'too' in negation (either)

When a clause is negative, use either - not too. Swap a sentence-final too for either whenever the main clause contains negation: positive → too; negative → either.

Below: a tight rule, core explanation, many wrong/right pairs for work, school, and casual contexts, quick rewrites, a memory trick, and frequently asked questions.

Quick answer

If the main clause is negative (don't, didn't, can't, never, no one, none, etc.), use either. If it's affirmative, use too.

"I don't agree either." - correct.
"I agree too." - correct.
Spot a negative word, then replace a final too with either.

Core explanation

"Too" signals agreement with a positive statement; "either" signals agreement with a negative one. Match the polarity: positive ↔ too, negative ↔ either.

Negation includes explicit markers: not, n't, never, no, nobody, none, nothing, neither.
Contracted negatives (don't, can't, hasn't) are still negatives and use either.
Placement: when a final adverb meaning "also" follows a negative clause, choose either instead of too.

Wrong: "I don't want that too." →
Right: "I don't want that either."
Wrong: "He never called me too." →
Right: "He never called me either."
Wrong: "No one came too." →
Right: "No one came either."

Examples - short pairs

Quick swaps you can apply immediately: replace sentence-final too with either whenever the clause is negative.

Pair 1: Wrong: "I can't come too." →
Right: "I can't come either."
Pair 2: Wrong: "She doesn't want that too." →
Right: "She doesn't want that either."
Pair 3: Wrong: "We didn't receive the files too." →
Right: "We didn't receive the files either."
Pair 4: Wrong: "He won't be joining too." →
Right: "He won't be joining either."
Pair 5: Wrong: "I don't know the answer too." →
Right: "I don't know the answer either."
Pair 6: Wrong: "They hadn't decided too." →
Right: "They hadn't decided either."
Pair 7: Wrong: "Nobody called me too." →
Right: "Nobody called me either."
Pair 8: Wrong: "I never saw that too." →
Right: "I never saw that either."

Work examples

Short, professional rewrites for emails, updates, and notes.

Work 1: Wrong: "I haven't received the revised budget too." →
Right: "I haven't received the revised budget either."
Work 2: Wrong: "We can't approve this version too." →
Right: "We can't approve this version either."
Work 3: Wrong: "If you didn't get the invite too, check your spam." →
Right: "If you didn't get the invite either, check your spam."
Work 4: Wrong (meeting note): "John didn't finish the slide deck too." → Right: "John didn't finish the slide deck either."

School examples

Use either in essays and reports to keep tone formal and accurate.

School 1: Wrong: "I didn't understand the assignment too." →
Right: "I didn't understand the assignment either."
School 2: Wrong: "She didn't answer the question too." →
Right: "She didn't answer the question either."
School 3: Wrong: "We weren't able to run the experiment too." →
Right: "We weren't able to run the experiment either."
School 4: Wrong (peer review): "I couldn't reproduce the result too." → Right: "I couldn't reproduce the result either."

Casual examples

Text and chat forms where a small swap makes replies sound natural.

Casual 1: Wrong: "I can't make it tonight too." →
Right: "I can't make it tonight either."
Casual 2: Wrong: "I don't like sushi too." →
Right: "I don't like sushi either."
Casual 3: Wrong: "She didn't come to the party too." →
Right: "She didn't come to the party either."
Casual 4: Wrong (reply): saying "Me too" after a negative → Better: "Me neither" or "I don't either."

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence in context; context clarifies whether the clause is negative.

Rewrite help

Straightforward steps to fix and polish sentences containing negation.

Checklist: 1) Spot negation (not, n't, never, no, nobody, none). 2) Replace a final 'too' with 'either'. 3) Reread and tidy for tone.

Rewrite 1: Original: "I didn't finish the report too." → Quick fix: "I didn't finish the report either." → Polished: "I also did not finish the report."
Rewrite 2: Original: "We don't have the specs too." → Quick fix: "We don't have the specs either." → Polished: "We also do not have the specifications on hand."
Rewrite 3: Original: "She never returned my email too." → Quick fix: "She never returned my email either." →
Alternative: "She, like others, never returned my email."
Rewrite 4: Subordinate negative: "If he doesn't come too, we'll cancel." → Fix: "If he doesn't come either, we'll cancel."
Rewrite 5: Modal negative: "I can't afford it too." → Fix: "I can't afford it either." → Polished: "I also can't afford it right now."
Rewrite 6: Negative with noun: "No students passed the test too." → Fix: "No students passed the test either." → Polished: "None of the students passed the test."

Real usage

Either works in informal speech, emails, and formal writing; contractions don't change the rule. For short replies, native speakers often use "me neither." For complete sentences, use "I don't either" or "I also don't" when desired.

"No, I don't either." - natural spoken reply.
"Me neither." - idiomatic, especially in conversation.
Some regional or casual uses of too after negatives exist, but they're nonstandard in formal writing.

Real 1: Spoken: "Did you like the movie?" - "No, I didn't either." or "Me neither."
Real 2: Formal: Instead of "I don't like that either," an essay can say "I also do not support that position."

Memory trick

Mnemonic: "too" and "positive" both have two o's - a quick mental link to positive contexts. Use the polarity checklist to confirm your choice.

Similar mistakes and formatting notes

Watch these related errors and formatting points.

Using "also" after a negative: Wrong: "I don't also like it." → Better: "I don't like it either."
Confusing "me too" vs "me neither": After a negative, say "me neither" or "I don't either."
Hyphenation, spacing, and punctuation don't change whether to use either or too; they only affect readability and style.
Punctuation (commas) is stylistic here; the choice between either and too depends on polarity, not punctuation.

Sim 1: Wrong: "I don't also want that." →
Right: "I don't want that either."
Sim 2: Wrong reply: "Me too" (to a negative) → Better: "Me neither" or "I don't either."

FAQ

Can I ever use "too" after a negative?

In standard English, no; use either. In casual dialects you may hear too after negatives, but avoid that in formal writing.

Is "Me neither" the same as "I don't either"?

"Me neither" is an informal, idiomatic reply equivalent in meaning to "I don't either." Use the full sentence in formal contexts.

What counts as a negative?

Negation markers include: not, n't, never, no, nobody, none, nothing, neither. If the clause contains any of these, use either for agreement.

Do contractions change the rule?

No. Contractions like don't, can't, hasn't still indicate negation and call for either.

Will a grammar checker catch this?

Most modern grammar checkers flag too after a negative clause and suggest either. If unsure, apply the polarity checklist above.

Want to check a sentence right now?

Paste your sentence into a checker or use the three-step checklist: find negation, swap too → either, then tidy tone. Small swaps like this make writing clearer and more natural.