Moving beyond a simple "Me too" or "I agree" can make your English sound more natural and sophisticated. Inversion with "so" and "neither" is a common way to show agreement without repeating the original verb phrase. It's a clean, efficient structure used frequently in both conversation and writing.

When you agree with a positive statement, you can use "so." The key is to identify the auxiliary verb (or the correct one to use if it's not explicit) from the original sentence and place it before the new subject.

The trick is choosing the correct auxiliary. If the original statement has one, use it. If it uses a simple present or past verb (like works or went), you'll need to use the appropriate form of do.

To agree with a negative statement, you use "neither" or "nor." The structure is identical to the one for "so." This is the standard way to express "Me neither."

Remember, "neither" and "nor" are already negative. Don't add another negative like not or n't to the auxiliary verb. The auxiliary verb should be in its positive form.

This is the most important rule to remember. The auxiliary verb in your response must agree with the new subject (the person you are talking about), not the subject of the original sentence. This often means you'll have to change the form of the verb.

Here's another example:

Statement: "They have submitted their work." Response: "So has Maria." (have becomes has to agree with the singular subject, Maria).

Ready to test your skills?

Using "so" and "neither" is a simple way to make your conversational English more dynamic. Just match the auxiliary verb, invert the order, and ensure the verb agrees with your new subject.