Use Parallel Structures

Rhona tried holding her breath, chewing a piece of gum, and poking her belly, but she could not quiet her empty stomach, which rumbled during the chemistry exam.

• Yes! This item has an error.

• No! This item is free from error.

In the restroom, Rei was brushing her hair, freshened her lip-gloss, and took deep breaths, trying to work up the courage to walk to her first speech class.

• Yes! This item has an error.

• No! This item is free from error.

Answer explanation

Here, freshened and took are both simple past tense verbs, but was brushing is past progressive, wrecking the parallelism.

To fix the item, change was brushing to brushed.

http://chompchomp.com/structure01/

Robert is too noisy as a seatmate. Crunching on apple slices, slurping hot coffee, and the rings of his notebook snapped open and shut all contribute to the cacophony.

• Yes! This item has an error.

• No! This item is free from error.

Answer explanation

When you list grammatical items, you must use parallel structure. Here, crunching on apple slices and slurping hot coffee are both gerund phrases, but the rings of his notebook snapped open and shut, a main clause, ruins the parallelism of the list.

To fix the item, change the rings of his notebook snapped open and shut to snapping the rings of his notebook.

http://chompchomp.com/structure01/

The weather report was neither accurate nor fair.

• Yes! This item has an error.

• No! This item is free from error.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.8

Which of the following sentences DOES NOT HAVE a faulty parallelism?

• Stress makes it difficult to exercise regularly, have relationships that are stable, and be eating food with benefits to one’s health.

• Stress makes it difficult to maintain regular exercise, stable relationships, and healthy diet.

• Stress makes it difficult to maintain regular exercise and stabilize relationships and diet.

Answer explanation

https://www.georgebrown.ca/sites/default/files/uploadedfiles/tlc/_documents/Parallelism_Practice.pdf

I want this to be done ___

• precisely, carefully, and immediately

• with accurate measure, carefully, and immediately

• precisely, with proper precaution, and immediately

Answer explanation

https://www.learngrammar.net/practice/47/exercise-on-parallel-structure-with-explanation

Tags

CCSS.L.8.5C

CCSS.L.8.6

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.W.8.2D

CCSS.W.8.4

Students like to sleep, relax and ______ during the summer.

• to travel

• travel

• travelling

Tags

CCSS.L.8.1A

CCSS.L.8.4A

This book contains poems which are romantic, soothing, and can be enjoyed.

• Yes! This item has an error.

• No! This item is free from error.

Answer explanation

Not Parallel: This book contains poems which are romantic (adjective), soothing (adjective), and can be enjoyed(passive phrase)

Parallel: This book contains poems which are romantic (adjective), soothing (adjective), and enjoyable (adjective).

https://www.learngrammar.net/english-grammar/parallel-structure

In preparation for her run, Alicia __________, applied sunscreen, and inserted her earbuds

• tightened her shoelaces

• was tightening her shoelaces

• did tighten her shoelaces

Tags

CCSS.L.8.1B

CCSS.L.8.4A

Neither __________ nor the ineffective air conditioner rattling in the window will deter Tiffany from loving the freedom of her first apartment.

• when the inconsiderate neighbors played loud music

• the inconsiderate neighbors playing loud music

• playing loud music by the inconsiderate neighbors

Tags

CCSS.L.8.1A