JLPT N3Mostly writtenSumming up

も～ば～も・も～なら～もboth … and …

Two things of the same kind, both true: "A is so, and B is so too". The ば or なら in the middle isn't "if" here. It only joins the two halves.

この店みせは値ね段だんも高たかければ、店てん員いんの態たい度ども悪わるい。

This place is expensive, and the staff are rude too.

人じん生せいには、いい時ときもあれば、悪わるい時ときもある。

In life there are good times, and there are bad times too.

How to form it

A も + ば-form、B も + …

A verb or an い-adjective takes its ば-form: 話はなせば, 高たかければ. A な-adjective or a noun takes なら: 便べん利りなら.

The two halves: Two points of the same kind about one thing: two skills, two faults, two sides of it.
Tone: Summing something up, for praise or complaint: it has this, and it has that as well.
Where you'll meet it: Mostly writing, speeches and careful talk. One shape is everyday: 〜もあれば、〜もある.

The ば isn't "if"

Coming from English, you'll want to read the first half as a condition. A も before the ば-form and another after it usually tell you it isn't one.

佐さ藤とうさんは英えい語ごも話はなせば、中ちゅう国ごく語ごも話はなす。

Ms. Sato speaks English, and she speaks Chinese too.

Not "if she speaks English".

彼かの女じょは冗じょう談だんも言いえば、厳きびしい注ちゅう意いもする。

She cracks jokes, and she gives stern warnings too.

この案あんは発はっ想そうも大だい胆たんなら、実じつ現げん方ほう法ほうも現げん実じつ的てきだ。

This proposal is bold in its thinking, and realistic in how it would be carried out too.

なら after a な-adjective.

The everyday one: もあれば、もある

With ある or いる the two are often opposites, and English says "some… and some…". With ない it is "neither… nor". People say these all the time.

賛さん成せいする人ひともいれば、反はん対たいする人ひともいる。

Some people are for it, and some are against it.

日本にほん語ごの勉べん強きょうは、楽たのしい日ひもあれば、つらい日ひもある。

Studying Japanese has its fun days and its hard days.

今いまは時じ間かんもなければ、お金かねもない。

Right now I have neither the time nor the money.

In conversation: も～し、～も

Apart from those, people talking mostly use し.

あのレストランは味あじもよければ、サービスもいい。

That restaurant's food is good, and the service is good too.

Written, or said for effect.

あのレストランは味あじもいいし、サービスもいい。

That restaurant's food is good, and the service is good too.

What people say in conversation.

Close neighbours

ばN4

The real "if": the second half depends on the first, and there is no pair of も.

安やすければ、買かいます。

If it's cheap, I'll buy it.

も～もN5

"Both A and B" with one verb for the two. Here each gets a description of its own.

田た中なかさんも佐さ藤とうさんも来きました。

Both Mr. Tanaka and Ms. Sato came.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

父ちちは料りょう理りも作つくれば、掃そう除じもする。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

彼かの女じょは歌うたも上手じょうず（　　）、ダンスもうまい。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

も can also go inside the verb: ます-stem + もすれば, then ます-stem + もする.

彼かれはよく働はたらきもすれば、よく遊あそびもする。

He works hard, and he plays hard too.

More sentences

弟おとうとは漫まん画がも読よめば、アニメも見みる。

My little brother reads manga, and he watches anime too.

この仕し事ごとはやりがいもあれば、責せき任にんも重おもい。

This job is rewarding, and the responsibility is heavy too.