PARALLEL STRUCTURE
Parallel
structure (also called parallelism)
is the repetition of a chosen grammatical form within a sentence. Parallel
structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas
have the same level of importance. This can happen at the word, phrase, or
clause level. By making each compared item or idea in
your sentence follow the same grammatical pattern, you create a parallel construction.
Lists Of Words, Phrases and Clauses
When ideas are presented
in a series or a list, the same parts of speech should be used to ensure
parallel structure. This applies whether the list consists of single words,
phrases or clauses—single words should be balanced with single words, phrases
with phrases and clauses with clauses.
a.
Words
Single words should be matched with single words of the
same type (e.g. all nouns, all adverbs, and all adjectives).
Example:
·
Nouns:
Erza and her friend are coming to dinner.
·
Adverbs:
The lecturer asked the students to
speak in tutorials clearly and politely.
·
Adjectives:
These
shoes are old but comfortable.
·
Verbs:
Lucy
raised her hand and snapped her fingers.
·
Infinitive:
Mary likes to walk
or (to) ride her bike to work.
·
Gerund:
Mary likes hiking
and bicycling.
b.
Phrases
Groups of words (phrases) should be matched with word groups of
the same pattern (e.g.: noun phrases, adverb phrases, gerund phrases, and infinitive
phrases).
Example:
·
Noun phrases:
That florist sells various kinds of
flowers, such as red rose, white jasmine,
and purple orchid.
·
Adverb phrases:
Peter and Tim will probably arrive in less than an hour and in time for the meeting.
·
Gerund phrases:
He enjoys playing tennis and working
out.
·
Infinitive phrases:
She advised me to find some new friends and (to)
forget about the event.
c.
Clauses
Clauses should be matched with clauses
of the same pattern. A parallel structure that begins with clauses must keep on
with clauses. Changing to another pattern or changing the voice of the verb
(from active to passive or vice versa) will break the parallelism.
Example:
·
I remember what
he has said and what he has done to
me.
·
The lecturer expected that the students would
present the seminar, that
they would use PowerPoint presentation and that the class would ask questions.
Using
Parallel Structure
a.
With
Coordinating Conjunctions
When we connect two or more
clauses or phrases with a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or,
yet, or so), we use parallel structure.
1. And
And shows addition or connect equal
similar ideas.
e.g.: Your oral presentation should
use PowerPoint slides and it should
be submitted to lecturer.
2.
But
But connects equal different ideas.
e.g.: She failed the essay but she passed the final exam.
3.
Yet
Yet connects equal contrasting ideas.
e.g.: Her oral presentation was good, yet her
essay was poor.
4.
For
For connects a reason to result.
e.g.: the students did not pass the exam, for
they did not study last night.
5.
So
So connects a result to reason.
e.g.: Milley is a genius girl, so she can
pass the exam easily.
6.
Or
Or connects two equal choices.
e.g.: Stane can choose to continue his study at
Harvard or he can work in Apple Corp.
7.
Nor
Nor connects two negatives ideas.
e.g.: Milla and I do not like rock music, nor
do we like thriller movies.
b.
With
Correlative Conjunctions
When we connect two clauses
or phrases with a correlative conjunction (not only…but also, either…or,
neither…nor, whether …. or, etc.),
we use parallel structure.
Example:
- I need to borrow both English dictionary and English grammar.
- I must collect both grammar assignment and dictation task this week to the lecturer.
- The students were not only hard-working, but also community-minded.
- I don’t know whether to accept his offer or refuse it.
- The tasks need to be either submitted electronically or posted to the university assessment centre.
- Alicia wore neither the red gown nor her white dress to the prom.
- Taylor comes neither to attend the meeting nor to join the presentation.
c.
With Phrases or
Clauses of Comparison
When we connect two clauses
or phrases with a word of comparison, such as than or as….as, we use
parallel structure.
·
Than is used to state that something
is more than the other.
Example:
-
I would rather pay for my education than receive financial aid.
-
Learning at university is more difficult than
studying at high school.
·
As……as is
used to compare two things that similar to each other.
Example:
-
Writing assignments is as important as
sitting for exams.
d.
With Lists
When we are
comparing items in a list, we use parallel structure.
Example:
-
John Taylor Gatto
criticizes public schools because they are compulsory, government-funded,
and normalizing.
-
John Taylor Gatto criticizes
public schools because they require students to attend, receive money
from the government, and destroy students' humanity.
