Parallelism

How to construct effective contrasts and comparisons…

Prepared by: Ms. Asmaa Mahmoud

 Parallelism
• What is a sentences or sentences that have parallelism?
• A sentence exhibits parallelism if similar ideas are expressed using the same syntactic and
grammatical structure. Writers use parallel structures to communicate ideas that have the same
importance using the same grammatical structure.
• Faulty Parallelism – when a writer does not use a parallel structure to communicate a
series of ideas. I.e.: the author uses inconsistent patterns.
• one of the most common ways to do a good parallelism is to use:
• Gerund phrases (verb + ing)
• Infinitives (to + verb)
 Example
• Look at these three ideas:
1. The Marlins will lose more than eighty games.
2. The Marlins will draft early in next year’s draft.
3. The Marlins’ attendance will suffer greatly.
• First, you need to ask yourself, “where are the verbs?”
• A parallel construction needs to start with the verbs to be most effective
• Here is a bad example:
• Without good pitching, the Marlins can be expected to lose more than eighty games, to draft early in
next year’s draft, and attendance will suffer greatly.
• What is wrong with this parallelism? How can we fix it?
 Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative Conjunctions
• - These conjunctions connect words, phrases, • Whether, or
and clauses that have the same level of meaning
in the same sentence. Use the same grammatical • Neither, or
structure with both elements of the correlative. • Example: Andrew was both an
• Both, and industrious student and an excellent
• Not, but athlete.
• Not only, but also • Here, the word “both” is not necessarily
• Either, or needed, but shows emphasis.
 Correlative Conjunctions
• When using correlative conjunctions to make parallel constructions, be careful of your commas.
• Look for the clauses.

• Jessica not only excelled in mathematics, but she also astounded audiences with her musical
talent.

• We need a comma here because the second half of the sentence is an independent clause. This
specific correlative conjunction often tends to work in this manner.
• What kind of other examples can we formulate?
 Writing Comparisons
• Comparison Parallel Constructions – Use a parallel structure when you connect two
words, phrases, or clauses with a comparison word, including than or as.
• Consider the main nouns you are trying to compare.

• Faulty Parallelism: Sharon’s grade point average is much higher than her brother.
• Correct Parallelism: Sharon’s grade point average is much higher than her brother’s
(grade point average).
• Correct Parallelism: Sharon has a higher grade point average than her brother (does).
 Examples
• We debated between two options immigration had given us: going back to Paris or to
stay in the US with no hope of ever going back.

• Answer 1: We debated between two options immigration had given us: going back to
Nicaragua or staying in the US with no hope of ever going back.

• Answer 2: We debated between two options immigration had given us: to go back to
Nicaragua or to stay in the US with no hope of ever going back.
 Examples
• My uncle Julius likes burgers, pizza, and eating chicken salad.

• Answer 1: My uncle Julius likes burgers, pizza, and chicken salad.

• Answer 2: My uncle Julius likes eating burgers, pizza, and chicken salad. x (a + b + c)

• Answer 3: My uncle Julius likes eating burgers, eating pizza, and eating chicken
salad. xa + xb + xc
 Examples
• Bill not only runs five miles every day, he consumes eight thousand calories.

• Answer 1: Bill not only runs five miles every day, but he also consumes
eight thousand calories.

• Answer 2: Bill runs five miles every day and consumes eight thousand
calories.
 Examples
• The principal is excited about both the swim team earning national honors, and that the
debate team won its first tournament.

• Answer 1: The principal is excited about both the swim team earning national honors and
the debate team winning its first tournament.
The Team What it did (ing…) What it earned or won
the swim team earning national honors
the debate team winning its first tournament

• Answer 2: The principal is excited because the swim team earned national honors and the
debate team won its first tournament.
 Examples
• The house sitter lost the keys, neglected the dogs, and she also
trashed the kitchen.

• Answer 1: The house sitter lost the keys, neglected the dogs,
and trashed the kitchen.