Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so. Choose the correct option.
Do not be a jeweller. Do not be a goldsmith.
Topic: Synthesis — neither... nor
Try it
Pick an option and check your answer. The full worked answer is below either way.
Answer
(a) Be neither a jeweller nor a goldsmith..
Two NEGATIVE commands about the same subject combine with NEITHER... NOR: "Be neither a jeweller nor a goldsmith."
Note what happens to the negative. The original says "Do NOT be" twice; in the combined form the negation is carried entirely by "neither... nor", so "do not" disappears. Writing "Do not be neither..." would be a double negative.
Every other option reverses the meaning by telling him to BE one or both of these things: (b) both... and — two positives (c) either... or — alternatives, both positive (d) as well as — two positives
The correlative pairs to learn as a set: both...and, neither...nor, either...or, not only...but also.
Be neither a jeweller nor a goldsmith..