English Help.

[D.C.]

Uh... guys...:CDumb:

 

[Jenerix525]

It's true that neither sentence is correct, but the reason is simpler than the ones given. Holmes and Watson did solve the case, together. :CStern: (Okay, Holmes did most of it.)
Also it should be noted that Ols' sentences are wrong as well. The original statements were past tense, not present. Can I borrow your time machine?

 

[Ols]

Also it should be noted that Ols' sentences are wrong as well. The original statements were past tense, not present. Can I borrow your time machine?

My statements were examples of either and neither. The verb is irrelevant because I wasn't contesting whether that was correct or not, but for what it's worth neither of my sentences were written in the present tense, they're in the future tense. (The present would be "solve" or a more complex present, "are solving").

But for what it's worth I'd say that the correct verb is "has" not "have" as the subject is technically singular, as it's not "Holmes and Watson" it's one or the other doing the solving. I think so anyway, and "has" just sounds right.

 

[Jenerix525]

:CIsee:I still want your time machine.

And Watson solving a case?:CShock: I laugh slowly twice then wait quite a while before giving a third laugh.

I'm not sure about pluralization. While it might be singular for your reasons, there are multiple subjects given. Also, in neither-nor, both Holmes and Watson have failed to solve the case.

 

[Ols]

:CIsee:I still want your time machine.

And Watson solving a case?:CShock: I laugh slowly twice then wait quite a while before giving a third laugh.

I'm not sure about pluralization. While it might be singular for your reasons, there are multiple subjects given. Also, in neither-nor, both Holmes and Watson have failed to solve the case.

That's true. If it were "and", then it's definitely plural, but I think both "or" and "nor" are taken as singular (unless one is clearly plural, for example:

Neither Holmes, Watson nor the policemen have solved the case.

compared with:

Neither Holmes, Watson nor the policeman has solved the case.)

And although it's not a definitive rule, if you say your two options, more often than not the one that sounds right and more natural, is.

 

[Jenerix525]

What about an 'or' that leaves open the option for more than one to do it.
for example: Let me know if either Jesse or James (have?) shown any competance.

I think 'nor' might be have as well, since it can easily be written as "both X and Y have not done A"

 

[Ols]

What about an 'or' that leaves open the option for more than one to do it.
for example: Let me know if either Jesse or James (have?) shown any competance.

I think 'nor' might be have as well, since it can easily be written as "both X and Y have not done A"

It would be:

Let me know if either Jesse or James has shown any competence.

Or

Let me know if either Jesse, James or both of them have shown any competence.

Although the former is more natural even if the answer is both.

 

[Michael Vereaux]

It also depends on if you're going for a past tense sentence, or a present tense sentence. Using "has" places it in the present tense, "had" being its past tense equivalence. "Have" is mostly used in the past tense, but can also be used in the present depending on how you wanted to word it. It's really up to the discretion of the writer what they want to do.

As for using either "nor" and "or" with "neither" and "either", starting off with any of these words is grammatically not correct because their purpose is for the transitioning of one sentence to another, such as "but", "and", and so forth. But of course, we do it anyway :p In essence, neither of the two choices were correct. Ignoring that bit of grammar though, I'd have to pick the first if I was going for past tense. For present, I'd pick the second.​

 

[Johnnysaurus Rex]

Then you can tell your teacher that they're both wrong in English. 'Nor' follows 'neither' and 'or' follows 'either'.

It's neither:

"Either Holmes nor Watson will solve the case"

nor is it:

"Neither Holmes or Warson will solve the case"

It's either:

"Either Holmes or Watson will solve the case"

or it's:

"Neither Holmes nor Watson will solve the case"

That there... is just genius.

 

[Enishi]

Hey sin.

Next time you go to New York

and someone says "Let's go get a pie"

they aren't talking about pie as in cherry.