Applying Verb Agreement with Correlative Conjunctions

A correlative conjunction always travels in pairs, and joins statements that are equal.

 

The two children ate both pizza and hamburgers.

 

The correlative conjunction pair in the above sentence is “both/and” because it pulls together “pizza” and “hamburgers.” In this sentence, the pizza and the hamburgers are equal.

 

When you connect two subjects with a correlative conjunction, the second one has to agree with the verb that follows. The exception is when using “both/and,” the verb is always plural.

 

Either Tim or the basketball players call my house every night.