Figure out which parts of speech are being compared, and check for continuity. Parallel: Sharon likes reading, writing, and eating. Parallel: ', 'Daniel spent his Saturday afternoon cooking chili, then he watched football, and took a nap. I love thee to the level of every days Learn more about our Privacy Statement and Cookie Policy. Review each of the following examples. Create your account. 2. Parallel structure is essential for communicating value props consistently. Not Parallel: ', 'Joseph bought a jacket. That being said, here are some everyday examples of a parallel structure: As much as we use parallel structures during everyday conversations, many literary writers use parallel structures to deliver their ideas in a way that readers could fully grasp as well. They argued not only about the article, but. These three sentences are all dealing with the same topic, and can be combined using parallel structure. 23 terms. Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show the two or more ideas have the same level of importance. Northern has a distinctive sense of place some refer to it as the upper hand, The wheels wheeled, the chairs spun, the cotton candy tinted the faces of children, the bright leaves tinted the woods and hills. A cluster of amplifiers spread the theme of love over everything and everybody; the mild breeze spread the dust over everything and everybody. When someone is searching for an answer to a search query and your content offers the clearest explanation in a featured snippet, they will click and engage. The first sentence uses an adjective, an adjective, and a noun. Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. Should the students use pens or a pencil? Patterns that come with parallel construction make it easier for your audience to remember your content. 286 lessons Exercise Group 2: Parallel Structure. The repetition of the grammatical structure creates a common word pattern and grammatical pattern throughout the sentence. If not, make them parallel. Parallel structure brings more power and precision to your content. 5. It was Sally Baldwin who brought me along, told me what to wear and do and think and say. Use parallel structure to join two or more elements with a linking verb, where the first item is completed by the second one. If possible, find a partner with whom you could trade worksheets. Parallel: Participants in the workshop learned about negotiating, communicating, and working collaboratively. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. If you determined that the consistent verb tenses created the parallel structure, you are correct! 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Whenever you make a list of items or actions in a sentence, using equal grammatical units is crucial. A lack of parallel structure creates a clunky user experience because the messaging is disjointed. these profound messaging moments in history, 10 Types of Content Writers and When to Use Them. Do you want to throw something across the room? Jo went to the gym and used the exercise bike, free weights, and the sauna. Parallel: Her company and its potential are irrelevant to me. These elements should be in the same grammatical form (or parallel grammatical form). world -- whatever you want that world to look like. ("Watched" and "made" are past tense, but "play" is present tense. People dont spend time absorbing every last content detail. The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and in a detailed manner. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. Lets nerd out on parallel structure together to help you sharpen your messaging tools. ). In these examples, the clauses do not illustrate parallel construction. parallel structure. Parallel structure (also called parallelism or parallel construction) is when you use the same way of describing several things in a list. Skim your paper for the words "and" and "or." 1. Transcribed image text: Which of the following structures senses vertical movements, like . Parallel structure (peh-ruh-LEL STRUHK-churr) is a synonym for parallelism: a grammatical and rhetorical term for creating a sense of linguistic balance by repeating elements within a sentence, over the course of several sentences, or in a longer work or speech.. Parallel: David liked to dive better than to swim. It can also be used as an effective technique by highlighting important information or as a way to emphasize powerful points in your writing. Using parallel structure improves the readability of a sentence. 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.. Not Parallel: David liked to dive better than swimming. Parallel: Esther said she would rather pay for her education than receive financial aid. From SEO to marketing copy, focusing more energy on parallelism is a smart move. All rights reserved. Also important is whats happening on the surface the words on the page. This is why many linguists and professors encourage you to study this concept and the language even further for better comprehension. 20 chapters | Theres something about messing up parallel structure that really messes with the readers head youre welcome. You may also seecomplex sentences definition and examples. Thats because parallel structures often come to us naturally when we communicate with others. Example 1: Not Parallel: To succeed is getting new opportunities. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. Items in a series must be all nouns, all verbs, or all participles, and so on. You may also seecumulative sentence examples. Not Parallel: My shopping list for the party includes: balloons, dessert, streamers, and chips. 3. Reading aloud is an effective strategy to identify any errors that may exist with your parallel structure. But examples of good and bad parallel structure can be surprisingly obvious. You might be interested in. Let's take a look at a basic example of a sentence that uses parallel structure. Not Parallel:My little brothernot only likes to play catch, but also chase frogs.Parallel:My little brothernot only likes to play catch, but he also likes to chase frogs. An error occurred trying to load this video. Writers use parallel structure to add clarity to their writing, make it easier to understand and show that their writing is structurally and grammatically correct. Jarring your audience is the last thing you want with content,so avoid these misstepswith parallelism mechanics. This includes word pairs such as either/or, not only/but also, and both/and. In the non-parallel structure, there are two gerunds acting as nouns and one infinitive (to read), which makes the sentence awkward and harder to process. Do you hear the same kinds of sounds? This happens when a plural noun is used in a sentence with a singular noun. parallel structure to emphasize ideas humorous tone author communicates ideas with irony and sarcasm. Hearing the flow of the sentence structure oftentimes reveals a lack of continuity in writing, and an error in parallel structure may be to blame. It also lends consistency to professional writing, as it providesrhythm and balance that lead the readers to the exact idea, without any misguidance. What is parallel structure? I dislike cleaning and. Instead of being all dos or all donts, the reader has to work much harder by going back and forth (dont, do, dont, do, etc.). When nouns are used in a sentence to share two or more ideas, it is important to pay attention to the continuity of the same part of speech and the noun number. ** What were the most noteworthy advances in Chinese culture during the Sui, Tang, and Sung dynasties? Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Parallel structure should be used when you connect clauses with a coordinating conjunction such as: for, and, nor, or, but, so, or yet in a sentence. You create a lot of content, right? Let me count the ways. The words that should be parallel but aren't are shown in italics here. in and out of the classroom. 34 terms. I had been skinny and quiet and religious, and now I was good-looking and muscular. If we journey back to English class, youll remember seeing parallel construction used in some ofthese profound messaging moments in history. 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. 3. Grammatical structures within a sentence include the parts of speech, clauses, and phrases. 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. Whenever you make a list of items or actions in a sentence, using equal grammatical units is crucial. 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. Not Parallel:Either you like performing or you dont like to perform.Parallel:Either you like performing or you dont like performing. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. 4. Privacy policy. I love thee freely, as men strive for right. However, it has been shown through research that there are more than 53 senses connected to biological human expression. Copyright 2022 by The On-Campus Writing Lab& The OWL at Purdueand Purdue University. By creating word patterns that are easily understood, you decrease the friction between your message and your audience. For example: Harry likes swimming, the theatre and to go for hikes. A mismatch in parts of speech can also cause a lack of parallel structure. Or a "to". Language and Style: Parallel Structure Parallel structure is the repetition of a pattern of words or phrases within a sentence or passage to signify that two or more events or ideas have the same level of importance. 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. Explanation: "Coming to Our Sense" is an article by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Sets found in the same folder . Not Parallel: I enjoy neither playing video games or exercise. Coming to Our Senses is the vehicle for the exploration of all forms of sensory healing and regeneration. Oops! If a lack of parallel structure exists, you will need to exchange the item that does not match the others. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE. Though the way these sentences are structured never really mattered during our early years at school, as we grew older, we came to learn just how important it is to construct proper sentences for better communication. Balance is created in a sentence by using parallel structure. To see a parallel structure example that worked to win featured snippets, check out this ClearVoice piece,10 Types of Content Writers and When to Use Them. You can also use correlative conjunctions to combine two phrases or clauses. You may also see balanced sentences. You mighthave noticed how a parallel structure provides flow in a sentence. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. With parallel structure, increased comprehension comes from an increase in readability. Expand or Collapse to view popular links for this site, Expand or Collapse to view links grouped by top level headings, Center Contact Information Writing Center Facebook, Center Contact Information Writing Center Instagram, Center Contact Information Writing Center YouTube, Research & reference organizational tools, William N. Pennington Student Achievement Center. So, how can we fix grammatical errors with parallel structure? Parallel structure creates a sense of logic and rhythm that can increase the power, persuasiveness, and readability of your writing. The teacher said that he was a poor student because he waited until the last minute to study for the exam, completed his lab problems in a careless manner, and lacked motivation. Words and phrasesWords and phrases can be joined with either the ing form (called a gerund) or the infinitive form. Not Parallel: Taylor criticizes public schools as they are compulsory, funded by the government, and destroy students humanity. Hannahis responsible for stocking merchandise, taking orders for delivery, and giving out vouchers around the block. 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Parallel structure helps ensure your reader correctly interprets your ideas because if you don't show how two or more items clearly connect, your reader could get confused. 1. She created me, and when she was done we broke up in a formal sense, but she kept calling me.. Notice that the first three sentences, which start in a similar way, while the next phrases follow another, similarstructure. If you have several items in a list, put them in a column to see if they are parallel. The bold words indicate that parallel construction is used correctly. Not Parallel: Errors in parallel structure can make your writing sound strange to listeners. If something is breaking that rhythm or repetition of sound, check to see if it needs to be made parallel. We can go deep into the psychology of content marketing, analyzing our content through the lens of buyer personas or buyer stages. The teacher told them that they need to study for everyexam and that they should prepare for a recitation during every encounter. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.' It keeps your writing balanced and makes it easier to read. 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. It also highlights or emphasizes certain points. Joseph also bought a tie. One of the easiest and most effective proofreading techniques is to simply read a piece of writing out loud. Repeating words instead of repeating patterns. She has a Master's of Education in Curriculum and Development with a minor in Reading Intervention from Concordia University. The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and thoroughly. This excerpt presents a perfect example of parallel structure, describing a convict who becomes Magwitch. Learn about parallel structure in this comprehensive guide. Consider the effect of parallel structure on a piece of writing, Create parallel structure within sentences and lists, Practice using parallel structure and correcting related grammatical errors. You may also seesimple sentence examples. Two things likely happened when you decided to click and read this piece about parallel structure. To correct the lack of parallel structure in the first sentence, each idea is shared as a phrase. Listen to the sound of the items in a list or the items being compared. View accessible formats for documents on this page. You can see how perfectly the author has applied the essenceof parallelism in this excerpt, especially in the first two lines.