12.3 Auxiliary Verbs with Too and Either

COMPREHENSION Based on the reading, write T for true or F for false.

1. Chimene lives in Chicago. 2. All four children were born in Africa.

3. Only Chimene’s oldest sister still speaks the family’s native language.

THINK ABOUT IT Discuss the questions with a partner or in a small group.

1. Do you think it is possible to keep your language when you move to another country? If not, why not? If yes, how? 2. How do you think Chimene’s experiences will help her later in life?

We use auxiliary verbs (be, have, or do) with too and either to show similarity and to avoid repetition.

EXAMPLES Chimene was born in Africa. Joseph was, too. Chimene speaks English fluently, and Joseph does, too. For affirmative statements, we use an auxiliary verb + too to avoid repetition.

Joy doesn’t understand Kirundi, and Joseph doesn’t, either. Chimene wasn’t born in the United States, and Joseph wasn’t, either. I was born in Africa. Joy wasn’t. I can’t speak Kirundi, but Gentille can. I am in high school. Joseph isn’t.

EXPLANATION

For negative statements, we use an auxiliary verb + not + either. We usually use a contraction before either.

We can use an auxiliary verb to avoid repetition in opposite statements. We sometimes connect opposite statements with but.

GRAMMAR IN USE In informal speech, we often say me, too and me, neither in short answers about ourselves.

A: I’m interested in Chimene’s story.

B: Me, too.

A: I don’t know much about Burundi.

B: Me, neither.

EXERCISE 9 Complete the statements about the things Chimene and her family have in common. Use an auxiliary verb + too.

1. Chimene was born in Africa, and Joseph was, too .

2. She speaks English now, and her sisters

3. She dreamed of a better future, and her parents

4. She can understand Kirundi, and Gentille .

5. She is getting a good education, and her brother and sisters

6. She was sad to leave Chicago. Her brother and sisters .

EXERCISE 10 Complete the statements about the things Chimene, her family, her friends, and her teachers have in common. Use an auxiliary verb + either.

1. Chimene can’t speak Kirundi, and Joseph can’t, either .

2. Chimene isn’t in high school. Joseph .

3. Chimene wasn’t born in the United States, and Joseph and Gentille

4. Chimene’s father didn’t speak English when they arrived. Her mother

5. Chimene doesn’t remember much about Africa, and Joseph .

6. Chimene’s friends don’t know much about Burundi. Some of her teachers

EXERCISE 11 Fill in the blanks to complete the opposite statements.

1. Burundians speak Kirundi, but Zambians don’t .

2. Chimene doesn’t speak Kirundi, but Gentille .

3. Chimene is in college now, but Joy

4. Chimene speaks English. Her grandmother

5. The name Gentille is sometimes hard for Americans to say. The name Joy

6. Joy was born in the United States, but her brother and sisters .

EXERCISE 12 Complete the conversation between two friends. Use an auxiliary verb and too or either when necessary.

A: I’m moving on Saturday. Maybe you and your brother can help me. Are you working on Saturday?

B: My brother is working on Saturday, but I ’m not

1.

A: I need a van. Do you have one? . I can help you.

B: I don’t have one, but my brother

you moving?

2. . I’ll ask him if we can use it. By the way, why are

A: There are a couple of reasons. I like my apartment, but my wife

for two people.

3. . She says it’s too small

B: How many rooms does your new apartment have?

A: The old apartment has two bedrooms, and the new one

4. . But the rooms are much

bigger in the new one. Also, we’d like to live downtown. We spend too much time traveling to work.

B: I

5. , but apartments downtown are so expensive.

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