 1:1 English Grammar Trial Class at PlanetSpark today!

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