Parallel Structure

​Parallel Structure Revisited

Any time that you have a sentence that has a conjunction, list of repeated words, phrases, ideas...etc... - in order to keep the sentence grammatically sound, you need to have the same grammatical structure.

This applies to:​ nouns, infinitives, gerunds, participles, prep phrases, adjectives, voice, clauses....​

​Joining elements with linking verbs or verbs of being suggests a completing of the first item by the second one. Often, in fact, an equality between the two is being set up, as the examples below illustrate.

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct sentence that follows a parallel structure:

• I would like to eat potatoes, to eat turkey and to drink water.

• I would like to eat potatoes, drink water and to eat turkey.

• I would like eating potatoes and turkey and to drink water.

Multiple Choice

The bellflower is(A) a wildflower that grows in(B) shady fields, in marshes(C), and mountain(D) slopes.

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

Modern(A) motorcycles are lighter(B), faster, and specialized(C) than motorcycles(D) of 25 years ago

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

According to Susan Sontag, our concepts(A) of art(B), beauty, and nature(C) has(D) been changed by photography.

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood is neither journalistically accuarate _______

• a piece of fiction

• nor a fictitious work

• or written in a fictitious way

• nor completely fictitious

Multiple Choice

Because bone loss occurs earlier in women than _______, the effects of osteoporosis are more apparent in women.

• men do

• in men

• as men

• similar to men

Multiple Choice

Select the sentence that illustrates the use of proper parallel construction. 

• Phuong Tran has wit, charm, and she has an extremely pleasant personality.
• Phuong Tran has wit, charm, and a pleasing personality.

Multiple Choice

Read this sentence.

Scientists and meteorologists are currently studying storms and try to find better ways of predicting them.

How is this sentence correctly written?

• Scientists and meteorologists are currently studying storms and to try to find better ways of predicting them.

• Scientists and meteorologists are currently studying storms and tried to find better ways of predicting them.

• as it is

• Scientists and meteorologists are currently studying storms and trying to find better ways of predicting them.