It will help you get higher grades, improve your job. Determine if these sentences have parallel structure. Words, phrases, or clauses in a series should be in the same grammatical structure. Students correct and rewrite sentences using parallel structure, and receive realtime feedback on their writing. Repair faulty parallelism in comparisons by making one element of the comparison parallel to the other. Watch sal work through a harder parallel structure question from the sat writing and language test. This worksheet was designed to help you better understand the importance of parallel structure. By convention, items in a series appear in parallel grammatical form. Parallel structure is a stylistic device, and a grammatical construction having two or more clauses, phrases or words, with similar grammatical form and length. Here are sample responses to the sentencecompletion exercise. Parallel structure connors writing center dimond library 329.
We make words or phrases parallel when we are writing things in a list or series, and each word must have the same grammatical form. Using parallel structure with words, phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs, and even sections of a paper is part of good english grammar. It gives greater balance and power to the way you communicate. Sentence elements that are alike in function should also be alike in construction. My grandfathers favorite pastime is to eat in trendy restaurants and visiting art. Pdf reading time for the second clause of a conjoined sentence was found to be faster when the clause was structurally similar to the first clause. This lesson is most appropriate for students in 10th grade.
Parallel structure refers to same word pattern within a sentence by repeating a chosen grammatical form. The usual way to join parallel structures is with the use of coordinating conjunctions such as and or or. If youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. When you use parallel structure, you increase the readability of your writing by creating word patterns readers can follow easily. Writing clear sentences worksheet 1 parallel structure. For this sentence the form of the words is present tense verb. Using parallel structure when writing a sentence, make sure all elements are parallel, or treated in the same way. There are two reasons it is important to maintain parallelism in a series. Parallel structure is repetition of a certain form, which. Parallel ideas, that is, ideas being compared apa 3.
You use them to join structures that are grammatically equal, such as two words, two phrases or two clauses. Check your answers with the interactive version of the exercise. To have parallel structure, use matching nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs when you write a list. When i was a child, i loved to play in the leaves, skip down the driveway, and. Parallelism refers to the use of identical grammatical structures for related words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence or a paragraph. If your thesis statement presents your reader with two or more, main points, you must ensure that each point is expressed in parallel form. Parallel structure is especially important to consider when drafting thesis statements for academic writing. Parallel sentence structures elements in a sentence that have the same function or express similar ideas should be grammatically parallel, or grammatically matched. This means that ideas in a sentence or paragraph that are similar should be expressed in parallel grammatical form e. Julia is in charge of stocking the shelves, writing orders, and to sell computers. Using parallel structure demonstrates that the elements in the series fulfill the same function or carry equal weight. It also constitutes an important category of good english style. Correct parallel structure is important because it makes. Using parallel structure in your writing will help with 1 economy 2 clarity 3 equality 4 delight.
Two or more words, phrases, concepts are considered parallel when they occupy grammatically and semantically parallel positions within a. This grammatical form can be used with a variety of structures including infinitives, words, clauses, and lists. Parallel structure harder example our mission is to provide a free, worldclass education to anyone, anywhere. Clutched her stomach maintains parallel structure in the sentence.
Parallelism practice rewrite these incorrect sentences in. For example, all verbs should be in the same tense and form. Parallel word structure is preferred to be used whenever there is coordinating conjunction in a statement connecting two or more phrases or clauses. It can be used for literary effect as well come see in a moment, but at the most basic level, it simply means ensuring your writing is grammatical. Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. Writers achieve parallelism by repeating the structure of a phrase or sentence. The use of parallel structure is essential for good writing, helping to add clarity and strength.
These items resemble ones you will find on standardized tests. Parallel structure means that coordinate parts of a sentence, such as items in a series or list, have the same grammatical form. Parallelism or parallel structure is one of the secrets of great writing. In parallel structure, sentences have a series of phrases or clauses, which start and end in almost a similar fashion, by keeping the rhythm of the lines. Below are three rules to consider when checking for. Parallel structure also called parallelism is the repetition of a chosen grammatical form within a sentence. Parallel structure examples and definition of parallel. Comparing items without using parallel structure may cause confusion about what is being compared to what.
Therefore, a parallel structure, otherwise known as parallelism, is a stylistic device used to increase the readability of ones writing by creating a word pattern that readers can easily follow. Using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance is the definition of parallel structure. In the spring, summer, or in the winter, we will go to germany. Definition parallel structure is the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. Its simply the practice of using the same structures or forms multiple times. In the first example, a series of nouns are presented in parallel structure. Examples of parallel structure include multiple gerunds or ing verbals that function as nouns, past participles, infinitive phrases to be. Parallelism practice rewrite these incorrect sentences in parallel form. It is estimated this lesson will take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Using parallel structure with coordinating conjunctions. Created by the evergreen writing center library 3407 8676420 parallel structure parallel structure adds both clout and clarity to your writing. Items in a series must be all nouns, all verbs, or all participles, and so on. Parallel structure also known as parallel sentence structure or parallelism means having matching elements of a phrase, sentence or paragraph.
Welcome parallelism is a technique writers use to convey ideas of equal importance. Mary likes hik ing, swimm ing, and to ride a bicycle. Eric foreman decorates the christmas tree, picks up his grandma from the nursing home, and friends are invited over for dinner. This can happen at the word, phrase, or clause level. A parallel structure should be used when you connect clauses with a coordinating conjunction such as for, and, nor, or, but, so, or yet. Below are three rules to consider when checking for parallel structure in. To get some practice, decide whether the structures below are parallel or not. Parallel structure in sentences clarion university of. The sentences in this exercise will give you practice in using parallel structures effectively. When delores realized that her father had made lima beans and rice for dinner, she. Check the rules for parallel structure and check your sentences as you write and when you. Single words, multiword phrases and clauses can be made parallel by ensuring each item is equal. Created by the evergreen writing center library 3407.
Parallel structure to make the ideas in your sentences clear and understandable, you need to make your sentence structures grammatically balanced i. This means that ideas in a sentence or paragraph that are similar should be expressed in. If youre behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains. In english grammar, parallel structure involves two or more words, phrases, or clauses that are similar in length and grammatical form. Mike likes to listen to rock music and reading mystery novels. Writers use parallel structure in the words and phrases in their sentences. In the nonparallel structure, there are two gerunds acting as nouns and one infinitive to read, which makes the sentence awkward and harder to process. In grammar, parallelism, also known as parallel structure or parallel construction, is a balance within one or more sentences of similar phrases or clauses that have the same grammatical structure. Please enter your nps username and password, then click the sign in button to continue. My grandfathers favorite pastime is to eat in trendy restaurants and visiting art galleries. In other words, the ideas need to have a similar grammatical structure e. Writers use parallel structures to communicate ideas that have the same importance using the same grammatical structure. The store is good for fruit, meat, and to buy cheese. Some of the most common and preferable occasion to use a parallel word structure are as follows.
But you need to make sure that those structures are parallel. Parallel structure means using the same construction for sentence elements that are the same in function. Understanding parallel structure parallel structure also called parallelism is the repetition of a chosen grammatical form within a sentence. These elements should be in the same grammatical form so that they are parallel. The walls in my room are painted white, gray, and they are painted pink, too.
Otherwise, the sentence becomes unbalanced and may confuse your readers. Learn english with lets talk free english lessons 267,688 views. Choose the option that maintains parallel structure in the sentence. The application of parallelism affects readability and may make texts easier to process. The words run, hunt and hike are the words or phrases in other cases in the series.
I like to run infinitive, to swim infinitive, and to surf infinitive. It can also be helpful for creating emphasis in a text. The application you are trying to access requires authentication. Parallel structure is when you balance the grammatical structures of words, clauses, sentences, or phrases in your writing. Learn how parallel structures are used in sentence writing with these everyday and literary examples.
In this quill lesson, students learn about parallel structure. Understanding and using parallel structure youtube. Parallelism is used as a rhetorical and stylistic device in literature, speeches, advertising, and popular songs. By making each compared item or idea in your sentence follow the same grammatical pattern, you create a parallel construction. Its a grammatical construction carrying two or more clauses, phrases or words, with a similar grammatical form and length. Correct parallel structure is important because it makes a sentence easier to. It emphasizes on the same level of importance of multiple ideas or information given in the same sentence. Parallel structure with items in a series incorrect. I like running, singing, and to read in the parallel structure, all of the objects of like are gerunds, ing verbs acting as nouns. Parallel structure can be applied to a single sentence, a paragraph, or even multiple paragraphs. Parallel structure in sentences creating parallel structure in a sentence is achieved when the writer balances similar grammatical elements such as words, phrases, and clauses to demonstrate they are of equal importance.
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