Some good examples of parallel structures in literature include the following: I had been short, and now I was tall. All elements are described in the same grammatical context, making the message easier to read and understand. In English grammar, parallel structure (also referred to as parallelism) is the repetition of the same grammatical structure in each part of a sentence. How your words are connected impacts how your audience connects with your messaging. Phrases or clauses of comparisons (than, as) Our recent survey shows our customers would prefer getting an email rather than receiving a text promo. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Indefinite Pronouns Examples & List | What is an Indefinite Pronoun? You may also seebalanced sentences usage and examples. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. I will not sing a song, nor will I dance. Content creators are masters of all things messaging, but sometimes we forget to follow important grammatical cues. Keep in mind that any parallel structure error committed can make you sound strange to audiences. He enjoys finding new recipes, cooking for friends, and eating meals too. This technique is most preferable in writing and advertising, as it makes our language seem a lot more refined than normal. English 2 coming to our senses. By maintaining a parallel structure, you will avoid grammatically incorrect sentences containing lists. Not Parallel: Reece likes to read, writing, and eat. Below is another example of parallel structure: In addition, in parallel structure, it is important to group similar ideas and items when you have short phrases that can be put together. Phrases such as, "to bake" or "to write" are infinitives. Jo went to the gym and used the exercise bike, free weights, and the sauna. Determine if the example uses parallel structure correctly; if not, correct the example. Jarring your audience is the last thing you want with content,so avoid these misstepswith parallelism mechanics. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by briars and glared and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin.. People expect the ease of patterns when they read #content. In these lines, the parallel structures use repetition to lay emphasis, and help the readers to memorize the sentences easily. Skim your paper, pausing at the words "and" and "or." Not Parallel: Parallel: Taylor criticizes public schools as they require students to attend, receive money from the government, and destroy students humanity. They are going on the boat, going water skiing, and going swimming. Whenever you make a list of items or actions in a sentence, using equal grammatical units is crucial. Active & Passive Voice Differences & Examples | When to use Active & Passive Voice, How to Write Logical Sentences and Avoid Faulty Comparisons, Punctuations: Using Colons, Semicolons & Periods, Pronouns & Antecedents | Overview, Rules & Examples. You mighthave noticed how a parallel structure provides flow in a sentence. It keeps your writing balanced and makes it easier to read. Parallel structure is the process of writing similar items in the same format and can be applied to a single sentence, a paragraph, or multiple paragraphs. Ritas chores include dusting, to take out the trash, and having to feed the dog. Parallel structure provides flow in a sentence. In this exercise, you will evaluate examples of proper and improper use of parallel structure and then you will create your own examples. A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. She was intelligent, engaging, and articulate. But, incorporating parallelism also supports consistency, reinforcement, scannability, comprehension, and SEO. Parallel: Her company and its potential are irrelevant to me. See why parallel structure is a useful technique. Parallel: Reece likes reading, writing, and eating. Not Parallel:Its harder to take the leap than settling for less.Parallel:Its harder to take the leap than to settle for less. Parallel structure is repetition of a certain form, which provides balance and clarity in your writing. Reading aloud is an effective strategy to identify any errors that may exist with your parallel structure. For example, do you hear an ing word beginning each item? View accessible formats for documents on this page. 'Louise will swim, bike, and run this weekend at her triathlon. Changing to another pattern or changing the form of the verb with break the parallelism.Not Parallel: The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and to do some warm-up exercises before the game.Parallel: The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and that they should do some warm-up exercises before the game.ORParallel: The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, not eat too much, and do some warm-up exercises before the game. Combining Clauses to Avoid Comma Splices, Run-ons, and Fragments, Improving Cohesion: The "Known/New Contract", Same Form, but Different Functions: Various Meanings of Verb+ing and Verb+ed, The Three Common Tenses Used in Academic Writing, Using Reduced Relative Clauses to Write Concisely, Word Order in Statements with Embedded Questions. Let me count the ways. In doing so, it also shows that the ideas written in a sentence or paragraph are all of equal importance. The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, not eat too much, and do some warm-up exercises before the game. It is usually easy to identify a lack of parallel structure because the elements of the sentence will seem out of balance and may cause confusion. To further expand your knowledge about parallel structure in writing, review these examples of parallelism in literature and rhetoric. Jo also used the free weights. Parallel structure, also called parallel construction, is the repetition of a grammatical form within a sentence. I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.. This is done when you have to connect two clauses or phrases with a correlative conjunction (not onlybut also, eitheror, neithernor, ifthen, etc.). Parallel: The tribes emphasized mutual aid, collective survival, and responsibility for each other. You may also likecumulative sentence examples. The usual way to join parallel structures is with the use of coordinating conjunctions such as " and " or " or ." Words and phrases So the next time you find yourselfwriting any form of composition, make sure to apply a parallel structure to add value to your words and to keep it structurally and grammatically correct. Sets found in the same folder . Notice that the first three sentences, which start in a similar way, while the next phrases follow another, similarstructure. Bouncing around with positive and negative statements. - not parallel. Parallel: Her shopping list for the party included: balloons, desserts, streamers, and chips. Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature.. Maintaining parallelism helps writers avoid grammatically incorrect sentences. Every morning, we make our bed, eat breakfast and feed the dog. flashcard set. Correlative conjunctions work in pairs to connect words, phrases, or clauses. conferences and educational community service from the start. I love thee to the level of every days Your verb tenses should always match. Listen for the repetition of sounds or phrases and look for conjunctions. I started each sentence with an -ing verb and stayed focused on what NOT to do.. He enjoys finding new recipes, cooking for friends, and to eat the meals too. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. 5. If you are unsure if a sentence is parallel and has grammatically correct structure, try making a bullet-point list like the one above. 2. Parallel structure creates a sense of logic and rhythm that can increase the power, persuasiveness, and readability of your writing. People expect the ease of patterns when they read content. A cluster of amplifiers spread the theme of love over everything and everybody; the mild breeze spread the dust over everything and everybody. 1. In the parallel structure, all of the objects of "like" are gerunds, -ing verbs acting as nouns. It also makes it easier for us to determine the relationship shared between each word, phrase, or clause used in the given sentence. Understanding Parallel Structure. 5. Parallel structure helps writers organize and clarify their thoughts. This helps writers clearly communicate ideas and makes the writing sound formal and elegant. Copyright 1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. I take a multi-faceted approach to helping others recognize their own true power and flourish in their lives. Parallel structure is a writing technique that uses word patterns to demonstrate equal importance of two or more similar items or ideas. A cluster of amplifiers spread the theme of love over everything and everybody; the mild breeze spread the dust over everything and everybody. Below is an example of a grammatically incorrect sentence without parallel structure: The computers ability to multi-task, defend against viruses, and overall usability all improved when I updated the operating software. So in this article, we take on the basics of parallel structures along with a few examples onhow they are used in literature and everyday speech. Coming to Our Senses is the vehicle for the exploration of all forms of sensory healing and regeneration. 2023 LoveToKnow Media. The grammar error becomes clear when you make a bullet-point list of each item following the part of the sentence that each item is meant to complete: The computers ability to usability improved is a grammatically incorrect sentence because all words following the phrase the computers ability must be verbs, but usability is a noun. Be sure to add a period where required or the sentence will be marked as incorrect. ', 'Louise will be swimming, then bike, and run this weekend in her triathlon. Next morning, in the Lafayette Hotel in Portland, I went down to breakfast and found May Craig looking solemn at one of the tables and Mr. Murray, the auctioneer, looking cheerful at another., Goodbye to Forty-Eighth Street by E.B. It also lends consistency to professional writing, as it providesrhythm and balance that lead the readers to the exact idea, without any misguidance. Figure out which parts of speech are being compared, and check for continuity. ", (Note: You can use "to" before all the verbs in a sentence or only before the first one.). - Definition & Examples, Point of View: First, Second & Third Person, Narrators in Literature: Types and Definitions, What is Foreshadowing? A fearful man, all in coarse grey, with a great iron on his leg. Parallel structure should be used with infinitives. Parallel: Ben wants not only fame but also money. 1. **b. Remember that conjunctions are words like 'and,' 'or,' 'but,' 'yet' and 'so' that connect two parts of a sentence. Parallel verbs means that the same verb tense is used when verbs are used in a sentence to share two or more equally important ideas. 3. In these examples, the clauses do not illustrate parallel construction. Not Parallel: My dog neither likes to play fetch, nor chase cars. Learn about parallel structure in this comprehensive guide. Copyright 2023 George Mason University. Not Parallel: Sharon likes to read, write, and eating. Britt is also the author of four novels and she is the host ofLove Your Enthusiasm, a podcastthat inspires people to follow their greatest passion. Yet again, here is the same list with a broken parallel structure that flip-flops between positive (yes) and negative (no) statements. Jo went to the gym and used the exercise bike. Paying attention to repeated words and phrases and conjunctions to catch mistakes with parallel structure. The usual way to join parallel structures is with the use of coordinating conjunctions such as "and" or "or." Words and Phrases With the -ing form (gerund) of words: Use parallel structure to connect two phrases or clauses with a word of comparison like than or as. Lists after a colon or bulleted lists Be sure to keep all the elements in a list in the same form.Not Parallel: The dictionary can be used for these purposes: to find word meanings, pronunciations, correct spellings, and looking up irregular verbs.Parallel: The dictionary can be used for these purposes: to find word meanings, pronunciations, correct spellings, and irregular verbs. How does parallel structure and parallel elements work with coordinating conjunctions? Not Parallel: When content works, it just works well, theres a lot more to it than meets the eye. To create parallel structure, the verb was changed to a noun. Let's take a look at a basic example of a sentence that uses parallel structure. Why was Chiang Kai-shek's strategy of enlisting Confucian values as a way to spread Western ideals a failure? ', 'Joseph bought a jacket, a pair of shoes, and a tie.'. Changing to another pattern or changing the voice of the verb (from active to passive or vice versa) will break the parallelism. Ritas chores include dusting, taking out the trash, and feeding the dog. A parallel structure also lends consistency in professional writing, allowing writers to create a rhythm and balance with their words that will lead readers to the exact idea being conveyed. These structures giverhythm to sentences and leaving them grammatically balanced. When you combine two or more phrases or clauses, you will use a coordinating conjunction. If you have several items in a list, put them in a column and evaluate the first words to see if they're parallel. Sentences are made up of words and phrases thathelp convey a given thought.
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