So do I / Neither do I.
“I want to speak better English.” says Tom.
“So do I.” says Maria.
“But I don’t like doing homework.” says Tom.
“Neither do I.” says Maria.
In the conversation above, Maria is saying that she has something in common with Tom. She uses the forms “So..I” and “Neither … I”.
To understand how to use these forms better, read the grammar description below and then try the exercises!
To express that we have something in common with someone else in positive sentences in English we can use the expression “So… I”.
To do this we copy the verb “to be”, the modal verb or the auxiliary verb.
Examples of So… I with different types of verbs.
| Type of verb | Original Sentence | Agreement response |
|---|---|---|
| Modal verbs such as can, should, must, would or will. | “I can swim.” | “So can I.” |
| The verb “to be“. | “I am happy.” | “So am I.” |
| “I will go to the party.” | “So will I.” | |
| Auxiliary verbs such as have, had or “to be” | “I was working.” | “So was I.” |
| “I have finished.” | “So have I.” | |
| Auxiliary verb “do” when it is not shown in the original sentence. | “I live in a flat.” | “So do I.” |
| “I have an Android phone.” | “So do I.” |
Examples of Neither… I with different types of verbs.
| Type of verb | Original Sentence | Negative Agreement response |
|---|---|---|
| Modal verbs such as can, should, must, would or will. | “I can‘t swim.” | “Neither can I.” |
| The verb “to be“. | “I am not happy.” | “Neither am I.” |
| “I won’t go to the party.” | “Neither will I.” | |
| Auxiliary verbs such as have, had or “to be” | “I was not working.” | “Neither was I.” |
| “I haven’t finished.” | “Neither have I.” | |
| Auxiliary verb “do” when it is not shown in the original sentence. | “I don’t live in a flat.” | “Neither do I.” |
| “I don’t have an Android phone.” | “Neither do I.” |
Exercises
Check your comprehension of this topic with these interactive exercises.