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Agreeing with a speaker - so and neither - BACK TO STUDY ENGLISH

Explanation

Short answers using 'so' or 'neither' with a verb are often used to show that you agree with what someone has just said and are interested in what they are saying.

Agreeing with positive statements
 

To agree with a positive statement we use so + auxiliary verb + subject.  In many cases there is no auxiliary verb, so we use do instead:
            With an auxiliary verb:    "I can see Bob over there!"  "So can I."

                                                "I have been to France."  "So have I."
            Without an auxiliary:      "I like chips covered in salt!"  "So do I."
 

Agreeing with negative statements

To agree with a negative statement we use neither + auxiliary verb + subject.  Again, where there is no auxiliary verb, we use do instead:
            With an auxiliary verb:    "I can't see Bob anywhere."  "Neither can I."
                                                "I have never been to France."  "Neither have I."
            Without an auxiliary:      "I don't like chips covered in salt!"  "Neither do I."
 

Common mistakes
 

Remember that 'never' makes a sentence negative, for example "I never go to school" so you need to reply "Neither do I". 

Don't forget that 'neither' is already negative, so you don't need to make the verb negative in your reply, for example we use "Neither do I" not "Neither don't I".
 
The tense of the verb used in the reply changes to match the tense used in the first statement.  For example "I went to town yesterday."  "So did I."
 Exercise

Complete these replies with 'so' or 'neither':

1. "I love my mother!"     " ~~~ do I."

2. "I really don't like meat!"     " ~~~ do I."

3. "Help! I can't swim"     " ~~~ can I."

4. "I've been to Italy a few times."     " ~~~ have I."

5. "I think he's a real idiot!"     " ~~~ do I."

6. "I thought he was taller."     " ~~~ did I."

Answers

Exercise 2

Complete replies that agree with these sentences using 'so' or 'neither' and the correct verb (be careful with the tense!):

1. "I usually don't eat chocolate."  

2. "I don't go to the gym very often."

3. "I have put on weight since Christmas!"

4. "I should stop eating cake!"

5. "I told him not to go."

6. "I am moving to Manchester next week."

7. "He doesn't have any money."

 Answers

 Please Note:  This lessons was created and is owned by Jim Watson (c) 2004. 

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Answers

Exercise 1

1. "I love my mother!"     "So do I."

2. "I really don't like meat!"     "Neither do I."

3. "Help! I can't swim"     "Neither can I."

4. "I've been to Italy a few times."     "So have I."

5. "I think he's a real idiot!"     "So do I."

6. "I thought he was taller."     "So did I."

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Exercise 2

1. "I usually don't eat chocolate."     "Neither do I."

2. "I don't go to the gym very often."     "Neither do I."

3. "I have put on weight since Christmas!"     "So have I."

4. "I should stop eating cake!"     "So should I."

5. "I told him not to go."     "So did I."

6. "I am moving to Manchester next week."     "So am I."

7. "He doesn't have any money."     "Neither do I."

Back

Please Note:  This lessons was created and is owned by Jim Watson (c) 2004. 

BACK TO STUDY ENGLISH