Parallel structures

Front

What is parallel structure?

Back

Parallel structure, or parallelism, is the repetition of a chosen grammatical form within a sentence. It helps to create balance and clarity in writing.

Front

Why is parallel structure important in writing?

Back

Parallel structure improves readability and flow, making sentences easier to understand and more persuasive.

Front

Identify the correct parallel structure: 'I enjoy hiking, swimming, and ________.'

Back

The correct answer is 'biking.' The complete sentence is 'I enjoy hiking, swimming, and biking.'

Front

Which of the following is an example of incorrect parallel structure? 'She likes to dance, singing, and to swim.'

Back

This is incorrect because 'to dance' and 'to swim' are in infinitive form, while 'singing' is a gerund. It should be 'She likes dancing, singing, and swimming.'

Front

What is a gerund?

Back

A gerund is a verb form that ends in -ing and functions as a noun in a sentence.

Front

What is an infinitive?

Back

An infinitive is the base form of a verb, usually preceded by 'to' (e.g., to run, to eat).

Front

Choose the sentence with correct parallel structure: 'He likes to read, to write, and playing games.'

Back

The correct sentence is 'He likes to read, to write, and to play games.'

Front

What is the effect of using parallel structure in a list?

Back

Using parallel structure in a list creates rhythm and makes the list easier to follow.

Front

Identify the error in this sentence: 'The dog barked, growled, and was chasing the cat.'

Back

The error is in the last part; it should be 'The dog barked, growled, and chased the cat.' to maintain parallel structure.

Front

What is the rule for using parallel structure with conjunctions?

Back

When using conjunctions (like 'and' or 'or'), all elements in the list should be in the same grammatical form.