[title]Family quotes[/title] [description]Welcome to our family quotes section! Here you'll find some of the funniest (and wisest) quotes on the subject of family life![/description]
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Latest post Sun, Dec 23 2007 9:49 AM by Yoong Liat. 3 replies.
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Viceidol  +  456192 Sun, 23 Dec 07 03:38 AM

Smile [:)]Hello, May I ask a question? I was trying to make sentences expressing the meaning of  "I can't do it, and you can't either." I've made several sentences but I wonder if they are all correct. Please check them out for me, OK? I'd appreciate your help!

You and I cannot do it.

You or I cannot do it.

You nor I cannot do it.

Not either you or I can do it.

Neither you  nor I can do it.

I know some of them might not idiomatic enough, but I'm not sure which of them are. So if possible, could you tell me which of those are not idiomatic too? Thank you very much!

※The last two sentences were corrected.

Joined on Wed, Jul 11 2007
Taiwan
Regular Member 540
Grammar Geek  +  456193 Sun, 23 Dec 07 03:47 AM
Hi Viceidol,

You and I cannot do it.

You or I cannot do it.

You nor I cannot do it. Neither you nor I can do it. Either you or I can do it. I'm not sure which meaning you had in mind.

Either you or I cannot do it.

Neither you  nor I cannot do it.

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006
Veteran Member 19,683
Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!
Viceidol  +  456194 Sun, 23 Dec 07 03:57 AM
 Grammar Geek wrote:
Hi Viceidol,

You nor I cannot do it. Neither you nor I can do it. Either you or I can do it. I'm not sure which meaning you had in mind.

Either you or I cannot do it.

Neither you  nor I cannot do it.

I'm sorry that I've made a mistake. The fourth and fifth sentences should be "Not either you or I can do it." and "Neither you nor I can do it.", both of them should mean "We cannot do it."

Are those correct?  Thank you, Barbara!

Yoong Liat  +  456229 Sun, 23 Dec 07 09:49 AM
 Viceidol wrote:
 Grammar Geek wrote:
Hi Viceidol,

I'm sorry that I've made a mistake. The fourth and fifth sentences should be "Not either you or I can do it." and "Neither you nor I can do it.", both of them should mean "We cannot do it."

Are those correct?  Thank you, Barbara!

The second is correct. The first is wrong.
Joined on Mon, Sep 4 2006
Veteran Member 6,757
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