Things in Common in Different Tenses: so/neither/nor
Grammar -so+AUXILIARY VERB
We use so or neither/nor with the relevant auxiliary verb of the tense or a modal verb.
POSITIVE STATEMENT
So+AUX.+SUBJ. PRON.
I was busy yesterday.
So was I.
Grammar -neither +AUXILIARY VERB
NEGATIVE STATEMENT
Neither+AUX.+SUBJ. PRON.
I haven't been to Japan
Neither have I.
Grammar -nor +AUXILIARY VERB
NEGATIVE STATEMENT
Nor+AUX.+SUBJ. PRON.
I didn't work yesterday.
Nor did I.
Grammar - Different/Opposite/Not in Common ⧾⧿
POSITIVE STATEMENT
... SUBJ. PRON.+NEG. AUX.
I was busy yesterday.
Oh, I wasn't.
Grammar - Different/Opposite/Not in Common ⧿⧾
NEGATIVE STATEMENT
... SUBJ. PRON.+AUX.
I haven't been to Japan
Oh, I have.
⚠ Be Careful!
The AUXILIARY changes with the tense.
Forms -Auxiliary Verbs
Tense
AUXILIARY
BE in the Present Simple
am/are/is
BE in the Past Simple
was/were
Present Simple
do/does
Past Simple
did
Present Continuous
am/are/is
Present Perfect
have/has
HAVE GOT
have/has
Modal Verbs
will/can/...
Examples -Be ➤ so
POSITIVE
POSITIVE (same)
I'm a student.
➤
So am I.
You're smart.
➤
So are you.
She's at work.
➤
So is he.
I was here last week.
➤
So was I.
They were here in 2022.
➤
So were we.
Examples -Be ➤ neither/nor
NEGATIVE
NEGATIVE (same)
I'm not a student.
➤
Nor/Neither am I.
You aren't busy.
➤
Nor/Neither are you.
She isn't at work.
➤
Nor/Neither is he.
I wasn't there.
➤
Nor/Neither was I.
They weren't busy.
➤
Nor/Neither were they.
Examples -have got ➤ so
POSITIVE
POSITIVE (same)
I've got a car.
➤
So have I.
He's got a dog.
➤
So has she.
I've finished.
➤
So have I.
He's been to France.
➤
So has she.
Examples -have got ➤ neither/nor
NEGATIVE
NEGATIVE (same)
I haven't got a cat
➤
Nor have I.
She hasn't got a car.
➤
Neither has he.
I haven't finished
➤
Nor have I.
She hasn't been here.
➤
Neither has he.
Examples -Continuous ➤ so
POSITIVE
POSITIVE (same)
I'm working now.
➤
So am I.
You're playing well.
➤
So are you.
She's swimming.
➤
So is he.
I was sleeping.
➤
So was I.
They were running.
➤
So were we.
Examples -Continuous ➤ neither/nor
NEGATIVE
NEGATIVE (same)
I'm not studying.
➤
Nor am I.
You aren't working.
➤
Neither are you.
She isn't sleeping.
➤
Nor is he.
I wasn't sleeping.
➤
Neither was I.
They weren't working.
➤
Nor were they.
Examples -Modal Verbs ➤ so
POSITIVE
POSITIVE (same)
I can swim.
➤
So can I.
I'll be there soon.
➤
So will I.
You should exercise!
➤
So should you!
Examples -Modals ➤ neither/nor
NEGATIVE
NEGATIVE (same)
I can't sleep now.
➤
Nor can I.
He won't be there.
➤
Neither will she.
She shouldn't smoke.
➤
Nor should he.
Symbols & Abbreviations
⧿
Negative
⧾
Positive
AUX.
Auxiliary
NEG.
Negative
POS.
Positive
PRON.
Pronoun
S.
Subject
SUBJ.
Subject
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* 12th November, 2024
* 12th November, 2024
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