The Grammar Guru: Nor vs. or

The Grammar Guru is not fan of calculus, nor geometry. But she does love grammar!
The Grammar Guru is not fan of calculus, nor geometry. But she does love grammar!

Mekita Rivas, SNR communications associate, publishes a biweekly feature called "Grammar Guru."

Every other week, the Grammar Guru will share writing tips to help make your work as polished as possible. Some of these tips may address common spelling errors, while others will examine the many nuances of the English language.

Grammar Guru Tip #22
Think of "nor" as "or" for negative sentences, and it's not optional. Use "nor" before the second or farther of two alternatives when "neither" introduces the first.

Example:
Neither my mother nor I understand these directions.

Pro tip: You can also use "nor" with a negative first clause or a sentence including "not."

Example:
She didn't know where to go, nor did I.

Need some grammar guidance? The UNL Style Guide (http://unlcms.unl.edu/ucomm/styleguide/) is a great resource for all university employees. If you have writing questions that the style guide doesn't answer, feel free to email the Grammar Guru at mrivas@unl.edu.