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Subject:Re: "either" From:"Susan W. Gallagher" <sgallagher -at- STARBASECORP -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 19 Jan 1995 09:51:21 -0800
Ray asks,
> The following sentence has caused some debate among my fellow writers:
> "Entries either are alphanumeric strings, such as usernames or passwords; or a
c
> hoice between several preset strings, such as enabled or disabled."
> The debate stems from the placement of the word "either." I believe that the
sen
> tence reads better as follows:
> "Entries are either alphanumeric strings...."
Well, Ray, I agree with you. The sentence reads better with the
either after the verb. The only time I would put the either before
the verb is if the verb were part of the variable information.
Entries either are... or are not...
Entries are either black or white
Always seemed to me the either introduced a choice and if the
verb wasn't part of the choice it wasn't part of the either, either!
Sue Gallagher
StarBase Corp, Irvine CA
sgallagher -at- starbasecorp -dot- com
