Word
none of the two
Definition
fixed phrase. not one and not the other of two people or things. You use this when you want to say that a choice between two options results in zero.
fixed phrase. A quantificational phrase indicating the negative of both members in a set of two. While 'neither' is the standard pronominal form, 'none of the two' is a common learner construction that functions as a synonym for 'neither of them'.
Examples
“I liked both shirts, but none of the two fit me.”
“The manager interviewed two candidates this morning, but unfortunately, none of the two had the right experience for the role.”
“The researchers tested two distinct hypotheses, yet none of the two yielded results that could be considered statistically significant.”
Examples
simple
“I liked both shirts, but none of the two fit me.”
contextual
“The manager interviewed two candidates this morning, but unfortunately, none of the two had the right experience for the role.”
complex
“The researchers tested two distinct hypotheses, yet none of the two yielded results that could be considered statistically significant.”
Usage
often considered less natural than 'neither of the two' in formal writing.
Teaching tip
use this to bridge the gap toward 'neither'; explain that while 'none' usually refers to three or more, it is frequently used by learners in place of the dual-specific 'neither'.
Pitfall
None of the two girls are here.
Neither of the two girls is here.
English speakers almost always prefer 'neither' when referring to exactly two items, and it typically takes a singular verb in formal contexts.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/none-of-the-two