Using parallel structures effectively (grammar support)
Part 3: Chapter 12
Questions to consider
A. What is the advantage of using parallel structures in research writing?
B. What are the parameters for creating parallel structures?
Using a mixture of sentence lengths and patterns is an important writing technique. However, it is equally important to avoid introducing variation within individual sentences. A strong sentence is composed of balanced parts that all have the same structure. This supports the reader because a predictable rhythm is established. Implementing parallelism, or parallel structures, is a reliable strategy for creating a balanced sentence structure.
Using parallelism
Parallelism is the use of similar structure in related words, clauses, or phrases. It creates a rhythm and a sense of balance within a sentence. Readers often unconsciously correct faulty parallelism—a lack of parallel structure—because an unbalanced and poorly constructed sentence is less reader-friendly; problems arise when readers inadvertently alter the meaning.
Examples: Faulty parallelism
Kelly had to iron, did laundry, and shopping before her parents arrived.
Driving a car requires coordinating actions, patience, and to have good eyesight.
Ali prefers jeans to wearing a suit.
The faulty parallelism in the example sentences in the box above is clunky and confusing. In the first example, three different verb forms are used. In the second and third examples, the writer begins each series by using a noun (coordination, jeans), but ends with a phrase (to have good eyesight, wearing a suit)
Examples: Strong parallelism
Kelly had to wash and iron the clothes and finish the shopping before her parents arrived.
Driving a car requires coordination, patience, and good eyesight.
Ali prefers wearing jeans to wearing suits.
Repetition of grammatical construction also minimizes the amount of work the reader has to do to decode the sentence. This enables the reader to focus on the content and to not be distracted by the structural weakness.
Language in Action
A. Where does parallelism appear in research writing?
B. In published work and professional speeches, parallelism is common. Look at the examples below from A field experimental design of a strengths-based training to overcome academic procrastination: short-and long-term effect and analyze them for quality (how strictly parallel are the structures?) and length (are the items simple nouns, phrases, or even complex clauses?).
- Consequences of academic procrastination for students are under-performance, low grades on tests and final exams (Steel et al., 2001), and an increased risk of dropping out (Wesley, 1994).
- Various predisposing, causing, and maintaining factors can influence a person’s procrastination (Van Eerde, 2003; Steel, 2007; Klingsieck, 2013; Egan et al., 2014; Rozental and Carlbring, 2014; Steel and Klingsieck, 2016).
- Procrastination can also be understood as a phenomenon evoked by situational features (Klingsieck, 2013). These features can be task characteristics, such as task difficulty and attractiveness, plausibility of the assignment, autonomy, and teachers’ characteristics (Ackerman and Gross, 2005, 2007).[1]
C. How do reader and writer benefit from these patterns?
Common parallel structures
When connecting two clauses using a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), parallelism is achieved by using the same grammatical structure on each side of the conjunction.
Faulty parallelism: He completed an internship, but his work is substandard and his position is being eliminated.
Correct parallelism: He completed an internship, but his work was substandard and his position was eliminated.
The first sentence uses three different verb tenses for no clear reason. In the second sentence, the grammatical constructions on each side of the coordinating conjunctions (but, and) are the same, creating a parallel sentence.
Punctuation note
Comma use is standard with coordinating conjunctions when there is a subject on both sides (e.g. She was a graduate student, and he was an undergrad).
Commas are also used to separate simple items in a list (e.g. The buffet included roast chicken, smoked salmon, and grilled pork chops).
The same technique should be used for joining items or in a series:
Faulty parallelism: This committee needs to decide whether the company should reduce its workforce, cut benefits, or lowering wages.
Correct parallelism: This committee needs to decide whether the company should reduce its workforce, cut its benefits, or lower wages.
The first sentence contains two items that use the same verb construction (infinites: reduce, cut), but only one noun has a possessive pronoun (its), and the third item uses a different verb form (gerund: lowering). The second sentence uses the same verb construction and a possessive device in all three items, creating a parallel structure.
Exercise #1
Revise each of the following to create one sentence with parallel structure using coordinating conjunctions or items in a series.
- Every student takes the introductory survey course. All new graduate students attend orientation.
- Mr. Koirla enjoys reading, and he likes to play his guitar on weekends.
- Newer technology has reduced the relevance of some television programming and radio programming. More people watch movies at home instead of going to a cinema.
- The doctor told Mrs. Hall that she should either eat less or to increase the frequency and duration of her exercise.
- Breaking out of the prison compound, the escapees moved carefully, quietly, and were quick on their feet.
- The building is old. The equipment is out-of-date. The broken-down furniture is not safe.
- She is reading the book, but her roommate watches a few episodes of the series on her tablet every night.
- The students in the basic chemistry class have weak math skills. Most of the basic chemistry students are struggling.
- Deal with a full inbox first thing in the morning, or by setting aside short periods of time in which to answer e-mail queries.
- There are many places to take a nap on campus but classrooms cannot be one of them.
Creating Parallelism Using Than or As
Comparisons frequently use the words than or as, and the items on each side of these comparison words should be parallel. This supports the reader and clarifies the comparison.
Faulty parallelism: Swimming in the ocean is much tougher than a pool.
Correct parallelism: Swimming in the ocean is much tougher than swimming in a pool.
In the first sentence, the elements before the comparison word (than) are not equal to the elements after the comparison word. It appears that the writer is comparing an action (swimming) with a noun (a pool). In the second sentence, the writer uses the same grammatical construction to create a parallel structure. This clarifies that an action is being compared with another action.
To correct some instances of faulty parallelism, it may be necessary to add or delete words in a sentence.
Faulty parallelism: A brisk walk is as beneficial to your health as going for a run.
Correct parallelism: Going for a brisk walk is as beneficial to your health as going for a run.
In this example, it is necessary to add the verb phrase going for to the sentence in order to clarify that the act of walking is being compared to the act of running. A more economical version would eliminate the repetition and use simple nouns:
Correct parallelism: A brisk walk is as beneficial to your health as a run.
Exercise #2
Revise each of the following to create one sentence with parallel structure using than or as.
- I would rather work at a second job to pay for a new car than a loan.
- He wondered whether being honest was as important as responsibility.
- She likes ice cream more than her husband.
- The old textbook has more detailed instruction than the few exercises in the new one.
- How you look in the workplace is just as important as your behavior.
- Because of their endowment, the engineering school can sponsor more international students.
- The firefighter spoke more of his childhood than he talked about his job.
- The department has to reallocate their resources so as much funding is given to teaching as there is support for research and development.
- Indian cuisine is spicier and so much tastier than the Great Britain’s palate.
- Accidentally plagiarizing or forgetting to cite a source is as serious as a student’s purposeful copy-and-paste of another student’s work.
Creating parallelism using correlative conjunctions
A correlative conjunction is a paired conjunction that connects two equal parts of a sentence and shows the relationship between them. Common correlative conjunctions include the following:
| either…or | neither…nor | whether…or |
| not only…but also | both…and | rather…than |
Punctuation note
Commas are not generally used with correlative conjunctions (unless it has a purpose other than separating parts of the correlation):
The trip will be long, whether she buys a car, which she cannot afford, or borrows a bike.
The commas after car and afford enclose a nonrestrictive adjective clause.
Correlative conjunctions should implement the same grammatical structures using parallelism to improve readability and rhythm. In other words, when using a correlative conjunction, the words, phrases, or clauses following each part should be parallel. Take a look at the following example:
Faulty parallelism: We can neither wait for something to happen nor are we able to take evasive action.
Correct parallelism: We can neither wait for something to happen nor take evasive action.
In the first sentence, the construction of the second part of the sentence does not match the construction of the first part. In the second sentence, omitting needless words and matching verb constructions create a parallel structure. Sometimes, rearranging a sentence corrects faulty parallelism.
Faulty parallelism: It was both a long movie and poorly written.
Correct parallelism: The movie was both long and poorly written.
Remember if a sentence begins with not only, which is a possible structure and is illustrated in the box below, the word order will resemble that of a question. A comma will often also be necessary, as but will “double” as a coordinating conjunction.
Examples: not only and nor
Not only did they test positive for COVID-19, but they also suffered from serious symptoms.
The professor neither has the time to complete the project, nor does he see the value in it.
This is also true of clauses that follow nor. A comma will often also be necessary, as nor will “double” as a coordinating conjunction.
Exercise #3
Revise each of the following to create one sentence with parallel structure using a correlative conjunction.
- The thief did not steal the valuables. The thief did not steal the passports.
- The cyclist owns both a mountain bike and he also has a racing bike.
- He will spend 30 or 40 minutes looking for a parking place rather than to walk or take a bus from a remote location.
- The exam will be in class or it will be an online exam.
- The movie not only contained lots of action but also it offered an important lesson.
- My current job is neither exciting nor is it meaningful.
- The person elected president will be the leader of the country and the commander of the military.
- Antonio would rather listen to his father than be taking advice from me.
- Getting a job offer greatly depends on whether she has publication credits or ever presents at a conference.
- We are neither interested in buying a vacuum cleaner nor want to utilize your carpet cleaning service.
Review and Reinforce
A. What are some of the benefits writers gain by using parallel structures?
B. In what specific ways do readers benefit when writers use parallel structures effectively?
Adapted from Hall, B., & Wallace, E. (2018). College ESL Writers: Applied Grammar and Composing Strategies for Success English Open Textbooks. 14. ch. 2.4. p. 60-63
Media Attributions
- snake release © MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives) license
- Visser, L., Schoonenboom, J., & Korthagen, F. A. (2017). A field experimental design of a strengths-based training to overcome academic procrastination: short-and long-term effect. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 1949. ↵
a writing technique in which two or more items in a series follow a pattern (e.g. a large yellow duck, a small black dog, a thin gray cat)
linking words (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) that add meaning when they connect ideas
a paired conjunction that connects two equal parts of a sentence and shows the relationship between them (e.g. either...or, rather...than)
