both…and

Matching the parts joined by the correlative pair.

After both … and, put the same part of speech on each side: a noun with a noun (both the brief and the exhibit), an adjective with an adjective (both clear and brief), a phrase with a phrase (both in draft and in proof). Place both so that what follows it matches what follows and. See also correlative conjunctions and parallelism.

Examples

UseShe both drafted the brief and argued it. (Finite verb with finite verb.)

Useboth the brief and the exhibit (Noun with noun; the on both sides.)

Avoidboth the brief and exhibit (the appears before only one of the paired nouns; many editors treat that as poor form.)

AvoidThe memo was both a careful edit and badly organized. (Noun phrase with adjective phrase.)