Which is correct? (both .. and)

Question

Rewrite the following sentence by using "both .. and".

Peter is a naughty boy. He is an active boy.

1. Peter is both naughty and active.

2. Peter is both a naughty boy and an active one.

3. Peter is both a naughty and active boy.

4. Peter is both a naughty and an active boy.

Answer 1

They all appear correct. 4 seems to read better than 3, as the an balances out the previous a .

Answer 2

As you can see in the examples found here, it is best to make sure that the words which both applies to are parallelly structured. By this reasoning, your first, second, and fourth examples are correct. The third is technically incorrect, although it is perfectly intelligible and not at all uncommon.

Here's what I mean:

1. both naughty and active
2. both a naughty boy and an active one
3. both a naughty and active boy
4. both a naughty and an active boy

The constructions are parallel in each example but the third, in which a naughty does not correspond to active.

Bear in mind that you could also say the following:

Peter is a naughty, active boy.