either a or b

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "either a or b" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express the idea that you have two options, and you can choose either one. For example: "I could either have pasta or a salad for dinner tonight."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

But what about 5? It could be in either A or B marked below.

The Guardian

Tifrunner assembly, information on whether loci were guided by A. duranensis or A. ipaensis was retained so that transcripts were annotated as being either 'A' or 'B'.

Nature

The selectivity of the kink site positions for either A or B can be expressed by residence times τAA, τAB, τBA and τBB.

Electrochimica Acta

So remember, all we want to do is we want to put the minimum of either A or B into C.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Use the information in either A or B below depending on whether the participating Service Provider is a member of InCommon or not.

Stanford University

Experiments with an excess of either A or B particles yield assemblies with even shorter chain lengths, in agreement with the model applied to non-stoichiometric mixtures (not shown).

Nature

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

Lamins are classified as either A- or B-type based on structure and expression pattern.

Plosone

The randomly seeded rMD calculations were performed starting with initial structures that were created with either A- or B-form geometries and energy minimized before rMD calculations.

Biochemistry

The randomly seeded rMD calculations were performed starting with initial structures, which were created with either A- or B-form geometries.

Biochemistry

"Meaning, it's either A or B. It's not about the oil.

The New Yorker

The third face, X, was always identical to either A or B. Four presentation orders were possible: (ABX) = (ABA) (ABB) (BAA) (BAB).

Cognition and Emotion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When presenting choices, ensure "a" and "b" are parallel in grammatical structure for clarity. For instance, "either go to the store or stay home" maintains parallelism.

Common error

Avoid creating sentences where only one option is a full clause. A mistake example: "either I will go to the store or going home". Consider "either I will go to the store or I will go home"

Linguistic Context

The phrase "either a or b" functions as a correlative conjunction, presenting two alternatives. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English. It connects two nouns, phrases, or clauses, indicating a choice between them.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

29%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "either a or b" is a correct and commonly used correlative conjunction. As Ludwig AI confirms, it serves to present a choice between two options. It is grammatically sound, suitable for various contexts ranging from scientific and academic writing to news articles and everyday conversation. When using this phrase, ensure parallelism for clarity and avoid using "and" instead of "or". Remember that alternatives like "a or b" or "one of a or b" can provide subtle differences in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a or b

Omits the "either", making it more concise but potentially less formal.

one of a or b

Emphasizes that only one option is selected.

a, b, or both

Includes the possibility of both options being valid.

whether a or b

Focuses on the condition or question of choosing between the two.

a rather than b

Implies a preference for a over b.

b rather than a

Implies a preference for b over a.

a instead of b

Indicates replacement of b with a.

b instead of a

Indicates replacement of a with b.

a as opposed to b

Highlights the contrast between a and b.

b as opposed to a

Highlights the contrast between b and a.

FAQs

How do I use "either a or b" in a sentence?

Use "either a or b" to present two distinct options, indicating that one of them is to be selected. For instance, "You can choose "either tea or coffee" with your breakfast."

What's the difference between "either a or b" and "both a and b"?

"Either a or b" implies a choice between two options, while "both a and b" indicates that both options are applicable or true simultaneously.

Are there alternatives to "either a or b"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "one of a or b", "a or b, but not both", or "a rather than b" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "either a and b"?

No, "either" is used with "or" to present mutually exclusive options. Using "and" with "either" is grammatically incorrect. The correct structure is "either a or b".