> Other English exercises on the same topic: Agreement/Disagreement:Both, so do I, neither do I [Change theme]
	> Similar tests: - Agreement Tags - Both and its use - So / Neither? - Either...or/ Neither...nor/ Not ... either. - Subject/verb inversions - Too-Also-As well-Either-Not either - Yes/ No/ So do I/ Neither do I: Short answers. - Both, either, neither
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Both/ both of

1) BOTH= "two TOGETHER", sometimes: "one and the other". It can be placed next to a verb or before a noun:

- My parents are both teachers. // Both my parents are teachers. 

- Our friends Linda and Kevin both play tennis in tournaments.// Both Linda and Kevin play tennis in tournaments. 

2) You can read and hear BOTH + noun and BOTH THE + noun... but never the both...

- Both vases I've lent you are (made of) crystal. Be careful not to break them. 

* Before a noun preceded by a determiner, it's possible to use BOTH or BOTH OF, but before a pronoun, you must use BOTH OF. 

- Both (of) my dogs // Both of them... // Both of mine (the two items belonging to me...)

3) BOTH and THE TWO (of them) are often real equivalents and can replace each other. 

- Yes, I like both cars/ the two cars, but I prefer the red one!  

If you want to stress differences, prefer the use of THE TWO + noun : 

- The two brothers are very different, though they look alike. (and not *Both brothers are different... ) 

4) BOTH... AND... = "one item... and... another one".

- Tommy practises both tennis and basketball. 

There you are... Now, to end this lesson, you'll have to face the following test! Go for it! 

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1. The both my kidsBoth my kidsMy both kidsI don't know are crazy about chocolate and insist on having a chocolate cake for their birthday parties.

My brothers both studyboth of they studyboth they studyI don't know at Stanford University.

3. 'Look what you’ve done! The both windowsBoth of windowsBoth windowsI don't know are broken now.'

4. I’ve known him for years and know he’s both of intelligent but sensitivethe both intelligent and sensitiveboth intelligent and sensitiveI don't know.

5. The two carsBoth the carsThe both carsI don't know can’t be compared: one is a sports car, and the other one is a classic car.

6. 'I liked both of filmsthe both filmsboth filmsI don't know, but I really appreciated the comedy.'

7. He speaks both ofboththe bothI don't know Chinese and Japanese, and often flies to Asia on business.

8. 'Obviously, we can say Paul is a real artist; he is a bothboth of aboth aI don't know writer and a well-known painter.'

9. 'Take care not to break the glass! Hold it with the both handsboth handsboth the handsI don't know not to drop it!'

10. 'Kyle and Ian were both theboththe bothI don't know drunk last night, and them boththem the bothboth of themI don't know are sleeping it off just now. Dennis didn’t drink!'