Choose the most appropriate option to fill in the blank:
Our office has two coolers, but ______ cooler was working in the May heat, so we bought cold water from the shop.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → neither
Complete sentence: Our office has two coolers, but neither cooler was working in the May heat, so we bought cold water from the shop. The office has “two coolers”, and “we bought cold water from the shop”, so no cooler was working.
| Option | Meaning and use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (1) neither (answer) | not one and not the other of two, with a singular noun | Neither tap in the bathroom was working. |
| (2) either | one or the other of two: a positive sense | Take either umbrella, as both are dry. |
| (3) none | stands alone or comes before “of”; not used straight before a noun | We asked three shops for ice, but none of them had any. |
| (4) any | one, no matter which, from three or more | Ask any shopkeeper in the market for the way. |