'Neither/Nor' (Beware Double Negatives)

Be careful not to create a double negative with "neither/nor."

• He didn't find neither the map nor the key.
(This is a double negative because "didn't" is a negative term and so is the pairing "neither/nor." Logically, this means that either the map or the key was found, which is not the intended meaning.)

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More about Using 'Either/Or' and 'Neither/Nor'

• I could neither laugh nor cry.
• Either the clerk or the secretary has the keys to the safe.
(Using "has" is correct. Using "have" would be wrong.)
• The clerk or the secretary has the keys to the safe.
(You can often omit the word "either.")
• He did not find the key either on or under the mat.
• Neither the forwards nor the scrumhalf, all of whom were within 10 metres of the tackle, nor the crowd appealed for a foul.
(It is quite harsh to mark this as wrong, but grouping three things is an unpopular practice.)

Beware Double Negatives with 'Neither/Nor'

• Adam did not find the key neither on nor under the mat.
(This is a double negative.)
• He did not mention neither the flooding nor the landslide.
(This is a double negative.)
• He mentioned neither the flooding nor the landslide.
• He did not mention either the flooding or the landslide.

A Double Negative Is Not Always a Mistake

• I haven't got no money.
(This is a double negative. It means "I have money," which is almost certainly not the message the speaker wanted to convey.)
• She is not unattractive.
(This is also a double negative. It could mean "She is attractive" or "She is not ugly." In this case, the positive sentiment is probably what the speaker wanted to convey.)