entweder…oder, nicht nur…sondern auch: two-part connectors
CEFR B1 · part 2
edumaterial's parts within the level. The European framework does not subdivide them.
The future with werden, and why it is hardly ever usedBuilding the future with werden conjugated and the infinitive at the end, and —what…warten auf, denken an: verbs with a fixed preposition, and the da- and wo- that go with themLearning the verb with its preposition attached, as one word —warten AUF, denken AN…der Deutsche, etwas Gutes: adjectives turned into nounsTurning an adjective into a noun, which German does every day: der Alte, die Kleine, das…Indirect questions: ob and the seven W-words, with the verb at the endAsking politely rather than bluntly, which is what they are really for: Wissen Sie, wo…könnten Sie, ich hätte gern: polite requests and wishesAsking for things without sounding blunt, which matters more in Germany than you would…obwohl, damit and um…zu: although, so that and in order toExpressing purpose and concession, which is what turns two loose sentences into an…The rule, in three lines
Five pairs join two ideas and work as one piece split in half. entweder…oder: one or the other. sowohl…als auch: both. weder…noch: neither, and it is already negative inside. nicht nur…sondern auch. zwar…aber. None of them sends the verb to the end: they join ordinary clauses.
The usual slip. Adding a negative to weder…noch, which is already negative inside. The other mistake is using aber where sondern belongs: sondern only follows something NEGATED and corrects what was just denied.
Why it catches you out. English has either…or, both…and, neither…nor and not only…but also, one for one. The gap is sondern: English says «but» for both «but» and «rather», so nothing pushes you to choose. And English cannot double a negative either, so weder…noch is the easy half.