Affirmative and Negative Agreement

When someone makes a statement—either positive (affirmative) or negative—others often want to express that the same is true for them. Affirmative and negative agreement structures allow you to join in and show similarity without repeating the entire sentence. These short responses keep dialogue flowing naturally and avoid unnecessary repetition.

Table of contents

Affirmative Agreement

Affirmative agreement is used to show that something positive or true for one person is also true for another. There are several ways to express affirmative agreement:

1. Using “So” + Auxiliary Verb + Subject:

This pattern is often used in informal conversation.

• Structure: So + auxiliary/modal verb + subject

Examples:

A: “I love chocolate.”
B: “So do I.” (Meaning: I also love chocolate.)

A: “He is going to the party.”
B: “So is she.” (Meaning: She is also going to the party.)

Auxiliaries to use depend on the original statement’s verb tense and form. For a present simple statement, use “do/does”; for a present continuous, use “am/is/are”; for past forms, use “did,” etc.

2. Using “Too” or “Also” at the End of a Sentence:

Another common way to agree affirmatively is to add “too” or “also” to a similar affirmative sentence.

Examples:

A: “I play the guitar.”
B: “I do, too.” or “I also do.” (Less common as a standalone)

A: “They went to the movies.”
B: “We did, too.” (Means: We also went to the movies.)

This form requires you to repeat the auxiliary or main verb from the previous statement. “Too” always comes at the end of the sentence; “also” can be placed differently, but at the end for emphasis is common in these short responses.

3. Using “So” at the Beginning of a Response:

If you don’t want to use the “So + auxiliary + subject” pattern, you can sometimes just start a sentence with “So” to create a similar meaning, but you’ll need to follow it with the same structure as a full sentence.

Example:

A: “I am tired today.”
B: “So am I.” (Short form)
Or
B: “I am, too.” or “I am as well.”

Negative Agreement

Negative agreement is used to show that something negative or not true for one person is also not true for another. For negative agreement, the pattern changes slightly.

1. Using “Neither” or “Nor” + Auxiliary + Subject:

“Neither” is commonly used to show that you share the negative condition or inability mentioned by someone else.

• Structure: Neither/Nor + auxiliary/modal verb + subject

Examples:

• A: “I don’t like broccoli.”
  B: “Neither do I.” (Meaning: I also don’t like broccoli.)
• A: “She can’t swim.”
  B: “Neither can he.” (He also can’t swim.)

2. Using “Either” at the End of a Negative Statement:

When you respond negatively and want to indicate you share the same negative situation, you can use “either.”

Examples:

A: “I haven’t seen that movie.”
B: “I haven’t seen it, either.”

A: “They didn’t finish the project on time.”
B: “We didn’t, either.”

Here, like “too,” you must maintain the negative form of the verb and the same auxiliary if needed.

3. No “So” for Negatives:

Remember, “so” is generally used for affirmative agreement, not for negative. For negative agreement, the go-to words are “neither” or “nor.”

Choosing Between “So” and “Neither”

• Use “so” for positive/affirmative statements:
  • “I went to the party.” → “So did I.”
• Use “neither” for negative statements:
  • “I didn’t go to the party.” → “Neither did I.”

Variations and Notes

Nor vs. Neither:

In responses, “nor” can sometimes replace “neither,” but “neither” is much more common in short replies.

Example:

• “I can’t sing.” → “Nor can I.” (Possible, but formal. More common: “Neither can I.”)

Using “Either” with Negative Verbs:

When stating that you also haven’t done something, use “either”:

• A: “I don’t eat meat.”
  B: “I don’t, either.” (Meaning: I also do not eat meat.)

Same Tense and Auxiliary:

When agreeing, ensure you use the same auxiliary/modal verb and tense that the original speaker used.

More Examples

1. Affirmative Agreement:
   • A: “I love skiing.”
     B: “So do I.” or “I do, too.”
   • A: “She has been to Japan.”
     B: “So has he.” (He has been to Japan, too.)
   • A: “They will arrive tomorrow.”
     B: “So will we.” (We will also arrive tomorrow.)
2. Negative Agreement:
   • A: “I can’t speak Russian.”
     B: “Neither can I.” (I also can’t speak Russian.)
   • A: “They don’t want to go.”
     B: “We don’t, either.” (We also don’t want to go.)
   • A: “He didn’t finish his assignment.”
     B: “Neither did she.” (She also didn’t finish.)
3. Mixed Contexts:
   • A: “I’m not ready yet.”
     B: “Neither am I.” (I’m not ready either.)
   • A: “I have tried sushi.”
     B: “So have I.” (I’ve tried sushi, too.)
   • A: “We didn’t see the concert.”
     B: “We didn’t, either.” (We also didn’t see it.)

Exercise

A. Add Affirmative or Negative Agreement:

1. A: “I enjoyed the movie.”
   B: _________ (Show you enjoyed the movie as well)
2. A: “I have never visited Canada.”
   B: _________ (Show you also have never visited Canada)
3. A: “They are going on vacation.”
   B: _________ (Show you are going on vacation, too)
4. A: “She can’t drive.”
   B: _________ (Show you also can’t drive)
5. A: “I’m excited about the trip.”
   B: _________ (Show you’re excited as well)

B. Identify if the response is correct or not. Correct if needed:

1. A: “I ate breakfast already.”
   B: “So did I.” (Correct or incorrect?)
2. A: “He isn’t ready.”
   B: “So am I.” (Correct or incorrect?)
3. A: “They won’t join the team.”
   B: “Neither will we.” (Correct or incorrect?)
4. A: “I like spicy food.”
   B: “I don’t either.” (Correct or incorrect?)

Answers

Exercise A:

1. A: “I enjoyed the movie.”
   B: “So did I.” or “I did, too.”
2. A: “I have never visited Canada.”
   B: “Neither have I.” (Since this is negative “never,” use negative agreement.)
3. A: “They are going on vacation.”
   B: “So are we.” or “We are, too.”
4. A: “She can’t drive.”
   B: “Neither can I.”
5. A: “I’m excited about the trip.”
   B: “So am I.” or “I am, too.”

Exercise B:

1. A: “I ate breakfast already.”
   B: “So did I.” → Correct. (Positive statement, using “so did I” is perfect.)
2. A: “He isn’t ready.”
   B: “So am I.” → Incorrect. This is a negative statement, so use negative agreement. Correct: “Neither am I.”
3. A: “They won’t join the team.”
   B: “Neither will we.” → Correct. Negative statement, negative agreement is correct.
4. A: “I like spicy food.”
   B: “I don’t either.” → Incorrect. A positive statement requires a positive agreement. Correct would be: “I do too.” or “So do I.”