Parallel Structure - Grade 8 Assessment

Complete the sentence: At the picnic, we enjoyed playing games, eating delicious food, and _____.

• to relax by the pond

• relaxing by the pond

• relax by the pond

• relaxed by the pond

Answer explanation

The verbs in the list 'playing', 'eating', and 'relaxing' should all be in the gerund form to maintain parallel structure.

Choose the sentence that uses parallel structure correctly:

• She likes reading books, swimming, and to ride her bike.

• She likes to read books, swimming, and riding her bike.

• She likes reading books, swimming, and riding her bike.

• She likes to read books, to swim, and ride her bike.

Answer explanation

All activities are in the gerund form, creating a parallel structure.

Complete the sentence: For his birthday, Jason wanted a new bike, a video game, and _____.

• to have a party

• having a party

• have a party

• party

Answer explanation

The items in the list should all be noun phrases or infinitive phrases. 'A new bike', 'a video game', and 'to have a party' maintain parallel structure.

True or False: The sentence 'She is smart, talented, and has creativity' uses parallel structure.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The sentence mixes adjectives with a verb phrase. 'Smart', 'talented', and 'creative' would be parallel.

Complete the sentence: The garden has tomatoes, cucumbers, and _____.

• growing green beans

• green beans

• to grow green beans

• grown green beans

Answer explanation

All items in the list should be nouns: 'tomatoes', 'cucumbers', and 'green beans'.

True or False: 'The car needs to be washed, waxed, and vacuumed' demonstrates parallel structure.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

All verbs are in the past participle form, maintaining parallel structure.

Complete the sentence: During summer vacation, I plan to travel, to read, and _____.

• to learn new skills

• learning new skills

• learn new skills

• to be learning new skills

Answer explanation

The use of the infinitive form 'to' before each verb maintains parallel structure.

Which sentence maintains parallel structure?

• She is responsible for stocking the shelves, cleaning the aisles, and to assist customers.

• She is responsible for stocking the shelves, cleaning the aisles, and assisting customers.

• She is responsible for stocking the shelves, to clean the aisles, and assisting customers.

• She is responsible for stocking the shelves, clean the aisles, and assisting customers.

Answer explanation

All gerunds 'stocking', 'cleaning', and 'assisting' maintain parallel structure.

True or False: 'He enjoys hiking, running, and to swim' is an example of parallel structure.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The sentence is not parallel because 'to swim' does not match the gerund forms 'hiking' and 'running'.

Complete the sentence: The committee decided to meet early, discuss the agenda, and _____.

• vote on the issues

• voting on the issues

• to vote on the issues

• voted on the issues

Answer explanation

The verbs 'meet', 'discuss', and 'vote' are all in the base form, maintaining parallel structure.