ESEN
Which one to use?Beginneradverbadverb
ToovsEither
"Too" means also in affirmative sentences; "either" means also in negative sentences.
Side-by-side comparison
Too
adverb"Too" means "also" in affirmative and positive sentences. "She's coming too" = she is also coming. "I like it too" = I also like it. Only in positive contexts.
I love pizza, and my sister loves it too.
She speaks French, and she speaks Italian too.
I am tired. Me too!
Either
adverb"Either" in negative sentences means "neither" or "also not". "I don't like it either" = I also do not like it. The sentence already has a negation, and "either" extends it to a second element.
He does not like coffee, and I do not either.
She has never been to Japan, and her husband has not either.
I cannot swim. I cannot either.
Common mistake
Very common error: "I don't like spicy food.": "Me too!" is wrong as a response to a negative sentence. Correct: "Me neither!" or "I don't either." The reverse: "I love the beach.": "Me either!" is wrong in response to an affirmative sentence. Correct: "Me too!" The rule is clear: affirmative = too; negative = either.
Trick to remember it
- •Does the sentence have "not," "never," "neither," or another negative? = either.
- •Is the sentence positive? = too.
- •Spanish clue: if you would say "también" = too.
- •If you would say "tampoco" = either.
Quick rule
- •Affirmative sentence + also = too.
- •Negative sentence + also (tampoco) = either.
Did you know?
"Me neither" and "neither do I" are emphatic forms of agreeing with a negative. Grammatically, "neither do I" is more formal and involves subject-auxiliary inversion: "She doesn't like mornings." / "Neither DO I" (= nor do I, with the auxiliary before the subject). "So do I" does the same for affirmatives: "She loves mornings." / "So DO I." These subject-verb inversions are a feature of formal and literary English that survives in agreement responses, in everyday speech "me too" and "me neither" are almost always preferred.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
"I love sushi." "Me _____!" (positive agreement)
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"I don't like spicy food." "Me _____." (negative agreement)
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
SomevsAny
"Some" is used in affirmatives and questions where "yes" is expected; "any" is used in negatives and neutral questions.
StillvsYet
"Still" means something continues to happen; "yet" means something has not happened but is expected.
AvsAn
'A' is used before consonant sounds; 'an' is used before vowel sounds.
A lot ofvsMany
'A lot of' works for countable and uncountable; 'many' only for countable; 'much' only for uncountable.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy