CONTENTS
•What is parallelism?
•Use similar structures to express similar ideas.
•Use parallelism in the following cases.
•Use parallel structure on both sides of
coordinating conjunctions.
•Exercises
•Parallelism:
1.means that similar parts of a sentence have the same
structure: nouns are with nouns, verbs with verbs, and
phrases with phrases
In other word:-
2.Parallelismin writing means that similar parts in a
sentence (2 or more) must have the same structure.
•Their parts are comparable and balanced.
•Allows writing to flow smoothly and helps avoid
misunderstandings.
•Note:
When similar parts do not follow the same structure,
you have created Faulty Parallelism.
FOR EXAMPLES:-
1.Not parallelism :I like singing, kayaking, and
to dance.
2.parallelism: I like singing, kayaking, and
dancing
•Incorrect:-
Angry ants, munched themarshmallows,
crumblingcoffeecake, and sippingsyrup,
headed off across the countertop.
•Correct:-
Angry ants, munchingmarshmallows, crumbling
coffeecake, and sippingsyrup, headed off
across the countertop.
USE SIMILAR STRUCTURES TO EXPRESS
SIMILAR IDEAS.
•Put nouns with nouns
•Faulty(F): I enjoy basketball more than playing video
games.
•Correct (C) : I enjoy basketball more than video games. √
•Put verbs with verbs (and use same tense)
•F: On our anniversary, we ate, danced, and were singing.
•C: On our anniversary, we ate, danced, and sang.
•Put adjectives with adjectives
•F: My history class was both interesting and a challenge.
•C: My history class was both interesting and challenging.
MAKE SURE TO USE PARALLELISM IN THE
FOLLOWING CASES .
•When joining two or more items with andor or:
1.The party featured a four-foot cakeand a singing gorilla.
2.I am doing well in my English class, in my math class, and in
my history class.
•In comparisons:
Takingthe trainis asfast asdriving.
Driving to Austin is asfast asflying
•With certain paired words (like both/and, either/or, and
neither/nor):
Marlize both bakes breadand fixes cars.
My history course is both interesting and challenging
USE PARALLEL STRUCTURE ON BOTH
SIDES OF COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS(for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)
FANBOYS
Forexample,
1.She possessed all the wizard’s charm yetnone of the
wizard’s insight.
2.Consult a doctor if your coughing persists orif your
coughing worsens over the weekend.
3. In English class, Diego learned to read poems critically
andappreciate good prose..
4. A swimmer was attacked by a shark, buthe scared it
away by poking it in the eye.
PAIRED CONJUNCTIONS: (BOTH…AND; NOT ONLY. . .
BUT ALSO; EITHER. . .OR; NEITHER . . . NOR)
For example,,
•Bothmy mother andmy sister are here.
•Not only my mother but also my sister is here.
•Neithermy sister normy parents are here.
•We can have eitherbroccoli orcauliflower for dinner.
•Note:
1.When we use (both. . . and) the verb is always plural.
2. When we use (not only…but also; neither. . . nor;
either. . . or) the verb is always in the form of the word
directly before it
CHOOSE THE CORRECT
ANSWER TO FILL IN THE
BLANK.
1.Ella’s job responsibilities include ____,
training, and informing workers of
company policies.
A) to hire
B) hired
C) hire
D) none of the above
CHOOSE THE CORRECT
ANSWER TO FILL IN THE
BLANK.
1.Ella’s job responsibilities include ____, training,
and informing workers of company policies.
ANSWER:
A) to hire
B) hired
C) hire
D) none of the above; hiringis the correct
answer.
MORE EXERCISES:-
2. Henry likes pizza more than _______.
A) spinach
B) to eat spinach
C) to be eating spinach
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
2.Henry likes pizza more than _______.
ANSWER:
A) spinach
B) to eat spinach
C) to be eating spinach
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
3.He drove to the store to buy milk, eggs,
and _______.
A) to get bread
B) bread
C) getting bread
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
3.He drove to the store to buy milk, eggs,
and _______.
ANSWER:
A) to get bread
B) bread
C) getting bread
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
4.Tom jogs, swims, and _________.
A) he is kick boxing
B) kick boxes
C) he kick boxes
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
4.Tom jogs, swims, and _________.
ANSWER:
A) he is kick boxing
B) kick boxes
C) he kick boxes
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
5.The film had many stars, used various
special effects, and ________.
A) violence
B) featured graphic violence
C) it was violent
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
5.The film had many stars, used various
special effects, and ________.
ANSWER:
A) violence
B) featured graphic violence
C) it was violent
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
6.I think that learning a new language is
harder than ____.
A) math
B) to learn math
C) learning math
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
6.I think that learning a new language is
harder than ____.
ANSWER:
A) math
B) to learn math
C) learning math
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
7.For some very shy people, giving a speech
can be as frightening as _________.
A) having a serious illness
B) illness
C) to have an illness
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
7.For some very shy people, giving a speech
can be as frightening as _________.
ANSWER:
A) having a serious illness
B) illness
C) to have an illness
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
8.I’d rather be lucky or hardworking than
________.
A) to have talent
B) having talent
C) talented
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
8.I’d rather be lucky or hardworking than
________.
ANSWER:
A) to have talent
B) having talent
C) Talented √
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
9. That football team has both a good
offense and ______.
A) it has a good defense
B) a good defense
C) having a good defense
D) none of the above
MORE EXERCISES:-
9. That football team has both a good
offense and ______.
ANSWER:
A) it has a good defense
B) a good defense √
C) having a good defense
D) none of the above
LAST EXERCISES:-
10. Bob is not only loyal to friends but also
________.
A) he is friendly to strangers
B) to be friendly to strangers
C) friendly to strangers
D) none of the above
ANSWER LAST
EXERCISES:-
Bob is not only loyal to friends but also
________.
ANSWER:
A) he is friendly to strangers
B) to be friendly to strangers
C) friendly to strangers √
D) none of the above
SOURCES
•1.
http://esla199.pbworks.com/w/page/23276972/Parallel
%20Structure,%20Paired%20Conjunctions,%20Coordinati
ng%20Conjunctions.
•2. arkcs.arkansas.gov/pp.../parallel_structure.ppt.
•3. Parallelismppt, Brenham Writing Room,
Created by D. Herring.