PARALLELISM

PARALLELISM

The elements of a sentence that are alike in function should be alike in form.

Not parallel: Jami is rich, handsome, and many people like him.

Parallel: Jami is rich, handsome and popular.

Not parallel : Nadia likes to fish, swim and surfing.

Parallel: Nadia likes to finish, to swim and to surf.

or,

Nadia likes fishing, swimming and surfing.

Not parallel: Ashraf entered the room. sat down and is opening his book.

Parallel : Ashraf entered the room, sat down and opened his book. Many parallel elements are linked by a co-ordinating conjunction (and, or, but) Or by correlatives [both---and, either—or, neither---nor, not only--- but also, etc]. In the following examples, verbals used as subjects and complements are parallel in form.

Seeing is believing.

To define flora is to define climate.

*Repeating a preposition, an article, the ‘to’ of the infinitive, or the introductory word of a phrase or clause can make parallel structure clear.

Exercise1: Parallel structure

1. Professional gardeners appreciate flowers for their ----------, gorgeous colors, and pleasant fragrance.

A. attractively shaped

B. attractive, shapely

C. shaped attractively

D. attractive shapes

2. Customs influence -------and how they prepare, serve, and eat foods.

A. people eat that

B. people eat it

C. what people eat

D. what do people eat

3. Students of economics take courses in such related fields as history, political science, and ––.

A. statistical

B. statistics

C. statistic

D. statistician

4. To bake fish, ------------ butter and place it in a generously greased rectangular pan.

A. it brushes with

B. with its brushes

C. brushing it with

D. brush it with

5. Free electrons are not tightly bound to their atoms and ------ from one to another.

A. can move easy

B. can easily move

C. can move more easily

D. easy move

6. If you are seated when a newcomer enters the room, stand up to be greeted or --------.

A. introduces himself

B. introduce

C. introduction

D. to be introduced

7. Good manners should always govern the way people -

--------.

A. driving and parking

B. drive and park

C. to drive and to park

D. driven and parked

8. Classical ballet dancers perform their movements with an –––– bearing.

A. openly and directly

B. openness and direction

C. open and direct

D. opening and directly

9. The brain centers of ------- and hearing enable a person to understand written and spoken language.

A. vision

B. visual

C. the vision

D. a visual

10. The ‘D’ Aulaires were the --------- team who wrote and illustrated children’s books.

A. husband and wife

B. husband and a wife

C. husband and the wife

D. husbands and wife.

Answer Keys:

1.     d 2. c 3. b 4. d 5. b 6. d 7. b 8. c 9. a 10. a