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Parallel Structure

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Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. This can happen at the word, phrase, or clause level. The usual way to join parallel structures is with the use of coordinating conjunctions such as "and" or "or."

Words and Phrases

With the -ing form (gerund) of words:

With infinitive phrases:

(Note: You can use "to" before all the verbs in a sentence or only before the first one.)

Do not mix forms.

Not Parallel: Mary likes hik ing , swimm ing , and to ride a bicycle.

Parallel: Mary likes hik ing , swimm ing , and rid ing a bicycle.

Not Parallel: The production manager was asked to write his report quick ly , accurate ly , and in a detailed manner .

Parallel: The production manager was asked to write his report quick ly , accurate ly , and thorough ly .

Not Parallel: The teacher said that he was a poor student because he wait ed until the last minute to study for the exam, complet ed his lab problems in a careless manner, and his motivation was low.

Parallel: The teacher said that he was a poor student because he wait ed until the last minute to study for the exam, complet ed his lab problems in a careless manner, and lack ed motivation.

A parallel structure that begins with clauses must keep on with clauses. Changing to another pattern or changing the voice of the verb (from active to passive or vice versa) will break the parallelism.

Not Parallel: The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and to do some warm-up exercises before the game.

Parallel: The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and that they should do some warm-up exercises before the game.

Parallel: The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, not eat too much, and do some warm-up exercises before the game.

Not Parallel: The salesman expected that he would present his product at the meeting, that he would have time to show his slide presentation, and that questions would be asked by prospective buyers. (passive)

Parallel: The salesman expected that he would present his product at the meeting, that he would have time to show his slide presentation, and that prospective buyers would ask him questions.

Lists After a Colon

Be sure to keep all the elements in a list in the same form.

Not Parallel: The dictionary can be used to find these: word meanings , pronunciations , correct spellings , and looking up irregular verbs .

Parallel: The dictionary can be used to find these: word meanings , pronunciations , correct spellings , and irregular verbs .

Proofreading Strategies to Try:

• Skim your paper, pausing at the words "and" and "or." Check on each side of these words to see whether the items joined are parallel. If not, make them parallel.
• If you have several items in a list, put them in a column to see if they are parallel.
• Listen to the sound of the items in a list or the items being compared. Do you hear the same kinds of sounds? For example, is there a series of "-ing" words beginning each item? Or do you hear a rhythm being repeated? If something is breaking that rhythm or repetition of sound, check to see if it needs to be made parallel.

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7.3 Parallelism

Learning objectives.

• Identify sentences that are parallel and not parallel.
• Identify ways to create parallelism in writing.
• Write and revise sentences using parallelism.

Earlier in this chapter, we learned that increasing sentence variety adds interest to a piece of writing and makes the reading process more enjoyable for others. Using a mixture of sentence lengths and patterns throughout an essay is an important writing technique. However, it is equally important to avoid introducing variation within individual sentences. A strong sentence is composed of balanced parts that all have the same structure. In this section, we will examine how to create a balanced sentence structure by using parallelism .

Using Parallelism

Parallelism is the use of similar structure in related words, clauses, or phrases. It creates a sense of rhythm and balance within a sentence. As readers, we often correct faulty parallelism —a lack of parallel structure—intuitively because an unbalanced sentence sounds awkward and poorly constructed. Read the following sentences aloud:

Faulty parallelism: Kelly had to iron, do the washing, and shopping before her parents arrived.

Faulty parallelism: Driving a car requires coordination, patience, and to have good eyesight.

Faulty parallelism: Ali prefers jeans to wearing a suit.

All of these sentences contain faulty parallelism. Although they are factually correct, the construction is clunky and confusing. In the first example, three different verb forms are used. In the second and third examples, the writer begins each sentence by using a noun ( coordination , jeans ), but ends with a phrase ( to have good eyesight , wearing a suit ). Now read the same three sentences that have correct parallelism.

Correct parallelism: Kelly had to do the ironing, washing, and shopping before her parents arrived.

Correct parallelism: Driving a car requires coordination, patience, and good eyesight.

Correct parallelism: Ali prefers wearing jeans to wearing a suit.

When these sentences are written using a parallel structure, they sound more aesthetically pleasing because they are balanced. Repetition of grammatical construction also minimizes the amount of work the reader has to do to decode the sentence. This enables the reader to focus on the main idea in the sentence and not on how the sentence is put together.

A simple way to check for parallelism in your writing is to make sure you have paired nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs, prepositional phrases with prepositional phrases, and so on. Underline each element in a sentence and check that the corresponding element uses the same grammatical form.

Creating Parallelism Using Coordinating Conjunctions

When you connect two clauses using a coordinating conjunction ( for , and , nor , but , or , yet , so ), make sure that the same grammatical structure is used on each side of the conjunction. Take a look at the following example:

Faulty parallelism: When I walk the dog, I like to listen to music and talking to friends on the phone.

Correct parallelism: When I walk the dog, I like listening to music and talking to friends on the phone.

The first sentence uses two different verb forms ( to listen , talking ). In the second sentence, the grammatical construction on each side of the coordinating conjunction ( and ) is the same, creating a parallel sentence.

The same technique should be used for joining items or lists in a series:

Faulty parallelism: This committee needs to decide whether the company should reduce its workforce, cut its benefits, or lowering workers’ wages .

Correct parallelism: This committee needs to decide whether the company should reduce its workforce, cut its benefits, or lower workers’ wages .

The first sentence contains two items that use the same verb construction ( reduce , cut ) and a third item that uses a different verb form ( lowering ). The second sentence uses the same verb construction in all three items, creating a parallel structure.

On your own sheet of paper, revise each of the following sentences to create parallel structure using coordinating conjunctions.

• Mr. Holloway enjoys reading and to play his guitar at weekends.
• The doctor told Mrs. Franklin that she should either eat less or should exercise more.
• Breaking out of the prison compound, the escapees moved carefully, quietly, and were quick on their feet.
• I have read the book, but I have not watched the movie version.
• Deal with a full inbox first thing in the morning, or by setting aside short periods of time in which to answer e-mail queries.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Creating Parallelism Using Than or As

When you are making a comparison, the two items being compared should have a parallel structure. Comparing two items without using parallel structure can lead to confusion about what is being compared. Comparisons frequently use the words than or as , and the items on each side of these comparison words should be parallel. Take a look at the following example:

Faulty parallelism: Swimming in the ocean is much tougher than a pool .

Correct parallelism: Swimming in the ocean is much tougher than swimming in a pool .

In the first sentence, the elements before the comparison word ( than ) are not equal to the elements after the comparison word. It appears that the writer is comparing an action ( swimming ) with a noun ( a pool ). In the second sentence, the writer uses the same grammatical construction to create a parallel structure. This clarifies that an action is being compared with another action.

To correct some instances of faulty parallelism, it may be necessary to add or delete words in a sentence.

Faulty parallelism: A brisk walk is as beneficial to your health as going for a run .

Correct parallelism: Going for a brisk walk is as beneficial to your health as going for a run .

In this example, it is necessary to add the verb phrase going for to the sentence in order to clarify that the act of walking is being compared to the act of running.

On your own sheet of paper, revise each of the following sentences to create parallel structure using than or as .

• I would rather work at a second job to pay for a new car than a loan.
• How you look in the workplace is just as important as your behavior.
• The firefighter spoke more of his childhood than he talked about his job.
• Indian cuisine is far tastier than the food of Great Britain.
• Jim’s opponent was as tall as Jim and he carried far more weight.

Creating Parallelism Using Correlative Conjunctions

A correlative conjunction is a paired conjunction that connects two equal parts of a sentence and shows the relationship between them. Common correlative conjunctions include the following:

• not only…but also
• neither…nor
• rather…than

Correlative conjunctions should follow the same grammatical structure to create a parallel sentence. Take a look at the following example:

Faulty parallelism: We can neither wait for something to happen nor can we take evasive action.

Correct parallelism: We can neither wait for something to happen nor take evasive action.

When using a correlative conjunction, the words, phrases, or clauses following each part should be parallel. In the first sentence, the construction of the second part of the sentence does not match the construction of the first part. In the second sentence, omitting needless words and matching verb constructions create a parallel structure. Sometimes, rearranging a sentence corrects faulty parallelism.

Faulty parallelism: It was both a long movie and poorly written.

Correct parallelism: The movie was both long and poorly written.

To see examples of parallelism in use, read some of the great historical speeches by rhetoricians such as Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. Notice how they use parallel structures to emphasize important points and to create a smooth, easily understandable oration.

Here is a link to text, audio, video, and the music of Martin Luther King’s speech “I Have a Dream”: http://www.mlkonline.net/dream.html .

Writing at Work

Speechwriters use parallelism not only within sentences but also throughout paragraphs and beyond. Repeating particular key phrases throughout a speech is an effective way of tying a paragraph together as a cohesive whole and creating a sense of importance. This technique can be adapted to any piece of writing, but it may be especially useful for creating a proposal or other type of persuasive workplace document.

Note that the spelling and grammar checker on most word processors will not draw attention to faulty parallelism. When proofreading a document, read it aloud and listen for sentences that sound awkward or poorly phrased.

On your own sheet of paper, revise each of the following sentences to create parallel structure using correlative conjunctions.

• The cyclist owns both a mountain bike and has a racing bike.
• The movie not only contained lots of action, but also it offered an important lesson.
• My current job is neither exciting nor is it meaningful.
• Jason would rather listen to his father than be taking advice from me.
• We are neither interested in buying a vacuum cleaner nor do we want to utilize your carpet cleaning service.

Read through the following excerpt from Alex’s essay and revise any instances of faulty parallelism. Rewrite the sentences to create a parallel structure.

Key Takeaways

• Parallelism creates a sense of rhythm and balance in writing by using the same grammatical structure to express equal ideas.
• Faulty parallelism occurs when elements of a sentence are not balanced, causing the sentence to sound clunky and awkward.
• Parallelism may be created by connecting two clauses or making a list using coordinating conjunctions; by comparing two items using than or as ; or by connecting two parts of a sentence using correlative conjunctions.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Parallelism

What the handout is about.

This handout will help you understand what parallelism or parallel structure is and when to use parallelism to improve the clarity, flow, and conciseness of your writing.

Recognizing parallelism

Parallelism occurs when one or more sentences contain two or more elements with the same grammatical or conceptual structure. Less precisely, parallelism occurs when parts of a sentence (or even sentences themselves) are presented in a sequence and have the same basic “shape.” It’s often easy to spot effective uses of parallelism in real sentences. Look for the similarity in the boldface elements of each example.

These are parallel prepositional phrases:

• “…and that government of the people, by the people, for the people , shall not perish from the earth” (Abraham Lincoln, “Gettysburg Address”).

These are parallel past tense verbs:

• “He laid down the carving knife and fork . . put his two hands into his disturbed hair, and appeared to make an extraordinary effort to lift himself up by it.” (Charles Dickens, Great Expectations ).

These are parallel “that” clauses:

• “I could only tell him that I was the happiest woman in all the wide world, and that I had nothing to give him except myself, my life, and my trust, and that with these went my love and duty for all the days of my life” (Bram Stoker, Dracula ).

In his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Martin Luther King, Jr. uses parallelism to add emphasis and rhetorical force to his argument. Look closely for examples of phrase repetition (“I have a dream that…”) grammatical repetition (by the color of, by the content of, etc.), linking pairs (the red hills of Georgia, the state of Mississippi, etc.) and contrasting pairs (a state of injustice and oppression / an oasis of freedom and justice).

Revising for parallelism

You may have received feedback from an instructor about problems with parallelism, sometimes called “faulty parallelism.” While there is nothing necessarily ungrammatical about non-parallel structures, the consistency and rhythm of parallel structure can improve clarity and flow. To revise, start by identifying elements of writing that could be in parallel form. Then ask yourself whether they are all in the same grammatical form or order.

Non-parallel grammatical structures

• The three pillars of the Mayor’s campaign are supporting local business, reducing crime, and education .

Parallel grammatical structures

• The three pillars of the Mayor’s campaign are supporting local business, reducing crime, and increasing educational funding.
• The three pillars of the Mayor’s campaign are local business development , crime reduction , and education .

Non-parallel terms

• The study included teenagers , people in their thirties , and octogenarians .

Parallel terms

• The study included people in their teens , in their thirties , and in their eighties .

Non-parallel order

• Three fundamental elements of design are line , color , and shape . Line refers to any two connected points, while shape refers to any enclosed space. Color comprises hue, saturation, and brightness.

Parallel order

• Three fundamental elements of design are line , shape , and color . Line refers to any two connected points, while shape refers to any enclosed space. Color comprises hue, saturation, and brightness.

Working parallelism into your writing process

By now you should have a good sense of what parallelism looks like, but you might be wondering how exactly to make sure that you are using it in your own writing. Here are a few approaches you can try:

Be aware of items in series

At the sentence level, notice when you’re writing a list of two, three, or more things—words, phrases, or longer expressions—and try using the same grammatical structure for each item in the series.

At the essay level, notice when you’re writing about topics or concepts that can be enumerated as a series (not just logically sequenced). Play with introducing each concept in the series with a consistent grammatical structure.

When you introduce a series of ideas, notice the order in which you introduce them, and discuss the ideas in the same order.

Listen as you read aloud

When you read aloud, read slowly enough to give voice to each word. This may allow you to notice those items in series that aren’t yet parallel, and may even draw your attention to all sorts of potential revision targets. If a sentence sounds awkward or wordy to you, or if the relationship between the different parts of your sentence seems unclear, that could signal an opportunity to revise with parallel structure. Our handout on reading aloud explains the rationale, strategies, and tools for reading aloud.

Have someone else read your draft

Lastly you can check for parallelism in your writing by asking someone else to read through your draft, and listen for instances of non-parallel structure. Ask a friend or roommate to read through your paper, or schedule an appointment with the Writing Center!

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find the latest publications on this topic. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

Dreyer, Benjamin. 2019. Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style. New York: Random House.

Williams, Joseph. 2000. Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace. Boston: Addison-Wesley.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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28 Parallel Structure

Parallelism.

In parallel structure, all items in a list or comparison have the same grammatical structure. In other words, you might have a list of nouns, or a list of verbs, but you cannot have a list of mixed nouns and verbs.

According to Writing for Success , “Parallelism creates a sentence of rhythm and balance within a sentence. As readers, we often correct faulty parallelism (a lack of parallel structure) intuitively because an unbalanced sentence sounds awkward and poorly constructed” (para. 2). Sentences are contain parallel structure “sound more aesthetically pleasing because they are balanced. Repetition of grammatical construction also minimizes the amount of work the reader has to do to decode the sentence. Therefore, the reader is able to focus on the main ideas in the sentence instead of how the sentence is put together” (para. 4).

When you create a list or make a comparison, you need to ensure that you are using “parallel structure”.

Ways to Create Parallel Structure [1]

Creating parallelism using coordinating conjunctions and in lists.

When you connect two clauses using a coordinating conjunction ( for ,  and ,  nor ,  but ,  or ,  yet ,  so ), make sure that the same grammatical structure is used on each side of the conjunction. Take a look at the following example:

Faulty parallelism:  When I walk the dog, I like  to listen to music  and  talking to friends  on the phone.

Correct parallelism:  When I walk the dog, I like  listening to music  and  talking to friends  on the phone.

The first sentence uses two different verb forms ( to listen ,  talking ). In the second sentence, the grammatical construction on each side of the coordinating conjunction ( and ) is the same, creating a parallel sentence.

The same technique should be used for joining items or lists in a series:

Faulty parallelism:  This committee needs to decide whether the company should  reduce its workforce, cut its benefits,  or  lowering workers’ wages .

Correct parallelism:  This committee needs to decide whether the company should  reduce its workforce, cut its benefits,  or  lower workers’ wages .

The first sentence contains two items that use the same verb construction ( reduce ,  cut ) and a third item that uses a different verb form ( lowering ). The second sentence uses the same verb construction in all three items, creating a parallel structure.

Creating Parallelism in Comparative Statements using “Than” or “As”

When you are making a comparison, the two items being compared should have a parallel structure. Comparing two items without using parallel structure can lead to confusion about what is being compared. Comparisons frequently use the words  than  or  as , and the items on each side of these comparison words should be parallel. Take a look at the following example:

Faulty parallelism: Swimming in the ocean  is much tougher than  a pool .

Correct parallelism: Swimming in the ocean  is much tougher than  swimming in a pool .

In the first sentence, the elements before the comparison word ( than ) are not equal to the elements after the comparison word. It appears that the writer is comparing an action ( swimming ) with a noun ( a pool ). In the second sentence, the writer uses the same grammatical construction to create a parallel structure. This clarifies that an action is being compared with another action.

To correct some instances of faulty parallelism, it may be necessary to add or delete words in a sentence.

Faulty parallelism: A brisk walk  is as beneficial to your health as  going for a run .

Correct parallelism: Going for a brisk walk  is as beneficial to your health as  going for a run .

In this example, it is necessary to add the verb phrase  going for  to the sentence in order to clarify that the act of walking is being compared to the act of running.

Creating Parallelism using Correlative Conjunctions

A  correlative conjunction  is a paired conjunction that connects two equal parts of a sentence and shows the relationship between them. Common correlative conjunctions include the following:

• not only…but also
• neither…nor
• rather…than

Correlative conjunctions should follow the same grammatical structure to create a parallel sentence. Take a look at the following example:

Faulty parallelism:  We can neither  wait  for something to happen nor  can we take  evasive action.

Correct parallelism:  We can neither  wait  for something to happen nor  take  evasive action.

When using a correlative conjunction, the words, phrases, or clauses following each part should be parallel. In the first sentence, the construction of the second part of the sentence does not match the construction of the first part. In the second sentence, omitting needless words and matching verb constructions create a parallel structure. Sometimes, rearranging a sentence corrects faulty parallelism.

Faulty parallelism:  It was both a long movie and poorly written .

Correct parallelism:  The movie was both long and poorly written .

Parallelism in thesis statements

Thesis statements contain a list of topics that you will discuss in your body paragraphs. That list of topics should be in parallel structure.

Faulty parallelism: The Canadian government should prioritize revitalizing Indigenous languages to ensure the preservation of Indigenous culture and knowledge, to support the mental and physical health of Indigenous communities, and because it is important for the reconciliation process.

Correct parallelism: The Canadian government should prioritize revitalizing Indigenous languages to ensure the preservation of Indigenous culture and knowledge, to support the mental and physical health of Indigenous communities, and to foster the reconciliation process.

Learning Check

Determine if the following sentences contain correct parallel structure.

Additional Resources

To learn more about parallel structure

• Video 1: Parallelism in sentences [2]
• Video 2: Parallelism in thesis statements [3]
• Video 3: Parallelism in bulleted lists [4] (great for PowerPoint presentations!)
• Read Chapter 7.3  of Writing for Success [5]
• Try this fun online activity from “Chomp Chomp Grammar Bytes” [6]
• Adapted from Anonymous. (2015, October 27).7.1 Parallelism. In Writing for success. University of Minnesota Libraries. https://open.lib.umn.edu/writingforsuccess/chapter/7-3-parallelism/ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. ↵
• Shannon, D. (2020, September 25). Parallelism 1 [Video]. Loom. https://www.loom.com/share/7cf5c4eb6c404bed863084515f8e9027 ↵
• Shannon, D. (2020, September 25). Parallelism in thesis statements [Video]. Loom. https://www.loom.com/share/d240419151bf4fb2b3ba8cc01327d97a ↵
• Shannon, D. (2020, September 25). Parallelism bullets [Video]. Loom. https://www.loom.com/share/9bf5605120cb42ccb51b0dd4641d53da ↵
• Anonymous. (2015, October 27).7.1 Parallelism. In Writing for success. University of Minnesota Libraries. https://open.lib.umn.edu/writingforsuccess/chapter/7-3-parallelism/ CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 . ↵
• Simmons, R. L. (n.d.). Exercise 1: Recognizing parallel structure . Chomp Chomp Grammar Bytes. http://chompchomp.com/structure01/ ↵

CS 050: Academic Writing and Grammar Copyright © by Confederation College Communications Department and Paterson Library Commons is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Understanding Parallel Structure in Academic Writing

Maintaining parallel structure prevents writers from making grammatically incorrect sentences and helps them to improve their writing styles. Although lack of parallelism is not always strictly incorrect, sentences with the parallel structure are easier to read and add a sense of balance to your academic writing. In this article, we will focus on what is parallel structure and how to use parallel structure in academic writing.

Academic writing demands correct use of grammar, good language, and proficiency in style. Because of so many rules and regulations, academic writing may seem like a lot of work, but if you practice well enough, you will understand a few tricks here and there that can help you get better at it.

Maintaining parallel structure prevents writers from making grammatically incorrect sentences and helps them to improve their writing styles. Although lack of parallelism is not always strictly incorrect, sentences with the parallel structure are easier to read and add a sense of balance to your academic writing.

If you are wondering how you can improve your academic writing , there are more than a few ways to do it. However, one of the best ways to get started is by understanding and mastering parallel structure. In this article, we will focus on what it is and how you can get better in academic writing by using parallel structure.

What is parallel structure?

Parallel structure  (also called parallelism or parallel construction) is when you use the same way of describing several things in a list. Parallel structure is the process of writing similar items in the same format and can be applied to a single sentence, a paragraph, or multiple paragraphs.

Not Parallel:

Nelson likes hiking, attends the festival, and to take afternoon naps.

Nelson likes hik ing , attend ing the festival, and tak ing afternoon naps.

Nelson likes to  hike , attend the festival, and take afternoon naps.

His research assistant conducted the study using structural equation modeling and perform regression analysis.

His research assistant conducted the study using structural equation modeling and performing regression analysis.

The reason why parallel structure is practiced is that it helps you avoid grammatical errors while at the same time helping you improve your writing style drastically. There are no strict rules which mention that non-parallel structuring is wrong, but using parallel structure helps your writing to seem more balanced and makes it easier to read.

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How to implement parallel structure?

Now that we understand what parallel structures are, we will now move on to how you can detect a non-parallel structure  and convert it to parallel. Let us begin!

Locating parallel structures

To begin with, you need to locate the parallel structures first. To do that, you can look out for sentences and parts of your writing that have words, clauses, or phrases together as a series. Here are a few indicators that a sentence(s) is of parallel structure:

If the sentence contains coordinated conjunctions like ‘‘and.’’

Global warming has numerous impacts on nature, including climate change, melting of the ice caps, and heat island.

If the sentence contains correlated conjunctions such as ‘‘but also’’ and ‘‘not only.’’

He applied for a job at not only Company A but also at Company B and C.

Identifying the beginning of the parallel structure

The next thing to do is to recognize the area from where the parallelism begins. In more accurate words, you need to identify the first word that denotes the start of the parallelism. The reason why you need to do this is that:

The starting word will help you determine the form that the following words will take

Determining the spot where the parallelism begins can be flexible, so you need to be sure of where it begins

Analyzing the types of elements used in a sentence

Once you have isolated the words that mark the beginning of the parallelism, you need to next analyze whether the words, phrases, or clauses in the sentences are of the same kind and type.

As mentioned earlier, when you recognize the first word, you will get an idea of what form the following words need to take. It is like the first word is the typesetter for the rest of the following clauses or phrases. Look at the following example:

Your schedule says that you work at the cafe on weekdays, volunteer at the library on Saturdays, and keep Sundays to yourself.

Here, the types of words show that they are all infinitive clauses. This will help you determine how you can form the following words to ensure that they are all parallel.

Keep plurality and forms of the verb in mind

Now, do remember that merely recognizing the type of word the parallel structure has is not enough. You also need to ensure that you keep track of the plurality of the words in the sentence. If the starting word is plural, it would be better if the following words are also in plural form.

Same for the forms of verbs used in the sentence. The forms of verbs should not change in the sentence. If the sentence is following a present tense, ensure that the rest of the words follow the present tense.

Parallel structure — Conclusion

Academic writing can be difficult when you begin with it, but with enough practice, you can become just as good at it. One piece of advice — always gets your word edited and proofread before you submit or publish it.

Editing and proofreading can easily help your work become better, including taking care of the parallel structure. If you cannot edit your work on your own, you can easily rely on professional services.

Six Myths About Academic Editing and Proofreading

Academic Editing vs. Academic Proofreading

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This brief guide d iscusses what is parallel structure and how to use parallel structure in academic writing. To give you an opportunity to practice proofreading, we have left a few spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors in the text. See if you can spot them! If you spot the errors correctly, you will be entitled to a 10% discount.

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Whether it is an academic essay or any other thesis paper, all the papers are directly or indirectly associated with one’s future. Therefore, making mistakes here means compromising with the future. However, students are fond of making some habitual errors while composing an academic paper. Let’s learn those mistakes and make sure not to repeat them in your turn.

One of the main things that any editor or proofreader looks out for while editing a piece of text is punctuation marks. The reason is simple — they can alter the meaning of your text if you do not use them correctly. It becomes even more prominent when you are writing an academic paper. In academic writing, an author may be easily misunderstood when ambiguous sentences are used. Punctuation marks mainly serve the purpose to disambiguate sentences. While literary or other types of writing will have a certain degree of freedom for using punctuation marks, academic work needs to be precise and correct. This article will cover the importance of punctuation marks in academic writing.

When writing for academic or professional purposes, such as writing a research paper or a professional email to the CEO of a firm, people use diction that is far more objective, complex, and meticulous than their everyday language. In other words, they use “formal” language or, to be precise, language that carries a “formal tone.” This article will peruse the definition of “formal tone,” albeit in the context of academic writing. In addition, it will give some helpful tips to aid writers in writing more formally.

Writing articles for journals requires scholars to possess exceptional writing skills and awareness of their subject matter. They need to write such that their manuscript relays its central idea explicitly to the readers. In addition, they need to abide by strict writing conventions and best practices to befit the parameters of journal articles. It is not uncommon for research initiates and, at times, even experts to struggle with the article writing process. This article aims to mitigate some apprehension associated with writing journal articles by enlisting and expounding upon some essential writing tips.

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The central tendency, mean, median, and mode depict where most data points concentrate, while variability illustrates how far they are. It is exceedingly crucial because the amount of variability demonstrates the generalization one can make from the sample to the population. Low variability is desirable because it implies that predicting information about the population using sample data is well-justified. Contrarily, high variability illustrates decreased consistency, making data predictions harder.

While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence) 

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.  

Questions to ask about your thesis 

• Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?  
• Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?  
• Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?  
• Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?  
• Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
• picture_as_pdf Thesis

A Parallel Universe: Writing with Parallel Structure

When writers join one element to another with and or or , they sometimes cause confusion by failing to make the elements parallel. Here are a few common problems with parallel structure and ways to fix them, based on principles from Claire Kehrwald Cook’s Line by Line: How to Edit Your Own Writing (Houghton Mifflin, 1985).

Mismatched Parts

When one item in a pair is a gerund—the ing form of a verb used as a noun—and the other is not, your reader may have trouble connecting the parts:

Students often focus too much on figuring out their teacher’s preferences and how they can get a good grade.

Does and join figuring out and the how clause or their teacher’s preferences and the how clause? If and joins figuring out and the how clause, you might add a gerund before the how clause to match figuring :

Students often focus too much on figuring out their teacher’s preferences and determining how they can get a good grade.

If and joins their teacher’s preferences and the how clause, you might replace their teacher’s preferences with a clause:

Students often focus too much on what their teacher prefers and how they can get a good grade.

Missing Words

Sometimes the problem is a missing word:

The writer does her best work in libraries that have shared tables or public areas with couches.

In the above sentence it is unclear if the writer does her best work in libraries with one of two configurations (shared tables or public areas with couches) or if the writer prefers to work in one of two places: libraries or public areas.  Adding in before public areas  would make clear that the second sense is meant:

The writer does her best work in libraries that have shared tables or in public areas with couches.

Troublesome Trios

When a word can form a pair with either one of two other words, your meaning may be unclear:

The Smiths learned that their neighbor had won the lottery and arranged to throw a party.

In the sentence above, arranged could pair with either learned or had won . If the Smiths did the learning and arranging, you might clarify by adding the pronoun they , corresponding to The Smiths , before arranged :

The Smiths learned that their neighbor had won the lottery, and they arranged to throw a party.

If the neighbor arranged to throw a party, you could add had before arranged to match had won :

The Smiths learned that their neighbor had won the lottery and had arranged to throw a party.

Think you’ve got the hang of parallelism now? Find out by taking our quiz .

Helaine Rampley 03 July 2018 AT 01:07 PM

Good topic and very helpful, especially in working with students in beginning writing and reading classes.

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6.4 COMPOSITION: Parallel Structure

• Walid enjoys running, to swim, and biking.
• Walid enjoys running, swimming, and biking.

Was the second sentence a smoother read than the first? The second sentence uses parallelism — all three verbs are in the same  -ing  form — whereas in the first sentence two use – ing form and one does not. Parallelism improves writing style, and it makes sentences easier to read and understand. Parallelism is like running in the same direction. It would be disruptive to see a runner running the wrong way in a race.

Compare the following examples:

• Parallel:  She likes cooking, jogging, and reading.
• Parallel:  She likes to cook, jog, and read.
• Parallel:  The dog ran across the yard, jumped over the fence, and sprinted down the alley

Parallelism can also involve repeated words or repeated phrases. For example:

• “ The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” —Winston Churchill

Notice above how the first independent clause and second independent clause mirror each other. In other words, they use the same sentence structure.

• “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” —John F. Kennedy

Notice above how the speaker uses verbs-and-objects:  pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe

• “And that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” —Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address

Notice the prepositional phrases:  of the people, by the people, for the people

When used this way, parallelism makes your writing or speaking much stronger. These repeated phrases seem to bind the work together and make it more powerful. This use of parallelism can be especially useful in writing conclusions of academic papers or in persuasive writing.

Watch this short video to learn more about parallel structure:

Now practice with this exercise; it is not graded, and you may repeat it as many times as you wish:

Optional: Where to get more information

If you want more instruction and examples about parallel structure, try these links:

• OWL: Parallel Structure
• IUP: Parallel Structure

Some text was adapted from “Parallel Structure | College Writing.” Courses.lumenlearning.com, courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-esc-wm-englishcomposition1/chapter/text-parallel-structure/ . Accessed 30 Dec. 2021.

Video from: Smrt English. “Parallel Structure or Parallelism.” www.youtube.com, 15 Nov. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvDNvS2M3QA.  Accessed 30 Dec. 2021.

Synthesis Copyright © 2022 by Timothy Krause is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Parallelism occurs when words that serve the same function in a sentence take the same form. Readers find parallel constructions easier to understand than those that are not parallel. 

Here are some examples of word forms that commonly appear in parallel structures:

• Gerunds: traveling, eating, walking
• Infinitives: to write, to ponder, to revise
• Adverbs: quickly, slowly, craftily

Now compare a sentence that uses parallel structure to one that doesn't:

• Parallel: Important skills to cultivate in graduate school include thinking, writing, and revising. 
• Not parallel: Important skills to cultivate in graduate school include thinking, writing, and to revise.

The second one feels a little bit like stumbling on an uneven sidewalk, while the first follows through on the pattern it creates, allowing us to coast smoothly all the way to the end.  

Parallelism Links

• Video (5:33): " Parallelism ," GWC
• Handout (printable): " Focusing Sentences through Parallelism ," Writer's Web
• Video (5:01): " Parallel Structure ," Khan Academy
• Exercises: " Parallel Structure ," Khan Academy

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A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H    I    J   K   L    M    N    O    P    Q   R    S    T    U    V    W   X  Y   Z

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7.3 Parallelism

Learning objectives.

• Identify sentences that are parallel and not parallel.
• Identify ways to create parallelism in writing.
• Write and revise sentences using parallelism.

Earlier in this chapter, we learned that increasing sentence variety adds interest to a piece of writing and makes the reading process more enjoyable for others. Using a mixture of sentence lengths and patterns throughout an essay is an important writing technique. However, it is equally important to avoid introducing variation within individual sentences. A strong sentence is composed of balanced parts that all have the same structure. In this section, we will examine how to create a balanced sentence structure by using parallelism .

Using Parallelism

Parallelism is the use of similar structure in related words, clauses, or phrases. It creates a sense of rhythm and balance within a sentence. As readers, we often correct faulty parallelism —a lack of parallel structure—intuitively because an unbalanced sentence sounds awkward and poorly constructed. Read the following sentences aloud:

Faulty parallelism: Kelly had to iron, do the washing, and shopping before her parents arrived.

Faulty parallelism: Driving a car requires coordination, patience, and to have good eyesight.

Faulty parallelism: Ali prefers jeans to wearing a suit.

All of these sentences contain faulty parallelism. Although they are factually correct, the construction is clunky and confusing. In the first example, three different verb forms are used. In the second and third examples, the writer begins each sentence by using a noun ( coordination , jeans ), but ends with a phrase ( to have good eyesight , wearing a suit ). Now read the same three sentences that have correct parallelism.

Correct parallelism: Kelly had to do the ironing, washing, and shopping before her parents arrived.

Correct parallelism: Driving a car requires coordination, patience, and good eyesight.

Correct parallelism: Ali prefers wearing jeans to wearing a suit.

When these sentences are written using a parallel structure, they sound more aesthetically pleasing because they are balanced. Repetition of grammatical construction also minimizes the amount of work the reader has to do to decode the sentence. This enables the reader to focus on the main idea in the sentence and not on how the sentence is put together.

A simple way to check for parallelism in your writing is to make sure you have paired nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs, prepositional phrases with prepositional phrases, and so on. Underline each element in a sentence and check that the corresponding element uses the same grammatical form.

Creating Parallelism Using Coordinating Conjunctions

When you connect two clauses using a coordinating conjunction ( for , and , nor , but , or , yet , so ), make sure that the same grammatical structure is used on each side of the conjunction. Take a look at the following example:

Faulty parallelism: When I walk the dog, I like to listen to music and talking to friends on the phone.

Correct parallelism: When I walk the dog, I like listening to music and talking to friends on the phone.

The first sentence uses two different verb forms ( to listen , talking ). In the second sentence, the grammatical construction on each side of the coordinating conjunction ( and ) is the same, creating a parallel sentence.

The same technique should be used for joining items or lists in a series:

Faulty parallelism: This committee needs to decide whether the company should reduce its workforce, cut its benefits, or lowering workers’ wages .

Correct parallelism: This committee needs to decide whether the company should reduce its workforce, cut its benefits, or lower workers’ wages .

The first sentence contains two items that use the same verb construction ( reduce , cut ) and a third item that uses a different verb form ( lowering ). The second sentence uses the same verb construction in all three items, creating a parallel structure.

On your own sheet of paper, revise each of the following sentences to create parallel structure using coordinating conjunctions.

• Mr. Holloway enjoys reading and to play his guitar at weekends.
• The doctor told Mrs. Franklin that she should either eat less or should exercise more.
• Breaking out of the prison compound, the escapees moved carefully, quietly, and were quick on their feet.
• I have read the book, but I have not watched the movie version.
• Deal with a full inbox first thing in the morning, or by setting aside short periods of time in which to answer e-mail queries.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Creating Parallelism Using Than or As

When you are making a comparison, the two items being compared should have a parallel structure. Comparing two items without using parallel structure can lead to confusion about what is being compared. Comparisons frequently use the words than or as , and the items on each side of these comparison words should be parallel. Take a look at the following example:

Faulty parallelism: Swimming in the ocean is much tougher than a pool .

Correct parallelism: Swimming in the ocean is much tougher than swimming in a pool .

In the first sentence, the elements before the comparison word ( than ) are not equal to the elements after the comparison word. It appears that the writer is comparing an action ( swimming ) with a noun ( a pool ). In the second sentence, the writer uses the same grammatical construction to create a parallel structure. This clarifies that an action is being compared with another action.

To correct some instances of faulty parallelism, it may be necessary to add or delete words in a sentence.

Faulty parallelism: A brisk walk is as beneficial to your health as going for a run .

Correct parallelism: Going for a brisk walk is as beneficial to your health as going for a run .

In this example, it is necessary to add the verb phrase going for to the sentence in order to clarify that the act of walking is being compared to the act of running.

On your own sheet of paper, revise each of the following sentences to create parallel structure using than or as .

• I would rather work at a second job to pay for a new car than a loan.
• How you look in the workplace is just as important as your behavior.
• The firefighter spoke more of his childhood than he talked about his job.
• Indian cuisine is far tastier than the food of Great Britain.
• Jim’s opponent was as tall as Jim and he carried far more weight.

Creating Parallelism Using Correlative Conjunctions

A correlative conjunction is a paired conjunction that connects two equal parts of a sentence and shows the relationship between them. Common correlative conjunctions include the following:

• not only…but also
• neither…nor
• rather…than

Correlative conjunctions should follow the same grammatical structure to create a parallel sentence. Take a look at the following example:

Faulty parallelism: We can neither wait for something to happen nor can we take evasive action.

Correct parallelism: We can neither wait for something to happen nor take evasive action.

When using a correlative conjunction, the words, phrases, or clauses following each part should be parallel. In the first sentence, the construction of the second part of the sentence does not match the construction of the first part. In the second sentence, omitting needless words and matching verb constructions create a parallel structure. Sometimes, rearranging a sentence corrects faulty parallelism.

Faulty parallelism: It was both a long movie and poorly written.

Correct parallelism: The movie was both long and poorly written.

To see examples of parallelism in use, read some of the great historical speeches by rhetoricians such as Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. Notice how they use parallel structures to emphasize important points and to create a smooth, easily understandable oration.

Here is a link to text, audio, video, and the music of Martin Luther King’s speech “I Have a Dream”: http://www.mlkonline.net/dream.html .

Writing at Work

Speechwriters use parallelism not only within sentences but also throughout paragraphs and beyond. Repeating particular key phrases throughout a speech is an effective way of tying a paragraph together as a cohesive whole and creating a sense of importance. This technique can be adapted to any piece of writing, but it may be especially useful for creating a proposal or other type of persuasive workplace document.

Note that the spelling and grammar checker on most word processors will not draw attention to faulty parallelism. When proofreading a document, read it aloud and listen for sentences that sound awkward or poorly phrased.

On your own sheet of paper, revise each of the following sentences to create parallel structure using correlative conjunctions.

• The cyclist owns both a mountain bike and has a racing bike.
• The movie not only contained lots of action, but also it offered an important lesson.
• My current job is neither exciting nor is it meaningful.
• Jason would rather listen to his father than be taking advice from me.
• We are neither interested in buying a vacuum cleaner nor do we want to utilize your carpet cleaning service.

Read through the following excerpt from Alex’s essay and revise any instances of faulty parallelism. Rewrite the sentences to create a parallel structure.

Key Takeaways

• Parallelism creates a sense of rhythm and balance in writing by using the same grammatical structure to express equal ideas.
• Faulty parallelism occurs when elements of a sentence are not balanced, causing the sentence to sound clunky and awkward.
• Parallelism may be created by connecting two clauses or making a list using coordinating conjunctions; by comparing two items using than or as ; or by connecting two parts of a sentence using correlative conjunctions.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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What is Parallelism? How Should You Use it in Research Writing?

Successful writing is a combination of coherent structure, ideal grammar , and excellent style. Though the rules of structure and grammar are straightforward, writing style embodies concepts such as grace and readability that may appear ambiguous in comparison. We are now going to explore the stylistic technique “parallel form” and effective ways in which it can be used. Sentences that accurately use the parallel form are like skirmishes for the reader’s attention that are won by the writer. The starting of the form sets up the reader’s expectations and the ending of the form fulfills them.

Table of Contents

Decrease Verbosity

Use parallel form to reduce verbosity. Whenever you find yourself repeating the same phrases often, see if you can use parallel form. Here’s an example from a paper on environmental policy initiatives:

Agronomists sometimes intentionally introduce alien species into an area, but frequently, alien species are introduced unintentionally, mostly via trade and transportation routes.

There are three areas of concern here: The statement starts with an active clause. The terms “alien species” and “introduced” are both repeated. Besides, the reader cannot foresee what will come next.

Agronomists sometimes intentionally introduce alien species into an area, but trade and transportation often do so unintentionally.

In the revised version, both clauses are in the active voice . The use of “do so” eases the reader’s load, and “unintentionally” as the antithesis of “intentionally” – one of the paper’s themes – is stressed upon.

Create Resonance

Parallel form energizes a limp or cluttered exposition, as in this statement, which ends with a series of disorderly noun phrases:

These internal developments in Shinshû should be explored within the context of the evolving medieval civilization, which took the course of increasing decentralization, civil war, and, lastly, bankruptcy.

When items in a series are not of the same type, you risk isolating your reader. The revised version that uses only adjectival phrases in its series is more satisfying:

These internal developments in Shinshû should be explored within the context of the evolving medieval civilization, which was increasingly decentralized, war-torn, and, lastly, bankrupt.

Note that in parallel form, it is the second item in the series that makes or breaks the resonance of the rest.

Unify Point of View

Not all pairs are parallels. Here is an example of a “false comparison” statement:

For isolated muons up to 100 GeV, the tracking efficiency is over 99%, compared to the efficiency for charged pi mesons, which is about 80%, depending on the pseudorapidity.

The tracking efficiency for the one element does not rely upon the tracking efficiency for the other. Thus, the sentence above is overambitious in its attempt to evaluate both events at once. Here’s the revised version:

For isolated muons up to 100 GeV, the tracking efficiency is over 99%. For charged pi-mesons, it is about 80%, depending on the pseudorapidity.

Did you recognize how using parallel form both breaks the false comparison and establishes a unified point of view? Do not confuse the presentation of combined ideas with the expression of a unified authorial voice.

If your document is making 2-3 key points, you can use parallelism to summarize them forcefully in a single sentence consisting of multiple dependent clauses connected to a single independent clause. Here’s an example that uses multiple “because” clauses:

Cyanobacteria blooms are undesirable because they are expensive to alleviate, because they create undesirable odors, and because they kill fish.

This construction is too awkward to read. Here’s the revised version:

Cyanobacteria blooms are undesirable because they are expensive to alleviate, create undesirable odors, and kill fish.

Why Use Parallel Structure?

The parallel form can be used when conflicting ideas and emphasizing similarities— while maintaining a consistent viewpoint and reducing word clutter. Parallel forms lend clarity and succinctness to good writing!

Besides, if you are looking for an AI-driven writing tool to enhance your writing, then check out Trinka , the world’s first language enhancement tool that is custom-built for academic and technical writing. It has several exclusive features to make your manuscript ready for the global audience.

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Parallelism in Academic Writing: What is Faulty Parallelism and its Types 

Your research papers or reports will be easier and more pleasant to read if you ensure parallelism in academic writing, that is, there is an agreement in the grammatical structure of your paper. This is called parallelism, parallel structure, or parallel construction. Parallelism is vital in good academic writing, impacting both the grammar of sentences and the presentation of your ideas. It aims to strengthen, empower, highlight, persuade and influence the readers through your scientific work. 1

Sometimes, it involves repeating the exact words, such as in the common phrases “I came, I saw, I conquered.” Other times, it echoes the construction or meaning of the pattern. You might want to think of parallelism in academic writing as a rhetorical or stylistic device. Use this when you want to emphasize the meaning of sentences or express several ideas in a series of similar structures, as used by poets or orators. 

Faulty parallelism can make your writing seem unbalanced or disconnected, which is why parallelism in academic writing is critical to convey the right meaning in an engaging manner. This is something we will be discussing in the following section.  

Importance of parallelism in academic writing

• Parallel construction simplifies sentence structures so the writer can present their ideas and results efficiently and elegantly, leaving an impression on readers.  
• Parallel construction emphasizes the relationship between two or more ideas . In academic writing, you often compare or contrast different methods or results. Parallelism in academic writing can create a sense of rhythm and balance within such sentences. 
• Parallel structure improves readability and clarity in your academic writing by providing a correct logical connection between and within sentences. 

Types of parallelism

• Parallelism at Word Level: This includes cases of superlative degree comparison, past perfect tense, infinitive, and gerund. A simple way to check for parallelism in academic writing is to ensure you have paired nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs, prepositional phrases with prepositional phrases, and so on. 

Faulty parallelism : He likes reading books and to watch television. 

With correct gerund: He likes reading books and watching television. 

With correct infinitive phrase: He likes to read books and watch television. 

• Parallelism at Phrase Level: This includes parallel configurations in noun, verb, prepositional, adjectival, and adverbial phrases. Make verbs agree in tense and phrasing to avoid faulty parallelism in your writing. 

Faulty parallelism: Her responsibilities included answering client calls, filing data, and to conduct visitor surveys.            

Parallel: Her responsibilities included answering client calls, filing data, and conducting visitor surveys. 

• Parallelism at Clause Level: Parallelism in academic writing can be achieved at the clause level. A clause is a group of words that contains a verb. For example, a parallel structure that begins with clauses must continue with clauses of the same type (adverb, noun, and adjective clauses) 

Faulty parallelism : The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep and to do some warm-up exercises before the game. 

Parallel : The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep and that they should do some warm-up exercises before the game.  

Faulty parallelism: Meaning and how to identify it

So, what is faulty parallelism? Faulty parallelism s are construction errors resulting from the writer not being consistent with parts of a sentence.  

The following four features can identify faulty parallelisms: 2  

• The two items in the parallelism are not of the same type. 
• The two items in the parallelism are not of equal weight. 
• The two items in the parallelism are not of equal length. 
• There is no logical connection between the two items. 

For example, consider the sentence, 

The boy was elected school leader for his charisma and intelligence, but he was also known for his integrity.  

Here, “charisma” and “integrity” refer to the character of the person, while “intelligence” refers to the capacity of the mind. So, it makes sense to rewrite the sentence as, 

The boy was elected school leader for his charisma and integrity, but he was also known for his intelligence.  

How to correct faulty parallelism

The following tips can help you avoid faulty parallelism in your writing. 

• Look for long sentences. Those are often the ones with many ideas that may not be written correctly. Mark those to re-read and check. 
• Not parallel adjectives: We are looking for an applicant who is organized and will arrive on time.   
• Parallel adjectives: We are looking for an organized, punctual applicant. 
• Faulty parallelism : In your classroom, you will find the following: a table, a desk, and teaching. 
• Parallel : In your classroom, you will find the following: a table, a desk, and a teacher. 

While a lack of parallelism is not always strictly wrong, sentences with parallel structures are easier to read and give a sense of balance to the writing. Aim to maintain similar structures in your writing to avoid grammatical errors and to enhance your writing style. 

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• What is an Imperative Sentence?
• Judgment vs. Judgement: Are the Two Words Same or Different?
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• Mini-lesson: Parallelism

To strengthen your understanding of parallelism in sentence structure, review the videos below:

Parallelism in Writing – What it is and how to avoid problems

Parallelism in Grammar

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• Parallelism in Grammar. Authored by : dek2635. Located at : http://youtu.be/oTjmVOPqN9I . License : All Rights Reserved . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Parallelism. Authored by : bspepp1. Located at : http://youtu.be/08ijQNA1ZI0 . License : All Rights Reserved . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Table of Contents

Instructor Resources (Access Requires Login)

• Overview of Instructor Resources

An Overview of the Writing Process

• Introduction to the Writing Process
• Introduction to Writing
• Your Role as a Learner
• What is an Essay?
• Reading to Write
• Defining the Writing Process
• Videos: Prewriting Techniques
• Thesis Statements
• Organizing an Essay
• Creating Paragraphs
• Conclusions
• Editing and Proofreading
• Matters of Grammar, Mechanics, and Style
• Peer Review Checklist
• Comparative Chart of Writing Strategies

Using Sources

• Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Avoiding Plagiarism
• Formatting the Works Cited Page (MLA)
• Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA)
• APA Citation Style, 6th edition: General Style Guidelines

Definition Essay

• Definitional Argument Essay
• How to Write a Definition Essay
• Critical Thinking
• Video: Thesis Explained
• Effective Thesis Statements
• Student Sample: Definition Essay

Narrative Essay

• Introduction to Narrative Essay
• Student Sample: Narrative Essay
• "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell
• "Sixty-nine Cents" by Gary Shteyngart
• Video: The Danger of a Single Story
• How to Write an Annotation
• How to Write a Summary
• Writing for Success: Narration

Illustration/Example Essay

• Introduction to Illustration/Example Essay
• "She's Your Basic L.O.L. in N.A.D" by Perri Klass
• "April & Paris" by David Sedaris
• Writing for Success: Illustration/Example
• Student Sample: Illustration/Example Essay

Compare/Contrast Essay

• Introduction to Compare/Contrast Essay
• "Disability" by Nancy Mairs
• "Friending, Ancient or Otherwise" by Alex Wright
• "A South African Storm" by Allison Howard
• Writing for Success: Compare/Contrast
• Student Sample: Compare/Contrast Essay

Cause-and-Effect Essay

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• "Cultural Baggage" by Barbara Ehrenreich
• "Women in Science" by K.C. Cole
• Writing for Success: Cause and Effect
• Student Sample: Cause-and-Effect Essay

Argument Essay

• Introduction to Argument Essay
• Rogerian Argument
• "The Case Against Torture," by Alisa Soloman
• "The Case for Torture" by Michael Levin
• How to Write a Summary by Paraphrasing Source Material
• Writing for Success: Argument
• Student Sample: Argument Essay
• Grammar/Mechanics Mini-lessons
• Mini-lesson: Subjects and Verbs, Irregular Verbs, Subject Verb Agreement
• Mini-lesson: Sentence Types
• Mini-lesson: Fragments I
• Mini-lesson: Run-ons and Comma Splices I
• Mini-lesson: Comma Usage
• Mini-lesson: The Apostrophe
• Mini-lesson: Capital Letters
• Grammar Practice - Interactive Quizzes
• De Copia - Demonstration of the Variety of Language
• Style Exercise: Voice

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Parallelism in Writing

What is parallel sentence structure.

A parallel sentence structure refers to words, phrases, or clauses in the same sentence having the same grammatical form. Parallelism encourages natural flow and is most often applied to sentences that are either listing elements or comparing elements. Parallel sentence structure should also be applied to headings and section titles in academic papers.

Both of the above sentences list elements. The elements listed by the first sentence are “books,” “writing,” and “painting.” While “writing” and “painting” have the same grammatical form (gerunds), “books” does not (common nouns ). As such, this sentence comes off as awkward and somewhat unbalanced. The elements listed by the second sentence are “reading,” “writing,” and “painting.” These elements all share the same grammatical form, and therefore the sentence reads naturally and gives the reader a sense of rhythm.

These two sentences are comparing elements. The elements compared by the first sentence are “visiting the office” and “email.” These two elements have different grammatical forms ( verb phrase and noun). On the other hand, the elements compared by the second sentence – “visiting the office” and “sending us an email” – share the same form.

Table of Contents

• 1. Parallel Structure in a Series
• 2. Parallelism in Pairs
• 3. Parallelism in Headings and Outlines
• 4. Parallel Subject Matter

Parallel Structure in a Series

As mentioned above, elements in a list (or a series) should share the same grammatical form. These elements may be words, phrases, or clauses and are typically connected with the use of commas or semicolons in combination with conjunctions , such as “and” or “or.”

Parallel series of words

When the listed elements are words, the first step to enforcing parallel structure is ensuring that the elements are of the same word type. In other words, nouns should be listed with other nouns, adjectives with other adjectives, and verbs with other verbs.

If the listed items are verbs, they must all be of the same form. For example, a verb in the infinitive form must be listed with other verbs in the infinitive; it should not be listed with participles or gerunds.

Parallel series of phrases

When verbs are listed in series, they are typically in the form of verb phrases. As with elements that are single verbs, elements that are verb phrases must also be of the same grammatical form. In other words, infinitive phrases should be listed with other infinitive phrases, participle phrases should be listed with other participle phrases, gerund phrases should be listed with other gerund phrases, and so on.

“Greeting clients” and “updating the company calendar” are gerund phrases. However, “to answer the phone” is an infinitive phrase. By turning the infinitive phrase “to answer the phone” into the gerund phrase “answering phone calls,” parallel structure is maintained.

Parallel series of clauses

The same principle applies to elements that are verb clauses; all elements must be of the same grammatical form.

“That they should not run in the halls” and “that they should not chew with their mouths open” share the same grammatical form. However, “to use profanities” does not. To enforce parallel structure, it is necessary to alter “to use profanities” so that it has the same grammatical form as the earlier clauses. Or, alternatively, the other two clauses could be altered to have the same form as “to use profanities.”

Parallel lists after colons

Lists that come after colons must also have parallel elements.

Parallelism in Pairs

As is the case for elements in a list, elements in pairs must also be parallel. Elements in pairs may be connected by coordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions, or comparative words. There are seven coordinating conjunctions: and, or, nor, but, yet, so, for. All of these can be used to connect elements into pairs. As is the case for lists, both elements in the pair must share the same grammatical form.

Correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that connect elements in a sentence. There are five correlative conjunctions: either…or, neither…nor, whether… or, not only… but also, both…and.

Two elements that are being compared in a sentence must also be parallel. Elements are compared using words such as “than,” “as,” “like,” and “over.”

Parallelism in Headings and Outline Sections

The section headings of a given academic paper should have the same grammatical structure. Although journals do not typically state this as part of their author guidelines, enforcing parallel structure in section headings helps a paper come off as more professional and organized. The same applies to a paper’s outlines.

Parallel Subject Matter

A sentence can have elements with the same grammatical form yet still be non-parallel if the elements are not consistent or compatible. All elements in a sentence should be clearly related to one another.

Grammatically, “found that the experimental results agreed with the theoretical model” and “went out dancing in the city” are of the same form. However, it is unclear how these two elements are related to one another. For proper parallelism, the connection between the two elements must be clear.