parallel structure in essay

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Parallel Structure

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This handout describes and provides examples of parallel structure (similar patterns of words).

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.

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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Praxis Core Writing

Course: praxis core writing   >   unit 1.

• Argumentative essay | Quick guide
• Source-based essay | Quick guide
• Revision in context | Quick guide
• Within-sentence punctuation | Quick guide
• Subordination and coordination | Quick guide
• Independent and dependent Clauses | Video lesson

Parallel structure | Quick guide

• Modifier placement | Quick guide
• Shifts in verb tense | Quick guide
• Pronoun clarity | Quick guide
• Pronoun agreement | Quick guide
• Subject-verb agreement | Quick guide
• Noun agreement | Quick guide
• Frequently confused words | Quick guide
• Conventional expressions | Quick guide
• Logical comparison | Quick guide
• Concision | Quick guide
• Adjective/adverb confusion | Quick guide
• Negation | Quick guide
• Capitalization | Quick guide
• Apostrophe use | Quick guide
• Research skills | Quick guide
• Penny likes running, biking, and to swim .
• Penny likes running, biking, and swimming .

Parallel lists:

Rules for parallel lists:.

• Sentences written with parallel structure are tidy, elegant, and persuade effectively .
• Sentences written with parallel structure are tidy, elegant, and persuasive .
• Aladdin closed his eyes and had rubbed the lamp with all his might.
• Aladdin closed his eyes and rubbed the lamp with all his might.
• There are two ways to get to the Olympics: training hard enough to qualify as an athlete, or you can buy tickets.
• There are two ways to get to the Olympics: training hard enough to qualify as an athlete, or buying tickets.
• There are two ways to get to the Olympics: you can train hard enough to qualify as an athlete, or you can buy tickets.
• A lack of good dental hygiene habits can cause a range of long-term health problems, from tooth decay to increasing one’s risk of heart disease .
• A lack of good dental hygiene habits can cause a range of long-term health problems, from tooth decay to an increased risk of heart disease .

Top tip: Focus on what you can change

• Taking public transportation is cheaper, safer, and hurts the environment less than driving a personal automobile .
• Taking public transportation is cheaper, safer, and more environmentally friendly than driving a personal automobile .

Top tip: Look for parallel structure "triggers"

• both __ and __
• between __ and __
• (n)either __ (n)or __
• from __ to __
• Albert Einstein is celebrated for both theorizing special relativity and his discovery of the photoelectric effect.
• Albert Einstein is celebrated for both theorizing special relativity and discovering the photoelectric effect.

Top tip: Fix the common flaw

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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.

Table of Contents

Collaboration, information literacy, writing process, parallelism, parallel structure, parallel construction.

• © 2023 by Jenifer Paquette - Hillsborough Community College

Learn about parallelism as a foundational grammatical structure in English. Learn about parallelism from a rhetorical perspective: use parallel structure to facility brevity , clarity & rhythm .

What is Parallelism, Parallel Structure, Parallel Construction?

Parallelism , aka Parallel Structure or Parallel Construction , is a grammatical structure in an English sentence.

A sentence uses parallelism when two or more elements in the sentence are grammatically similar or identical in structure, sound, meaning, or meter, as illustrated below.

Related Concepts: Edit for Parallelism ; Voice ; Tone ;

Why does Parallelism Matter ?

Parallel Structure matters because it’s a basic building block of the English sentence, whether the discourse is oral or written.

Parallelism is a powerful tool for writers, speakers, knowledge workers:

1. Parallelism can create a sense of rhythm and emphasis. Consider, e.g., “I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.” Martin Luther King Jr.

2. Parallelism can help writers achieve brevity and simplicity , two major attributes of contemporary discourse. For instance, use of participle phrases can help organize a number of different things around one subject , thereby enabling the writer to avoid repeating a subject. Example:

“I like studying, sleeping, and going to the beach.” Imaging how tedious that sentence would be, how primer like, if the writer said “I like studying. I like sleeping. I like going to the beach.”

3. Parallelism fosters reading comprehension because it enables readers to chunk information — elements of a sentence (e.g., words , phrases , sentences ) — as coequal and related. Parallelism enables writers to add symmetry, effectiveness, and balance to their texts .

Errors in parallelism are serious because they impede communication, resulting in confused readers. When writers, speakers, knowledge workers . . . fail to use parallel structure, all hell breaks loose and confusion sets in. Atrophy happens. Online, readers click away.

As readers skim through sentences, they anticipate what should follow based on their tacit knowledge of English grammar and mechanics . When a writer starts listing a series, readers expect them to complete that series with more examples.

Then, when some other sentence structures are introduced and the series is not completed, readers fall off track and miscommunication happens.

Can I See Some Examples of Parallelism?

Here is an example of a sentence with incorrect parallel structure:

“I like to study, sleeping, and to go to the beach.” In this example, which mentions three activities, the list does not use parallel structure. The terms are not parallel. There are two infinitives (to study, to go to the beach) and one gerund (sleeping). To put it another way, the three items in this list don’t match. This sentence is grammatically incorrect.

Here is an example of a sentence with correct parallel structure:

“I like studying, sleeping, and going to the beach.” In this example, all three items in the list are gerunds (studying, sleeping, going). They match. The list is parallel, and the sentence is grammatically correct.

Why is it important to use parallel structure?

Lack of parallel structure can disrupt the rhythm of a sentence, leaving it grammatically unbalanced. Proper parallel structure helps to establish balance and flow in a well-constructed sentence; the alignment of related ideas supports readability and clarity.

Let’s look at an example:

• Not Parallel : The President traveled to several cities meeting voters, to give speeches, and ask for campaign funds.
• Parallel : The President traveled to several cities meeting voters, giving speeches, and asking for campaign funds.

Is not having parallel structure always wrong?

For the most part, yes. Usually an error with parallelism will throw off the rhythm of your sentence, leaving the reader confused but not certain why. These kinds of errors will not always interfere with comprehension, but they will affect the style of your writing , placing an undue burden on the reader as he or she struggles to decipher your intention. Unless you are making a specific point and want the reader off balance in that way, use parallel structure in your writing.

Parallelism in Grammatical Structures

Because sentences can contain a variety of grammatical elements, they can have parallel structure in a number of ways.

Par allel Struc ture in Lists

Any time you list words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence, they should have parallel structure. For example:

I like to bike, swim, and ride. Notice that each element in the list of things that the speaker likes to do is in the same verb form. That way, it’s clear for the reader that the three elements of the sentence belong together in the same category–this list.

Inconsistent parallelism becomes pretty clear in short lists, like the one above. If you say I like to bike, swimming, and I ride a lot, you are most likely to notice that these elements don’t belong together.

Please note the use of the Oxford comma (or “serial comma”) when creating lists. The use and misuse of this comma can change the meaning of your sentences. Consider these examples:

“My heroes are my two uncles, George Washington, and Martin Luther King, Jr.” This sentence implies you have four heroes: One uncle, another uncle, Washington, and King. 

“My heroes are my two uncles, George Washington and Martin Luther King, Jr.” 

This sentence implies that you have two uncles who are both major figures of American history.

Par allel Struc ture with Articles — A and An

Incorrect: I couldn’t decide if I wanted to wear a formal dress, fun skirt, or jeans and a t-shirt.

This one is tricky, but notice the use of the word “a.”

Correct: I couldn’t decide if I wanted to wear a formal dress, a fun skirt, or jeans and a t-shirt.

Incorrect: At this new job, expect to work with emerging technology, to develop innovative solutions, and collaborate with talented professionals.

Hint: Watch the word “to.”

Correct: At this new job, expect to work with emerging technology, to develop innovative solutions, and to collaborate with talented professionals. Correct: At this new job, expect to work with emerging technology, develop innovative solutions, and collaborate with talented professionals.

Parallel Structure with Correlative Conjunctions

The use of a correlative conjunction (not only … but also, either …. or,  neither … nor, both … and) requires parallel structure of both clauses or both phrases in the sentence. If a verb follows the first correlative conjunction, then a verb should follow the second conjunction in the set. Consider the alternative ways you can construct sentences around each pair of words to maintain parallel structure:

Using verbs : Whether you write or edit for the school paper, you have a very important free press responsibility to tell the truth.

Using nouns : Amber is as friendly a person as she is an informed and aware scholar.

Using prepositional phrases: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is useful not only for businesses but also for consumers.

Using adjective phrases : There are many aspects to SEO, from the words on your page to the way other sites link to you on the web.

Incorrect: When deciding whether to travel by car or plane, travelers must consider not only the cost but also know how far the destination is.

“Cost” is a noun; “know how far” is a phrase. 

Correct: When deciding whether to travel by car or plane, travelers must consider not only the cost but also the distance .

Incorrect: Many college students must balance not only part-time jobs but also taking full-time course loads.

“Part-time jobs” is a noun; “Taking full-time course loads” is a phrase. 

Correct: Many college students must balance not only part-time jobs but also full-time course loads.

Parallel Structure with Comparisons

Incorrect: To make new friends, Jessie thought running on the track team was better than membership in the chess club.

“Running” is a gerund; “membership” is a noun. 

Correct: To make new friends, Jessie thought running on the track team was better than joining the chess club .

Parallel Structure in Voice

Incorrect: You can either pay the service fee now, or the bill can be paid later.

You should have a consistent subject (you) doing both things. 

Correct: You can either pay the service fee now, or you can pay the bill later.

Correct: The service fee can be paid now , or the bill can be paid later .

Parallel Structure in Phrases

Incorrect : Please place the football on the counter or you can put it in the shed.

Correct : Please place the football on the counter or in the shed .

Parallel Structure in Clauses

Incorrect : My parents did not approve of my actions or what I said.

Correct : My parents did not approve of what I did nor what I said .

Parallelism in Action

Incorrect : According to my taxes, I donated money to a women’s center, children’s hospitals, and a public school last year.

Correct : According to my taxes, I donated money to a women’s center, two children’s hospitals, and a public school last year.

Incorrect : I taught my sister to speak properly, eating correctly, and saying “thank you.”

Correct : I taught my sister to speak properly, to eat correctly, and to say “thank you.”

Correct : I taught my sister to speak properly, eat correctly, and say “thank you.”

Incorrect: Arts and crafts projects encourage kids to be creative, to be patient, and allows them to feel a sense of accomplishment.

Correct: Arts and crafts projects encourage kids to be creative, to be patient, and to appreciate a job well done.

Correct: Arts and crafts projects encourage kids to be creative, to be patient, and to accomplish tasks that can boost their self-esteem.

Correct: Arts and crafts projects encourage kids to be creative, to be patient, and to take pride in their work.

Incorrect: Wikipedia is an ambitious project that lacks sufficient credibility for college work but as an example of “crowdsourcing” it is intriguing.

Correct: Wikipedia is an ambitious project that lacks sufficient credibility for college work but provides an intriguing example of “crowdsourcing.”

Incorrect: To complete this ceiling fan installation, you will need a screwdriver, wrench, a pair of pliers, two standard light bulbs, electrical tape, and patience.

Correct: To complete this ceiling fan installation, you will need a screwdriver, a wrench, a pair of pliers, two standard light bulbs, electrical tape, and patience.

Incorrect: In some parts of the country, a carbonated beverage is called “soda,” whereas “pop” is used in other parts of the country.

Correct: In some parts of the country, a carbonated beverage is called “soda,” whereas in other parts of the country, it is called “pop.”

Incorrect: The best American western movies look as though they were filmed on location in the American west, but Europe was the shooting location for many of them.

Correct: The best American western movies look as though they were filmed on location in the American west, but many were actually filmed far away in Europe.

Incorrect: Many controversial works of literature have been banned from school libraries. Examples include “Howl,” a poem by Allen Ginsberg; the great Mark Twain novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn ; and J.D. Salinger’s young adult favorite The Catcher in the Rye; and even the Bible has found itself banned at times as well.

Correct: Many controversial works of literature have been banned from school libraries. Examples include “Howl,” a poem by Allen Ginsberg; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , the great novel by Mark Twain; The Catcher in the Rye , the young adult favorite by J.D. Salinger; and even the Bible.

Incorrect : “The vessel also has a 1,380-seat theater that will show the Broadway musical Grease, comedy club, jazz club, casino, aquatheater and karaoke bar.”

Sloan, Gene. “Largest cruise ship ever sets sail on inaugural voyage.” USA Today ,23 May 2016. 

Correct : The vessel also has a 1,380-seat theater that will show the Broadway musical Grease. The theater also acts as a comedy club, jazz club, casino, aquatheater, and karaoke bar.

Edit for Parallel Structure

How Can I Identify Problems with Parallelism, Parallel Structure?

To edit for parallel structure issues, identify lists of words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence, identify all the parts of the list, and check whether all those parts take the same grammatical form.

1. First, identify whether your sentence contains multiple words, phrases, or clauses that list similar information. 

I like going fishing, food, and France.

The sentence contains a list of words and phrases naming things that I like: going fishing, food , and France .

2. Second, check whether all those pieces of the sentence take the same grammatical form. For example, if one is just a noun, they should all be nouns, or if one is an “-ing” verb, they should all be “-ing” verbs. 

I like  going fishing  [“-ing” verb phrase],  food  [noun], and  France  [noun]. These three items in the list are not in the same grammatical format.

If the pieces of the list are not in the same grammatical format, your sentence does not have parallel structure: you should revise to create parallel structure.

Third, change all the listed pieces of your sentence to take the same grammatical form. There are many ways to do this. Below are two examples.

I like  going fishing ,  food , and  France .

1. Make all three items in the list “-ing” verb phrases.

Revised : I like  going fishing ,  eating food , and  visiting France .

2. Make all three items in the list nouns.

Revised : I like  fishing ,  food , and  France .

If you do not know how to change a word from one grammatical form to another, look it up in the dictionary! Right after each word, it will tell you the word form (noun, verb, adjective, adverb, and so on). If it doesn’t say the name of the word form, there will be an abbreviation in parenthesis. The most common word forms are (n) = noun, (v) = verb, (adj) = adjective, and (adv) = adverb. Creating different word forms in English can be confusing, so if you’re not sure how to change a verb to a noun, it’s best to look up the word in the dictionary.

How can a sentence be revised to reflect parallel structure?

• Find a list within a sentence : Look for words or phrases of equal importance that are separated by commas and joined by a conjunction

Not parallel : Dr. Kall challenged his students to initiate their own learning, be creative problem-solvers, and think independently. (In this sentence, Dr. Kall wants his students to do or be three things, but the items in this list are not parallel in structure.)

2. Evaluate the word forms within the list.

• Do the verbs appear as infinitives ( to + verb ), or gerunds ( -ing words )? As present tense or past tense? (Choose the voice and tense of the verb that is consistent with surrounding sentences.)
• Do the nouns or pronouns and their modifiers appear in consistent form?

3. Alter the words in the list to create proper parallel structure .

Parallel : Dr. Kall challenged his students to become self-motivated learners, creative problem-solvers, and independent thinkers. (In this sentence, Dr. Kall wants his students to be three things instead of a combination of being and doing. Additionally, the list follows a pattern since the nouns and adjectives all appear in parallel form.)

Identify each sentence as correct or incorrect. Revise the sentences that are incorrect. 

• Circling above, the hawks scanned the ground for tiny field mice, for baby raccoons near streams, and some chipmunks were running in the wheat field.
• Red-tailed hawks perch on fence posts along the back road and on electric poles near the city.
• Doctors are encouraging patients to consume more water and exercising three times a week.
• The hotel clerk told Geoffrey to cancel his reservation or he should pay for the room in cash.
• Her father said he would take the family either to the Grand Canyon or they could see the Painted Desert.
• A news story on the cable networks today is not so much a news story as it is a questionable manipulation of the truth.
• Have watching television, using computers, and cell phones negatively impacted our culture?
• Is cable news today reliable, unbiased, and accurate?
• Employees must not only wear protective covering but also ID badges should be carried at all times.
• It is better to show up for work on time than running behind schedule.

Mark correct or incorrect for parallel structure. Revise the sentences that are incorrect. 

• During Isabella’s trip to Florence, she visited the Uffizi Museum, toured St. Peter’s Cathedral, and went shopping in Florence.
• To her relief, many Italians spoke English to visitors and were translating Italian for American tourists.
• She was most impressed by the sculptures of Michelangelo, including  David , the  Pieta,  and the one of Moses.
• If you travel to Florence, be sure to visit the small shops along the narrow alleys where hand-made leather suitcases, briefcases, and purses are sold.
• Also, be sure to pack lightly, to purchase train tickets ahead of time, and to carry two credit cards.
• In her travel article, Olive Ventini claims that tourists can visit the Duomo di Firenze as long as they arrive early and taking pictures is avoided.
• The English-Italian dictionary is helpful not only to those who speak Italian but also many people trying to learn.
• Finding a cheap hotel room is difficult during winter months, but hostels are a great alternative if you do not mind sharing a room and sleeping on a hard mattress.
• Michelangelo, a true Renaissance man, was a great painter and he made many sculptures.
• Either plan to stay in Rome for several weeks or making a quick visit is a possibility.
• Some argue that getting enrolled into college classes is harder than to take the actual courses.
• According to those who practice mindfulness, it is easier to begin meditating for a few minutes than to sit for fifteen minutes.
• George and Martha learned it is better to trust their intuition when traveling than listening to advice from strangers. 
• Taking notes requires summarizing key points, highlighting details, and be sure to use a consistent method.
• Running the 100 meter hurdles is easier than when you run the 300 meter hurdles.

Mark correct or incorrect for parallel structure. Revise the sentences that are incorrect.

• At the park Jimmy enjoys climbing on the monkey bars, swinging on the tire swing, and to play in the sandbox.
• Gas prices are near record highs; drivers must carpool, to check their tire pressure, and driving no faster than the speed limit.
• Jessica made an “A ” on her science project, a “B” on her math quiz, and her English quiz was 100 percent.
• College is difficult; students must read all the assignments, complete all the homework, and attend all the classes.
• In order to succeed in college, one must study hard, manage one’s time, and take advantage of opportunities for assistance.
• To make a good grade, reading the book, to turn in the homework assignments, and attendance must be priorities.
• The grade was based on the score on the final exam, the number of labs completed, and if we missed too many classes.
• Your assignment may be done in pencil, pen, or type it on a computer.
• The library has three sections: the circulation desk, the reference area, and the study rooms.
• Even when he works out and will eat healthy, Jonathan has a hard time keeping slim.
• Because Sue neither eats well nor is exercising, she has no hope of losing weight before her wedding.
• Yoshi loves music, conversation, and to go dancing in clubs.
• Steven enjoys playing video games, listening to heavy metal, and skateboarding.
• Leslie prefers watching television, reading a good book, or a romantic movie.
• Jim is always on his iPhone talking, texting, or when he checks his e-mail.
• The country’s biggest problems are economic, social, and the conflicts in the Middle East.
• In his speech, the candidate addressed the financial meltdown, the war in Afghanistan, and the health care system.
• Luis likes not only spaghetti and salad but also to grill burgers on the barbecue.
• The babysitter forgot to give the baby a bath, to wash the dishes, and to take out the trash.
• The job application asked for my address, my educational level, and what my work experience is.

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Understanding Parallel Structure (Examples, How to Use It)

What is parallel structure (or parallelism )? And how does it work? Does it mean to use the same pattern of word to coney multiple ideas? And do these ideas have the same level of importance? Learn about parallel structure in this comprehensive guide.

What is Parallel Structure?

In English grammar , parallel structure (also referred to as parallelism) is the repetition of the same grammatical structure in each part of a sentence . It means using the same pattern of words to convey that two or more ideas share the same level of importance.

For example:

Not Parallel: I like to paint, jog, cook, and watching movies .

Parallel: I like to paint, jog, cook, and watch movies .

Here are some examples of parallel structure:

Words: Thinking/eating

Infinites: To see/to understand

Prepositional phrases : At the time/in the yard

Subordinate clause: Because I care/after they met

Here are some examples of elements that are not parallel:

Thinking/to run

To see/since I understand

At the time/being here

Because I care/to meet

Using parallel structure has several benefits:

• The repetition of the grammatical structure creates a common word pattern and grammatical pattern throughout the sentence.
• Parallel structure can give a sense of rhythm and order to a sentence.
• Parallel structure allows the writer to give equal importance to two or more ideas within a sentence.
• Using parallel structure improves the readability of a sentence.

Not Parallel: Participants in the workshop learned how to negotiate, communicate , and working collaboratively .

Parallel: Participants in the workshop learned how to negotiate, communicate, and work collaboratively.

Parallel: Participants in the workshop learned about negotiating, communicating , and working collaboratively.

How to use parallel structure in a sentence?

To create a parallel structure or parallelism, use the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas (words, phrases, or clauses ) have the same importance. Match nouns , verb tenses, and conjunctions to form a parallel construction.

Not Parallel: Her shopping list for the party included: balloons, dessert , streamers, and chips.

Parallel: Her shopping list for the party included: balloons, desserts , streamers, and chips .

Not Parallel: Sharon likes to read , write, and eating .

Parallel: Sharon likes reading, writing , and eating .

Not Parallel: I enjoy neither exercise or playing video games.

Parallel: I enjoy neither exercising nor playing video games.

What are the five rules of parallelism?

1. use parallel structure with elements that are joined by coordinating conjunctions ..

Use parallel structure to connect two or more phrases or clauses joined with coordinating conjunctions for, nor, and, but, yet, or , or so .

Not Parallel: Her company and what its potential is are irrelevant to me .

Parallel: Her company and its potential are irrelevant to me.

Not Parallel: Although she promised to, my best friend did not take me dancing or to a show.

Parallel: Although she promised to, my best friend did not take me to a dance or a show.

2. Use parallel structure with elements in a series or list.

Use parallel structures when comparing items in a list.

Not parallel : The tribes emphasized mutual aid , collective survival, and being responsible for each other.

Parallel: The tribes emphasized mutual aid, collective survival, and responsibility for each other.

Not Parallel: Taylor criticizes public schools as they are compulsory, funded by the government, and destroy students’ humanity.

Parallel: Taylor criticizes public schools as they are compulsory, government-funded, and normalizing.

Parallel: Taylor criticizes public schools as they require students to attend, receive money from the government, and destroy students’ humanity.

3. Use parallel structure with elements that are being compared.

Use parallel structure to connect two phrases or clauses with a word of comparison like than or as.

Not Parallel: David liked to dive better than swimming.

Parallel: David liked to dive better than to swim.

Parallel: David liked diving better than swimming.

Not Parallel: Esther said she would rather pay for her education than financial aid.

Parallel: Esther said she would rather pay for her education than receive financial aid.

4. Use parallel structure with elements that are joined by a linking verb .

Use parallel structure to join two or more elements with a linking verb , where the first item is completed by the second one.

Not Parallel: To succeed is getting new opportunities.

Parallel: To succeed is to get new opportunities.

Not Parallel: To be Grace’s friend means being constantly alert.

Parallel: Being Grace’s friend means being constantly alert.

5. Use parallel structure with elements that are joined by a correlative conjunction .

Use parallel structures to connect to phrases or clauses with a correlative conjunction such as either…or, not only…but also, if…then, neither this…nor .

Not Parallel: Ben not only wants fame but also money.

Parallel: Ben wants not only fame but also money.

Parallel: Ben not only wants fame but also wants money.

Not Parallel: My dog neither likes to play fetch, nor chase cars.

Parallel: My dog neither likes to play fetch nor likes to chase cars.

Coordinating conjunctions join parallel elements in a sentence. These elements should be in the same grammatical form (or parallel grammatical form).

Yes. Parallel structure should be used when it comes to verb tense.

Sentence structure

More on sentence structure:

• Dangling modifier
• Transition sentences
• Active voice
• Passive voice
• Adverbial clause
• Parallelism

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Parallel structure.

What exactly is parallel structure? It’s simply the practice of using the same format for similar items. Parallel structure can be applied to a single sentence, a paragraph, or even multiple paragraphs. Compare the two following sentences:

• Yara loves running, to swim, and biking.
• Yara loves 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 readability, 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:

Lacking parallelism: “She likes cooking, jogging, and to read.”

• Parallel: “She likes cooking, jogging, and reading.”
• Parallel: “She likes to cook, jog, and read.”

Lacking parallelism: “The dog ran across the yard and jumped over the fence, and down the alley he sprinted.”

• Parallel: “The dog ran across the yard, jumped over the fence, and sprinted down the alley.”

For additional examples and explanations of parallelism, view the following video.

Look at the following items. Identify and address any issues with parallelism.

• Low self-esteem can manifest itself in various behaviors. Some individuals may become paralyzed at the prospect of making a decision. Other individuals may bend their wills to others’ in order to keep the peace. Yet another symptom is the retreat from society as a whole—to become isolated.
• The influence of genetics on human behavior has been shown through studies of twins who were separated at birth. Not only do these sets of individuals share many physical characteristics, but they also tend to have the same sort of interests and biases and utilize similar mental processes.
• Nocturne in Black and Gold (The Falling Rocket) by James Abbott McNeil Whistler is very emblematic of the impressionist movement: its dark colors, contrast, and lack of definite form reflect the attitudes of the day.
• Low self-esteem can manifest itself in various behaviors. Some individuals may become paralyzed at the prospect of making a decision. Other individuals may bend their wills to others’ in order to keep the peace. Yet other individuals may retreat from society as a whole and become isolated.
• they also tend to have the same sort of interests, biases, and mental processes
• they also tend to have similar interests, biases, and mental processes

If you wanted to make the whole sentence more parallel, you may want to adjust the sentence to match the structure of the phrase “Not only do these sets of individuals share many physical characteristics”:

• Not only do these sets of individuals share many physical characteristics, but they also share similar interests, biases, and mental processes.
• Its depth of color, intensity of contrast, and lack of form reflect the attitudes of the day.
• Its dark colors, intense contrast, and lax forms reflect the attitudes of the day.

Rhetoric and Parallelism

Parallelism can also involve repeated words or repeated phrases. These uses are part of “rhetoric” (a field that focuses on persuading readers) Here are a few examples of repetition:

• “ The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.” —Winston Churchill
• “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
• “And that government of the people, by the people, for the people , shall not perish from the earth.” —Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address

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—and more inspiring. This use of parallelism can be especially useful in writing conclusions of academic papers or in persuasive writing.

• Parallel Structure. Revision and adaptation of the page Paralell Structure at https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-englishcomposition1/chapter/text-parallel-structure/ which used Examples of Parallelism at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallelism_(grammar) . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Parallel Structure. Provided by : Lumen Learning. Located at : https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-englishcomposition1/chapter/text-parallel-structure/ . Project : English Composition I. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Examples of Parallelism. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallelism_(grammar) . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• image of runners in two parallel lanes of a road. Authored by : Free-Photos. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : https://pixabay.com/en/street-marathon-running-competitors-1149220/ . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
• video Parallel Structure or Parallelism. Authored by : Shaun Macleod. Provided by : Smrt English. Located at : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvDNvS2M3QA . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License

parallel structure

What is parallel structure definition, usage, and literary examples, parallel structure definition.

Parallel structure (peh-ruh-LEL STRUHK-churr) is a synonym for parallelism : a grammatical and rhetorical term for creating a sense of linguistic balance by repeating elements within a sentence , over the course of several sentences, or in a longer work or speech.

In grammar, it refers to ensuring agreement in elements like number, verb tense, and adjective types. Maintaining this balance keeps writing clean, concise, and comprehensible. The rhetorical definition involves using this balance as a device to make speeches and works of literature more impactful.

Quick Examples of Parallel Structure

You may recognize some of these common sayings, all of which contain parallel structure:

• “What you see is what you get.”
• “Easy come, easy go.”
• “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
• “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”

Literary Devices that Use Parallel Structure

• Anaphora : This device uses repetition at the beginning of each phrase or sentence. Consider this example: “I forgave you when you lost my cat, I forgave you when you left me at the airport, and I forgave you when you threw out my favorite stuffed animal.” The repeated use of I forgave you when you is parallel structure.
• Antithesis : This is parallel structure that relies on opposites. “That curry is heaven on the tongue but hell in the tummy” plays on the oppositional dichotomy of the concepts of heaven and hell.
• Epistrophe : This is like anaphora, except the repetition occurs at the end of phrases or sentences. By using the phrase eating pancakes repeatedly, this example achieves both epistrophe and parallel structure: “I love eating pancakes, my partner feels like eating pancakes, and we just saw a commercial where people were happily eating pancakes.”
• Isocolon : This is a sequential repetition of words, clauses, or phrases with the same (or at least very similar) syllable count and rhythm, in addition to grammatical identity. Essentially, isocolon is intense parallel structure. A famous example is one attributed to Julius Caesar: “Veni, vidi, vici.” In Latin, this is a perfect example of isocolon. However, its English translation, “I came, I saw, I conquered,” cannot be considered isocolon because while I came and I saw each have two syllables, I conquered has three. Isocolon with two elements is bicolon, tricolon has three elements, and tetracolon has four.
• Symploce : This is a combination of anaphora and epistrophe, so parallel structure is created by using a repeated element at the beginning of phrases and a different repeated element at the end of the phrases. “Man created religion, man questioned religion, man attacked religion, and man defended religion.” Each phrase begins with the word man and ends with a past tense verb and the word religion .

Examples of Parallel Structure in Literature

1. James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

In this dense example of isocolon/bicolon, Joyce has his protagonist (as well as his audience) wrestle with thoughts of human helplessness:

Pity is the feeling which arrests the mind in the presence of whatsoever is grave and constant in human sufferings and unites it with the sufferer. Terror is the feeling which arrests the mind in the presence of whatsoever is grave and constant in human sufferings and unites it with the secret cause. [bold for emphasis]

2. Dr. Martin Luther King, “ Letter from Birmingham Jail ”

Dr. King was famous for his impactful writing and speaking. In this letter to his fellow clergymen, he expresses his disappointment in white people who are neither overtly racist nor active in antiracist causes. He uses anaphora effectively here, repeating the phrase “I had hoped that the white moderate” (or slight variations thereof) to begin six sentences throughout the letter:

I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress. I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that the present tension in the South is a necessary phase of the transition from an obnoxious negative peace, in which the Negro passively accepted his unjust plight, to a substantive and positive peace, in which all men will respect the dignity and worth of human personality.

Further Resources on Parallel Structure

Parallel structure is common in the Christian Holy Bible . StudyLight.org provides a list of instances of different types of parallel structure from the Holy Bible.

Cole Porter’s “Let’s Do It (Let’s Fall in Love)” playfully uses epistrophe to make a catchy song. Listen to Ella Fitzgerald sing it in this YouTube video to hear how her voice and the melody emphasize the repeated words even more.

Related Terms

• Parallelism

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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.

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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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Definition and Examples of Parallel Structure

Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms

 Chris Saulit / Getty Images

• An Introduction to Punctuation
• Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
• M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
• B.A., English, State University of New York

In English grammar , parallel structure  involves two or more words , phrases , or clauses that are similar in length and grammatical form. Another word for parallel structure is parallelism .

By convention, items in a series appear in parallel grammatical form: a noun is listed with other nouns, an -ing form with other -ing forms, and so on. "The use of parallel structures," says Ann Raimes in Keys for Writers , "helps produce cohesion and coherence in a text ." In traditional grammar , the failure to express such items in similar grammatical form is called faulty parallelism .

Examples of Parallel Structure

Parallel structure can be observed in many forms of writing. Proverbs , for example, provide a simple way to grasp the concept of parallel structure.

- Easy come, easy go. - No pain, no gain. - Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. - One man's trash is another man's treasure. - A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Quotes by authors and famous historical figures also illustrate the use of parallel structure.

"Never hurry and never worry!" (Charlotte's advice to Wilbur in Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, 1952)

"It is by logic we prove, but by intuition we discover." (Leonardo da Vinci)

"We spend our youth attempting to change the future, and the rest of our lives trying to preserve the past." (Arthur Bryant in Seventy-Seven Clocks by Christopher Fowler. Bantam, 2005) 

"Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature." (Tom Robbins, Still Life with Woodpecker , 1980)

"When success happens to an English writer, he acquires a new typewriter. When success happens to an American writer, he acquires a new life." (Martin Amis, "Kurt Vonnegut: After the Slaughterhouse." The Moronic Inferno . Jonathan Cape, 1986)

"A good ad should be like a good sermon; it must not only comfort the afflicted—it also must afflict the comfortable."​ (Bernice Fitz-Gibbon, Macy's, Gimbels, and Me: How to Earn $90,000 a Year in Retail Advertising . Simon and Schuster, 1967)

"If you are idle, be not solitary; if you are solitary, be not idle." (Samuel Johnson, quoted by James Boswell in The Life of Samuel Johnson , 1791)

"Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider." (Francis Bacon, " Of Studies ," 1625)

"Those who write clearly have readers; those who write obscurely have commentators." (Attributed to Albert Camus)

"I had been short, and now I was tall. I had been skinny and quiet and religious, and now I was good-looking and muscular. It was Sally Baldwin who brought me along, told me what to wear and do and think and say. She was never wrong; she never lost her patience. She created me, and when she was done we broke up in a formal sense, but she kept calling me." (Jane Smiley, Good Faith . Alfred A. Knopf, 2003)

"The wheels wheeled, the chairs spun, the cotton candy tinted the faces of children, the bright leaves tinted the woods and hills. A cluster of amplifiers spread the theme of love over everything and everybody; the mild breeze spread the dust over everything and everybody. Next morning, in the Lafayette Hotel in Portland, I went down to breakfast and found May Craig looking solemn at one of the tables and Mr. Murray, the auctioneer, looking cheerful at another." (E.B. White, "Goodbye to Forty-Eighth Street." Essays of E.B. White . Harper, 1977)

Guidelines for Creating Parallel Structure

To create parallel structure, keep in mind that adjectives should be paralleled by adjectives, nouns by nouns, dependent clauses by dependent clauses, and so on.​

INCORRECT: Your new training program was stimulating and a challenge . (Adjective and noun, stimulating and challenge) CORRECT: Your new training program was stimulating and challenging . (Two adjectives, stimulating and challenging)

Parallelism is especially important in displayed enumerations.

POOR : This article will discuss: 1. How to deal with corporate politics. 2. Coping with stressful situations. 3. What the role of the manager should be in the community.

BETTER : This article will discuss: 1. Ways to deal with corporate politics. 2. Techniques of coping with stressful situations. 3. The​ role of the manager in the community.

OR : This article will tell managers how to: 1. Deal with corporate politics. 2. Cope with stressful situations. 3. Function in the community.

(William A. Sabin, The Gregg Reference Manual , 10th ed. McGraw-Hill, 2005)

"When you write a sentence with a series of clauses , make sure that they start and end the same way. If you don't, you destroy the rhythm you've tried to establish. More important, if you use parallel structures your readers will have a more enjoyable time absorbing and understanding your facts, ideas, and concepts." (Robert M. Knight, A Journalistic Approach to Good Writing . Wiley, 2003)

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Parallelism, or parallel structure, describes a type of sentence structure common in the English language. When poets and prose stylists effectively employ grammatical parallelism, they strengthen the connections between ideas and objects, embedding relationships in syntax.

It might seem silly to write an entire article on a singular sentence structure. Writing parallelism certainly isn’t difficult, nor is it rare—you probably employ it all the time in your writing, whether you realize it or not.

But, when we turn towards some parallelism examples in literature, you’ll see how this simple syntactical device can transform your writing.

So, what is parallelism in literature? This article examines different types of parallelism in poetry and in prose, with examples throughout the literary canon, as well as in speech and rhetoric. We will also look at common grammatical mistakes, such as faulty parallelism, with an eye towards sharpening your writing.

But first, let’s define this important idea in syntax. What is parallelism in literature?

Parallelism Definition: What is Parallelism in Literature?

A parallel sentence structure occurs when a sentence’s components—phrases and clauses—each have the same grammatical structure. In other words, parallelism occurs when a sentence’s components are grammatically alike.

Parallelism is a sentence whose components—phrases and clauses—each have the same grammatical structure.

Here’s a simple example: On Sunday, we walked through the park, ate fried pickles, and saw a Broadway show.

There are three clauses with parallel structure here:

• walked through the park,
• ate fried pickles,
• saw a Broadway show.

“Walked,” “ate,” and “saw” are all past tense verbs, and they start each successive clause in the sentence. So, each clause has the same grammatical structure, giving the sentence parallelism.

What Parallelism Isn’t: Unparallel Structures and Faulty Parallelism

Here are some examples of unparallel sentences (also called faulty parallelism):

• Different verb tenses : We walked through the park, ate fried pickles, and see a Broadway show.
• Different parts of speech : We walked through the park, ate fried pickles, and each of us are 24 years old.
• Different point of view : We walked through the park, ate fried pickles, and you saw a Broadway show.
• Different number : We walked through the park, I ate fried pickles, and we saw a Broadway show.

Each of these sentences are unpleasant in different ways. If the information is correct—for example, if I was the only one who ate fried pickles—then that unparallel clause can be relegated to its own sentence.

This applies to other parts of speech too, not just verbs. A common writing mistake is misnumbered nouns and adjectives . For example:

• Unparallel structure : The city plans to increase the frequency of trains and a bus.
• Parallel structure : The city plans to increase the frequency of trains and buses.

The following example pertains to mismatched subject matter :

• Unparallel structure : She thought about doing her taxes, breaking up with her partner, and ordering pizza.
• Parallel structure : She thought about doing her taxes, breaking up with her partner, and treating herself afterwards with pizza.

The first sentence isn’t wrong , but the items in the list are weirdly juxtaposed . There’s a lack of cause and effect, so the sentence is treating each item in the list with equal weight—but taxes and break-ups are a lot less jovial than pizza. This abrupt juxtaposition could be what you’re going for, if you’re writing humor. If not, the second sentence reads more “normally” by retaining the parallel sentence structure.

Finally, there’s such a thing as stylistic structure. The following examples are both technically parallelisms, but one is clearly superior to the other:

• I came, I saw, I conquered.
• I came, I saw, I defeated the enemies.

The first example of parallelism is far better: it omits needless words , preserves the cadence of the sentence, and feels much more pleasurable to read. Parallel structure, as you can see, helps hone style in writing .

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Types of Parallelism in Literature

The examples we gave in the “Parallelism Definition” section all pertain to sentences with listed components. But, in rhetoric and literature, there are a few types of parallelism that amplify specific ideas using syntax. Let’s examine each one briefly, with parallelism examples in literature and speech.

1. Rhetorical Parallelism

Rhetorical parallelism creates sentence components of equal weight to emphasize similarity and contrast. Typically, it’s a sentence with 2 or 3 components, each of which are written with similar or parallel syntactic structure. You see this type of structure operate in some similes, metaphors, and analogies —especially analogies.

Here’s an example of rhetorical parallelism:

• “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” —Neil Armstrong

Each component of the sentence follows a parallel structure: one [adjective of size] [movement] for [man / mankind]. Because some of the words stay the same, this sentence highlights those that change: the size of the step grows in tandem with the size of the impact on humanity. Expressed here is the elegance of rhetorical parallelism: how small changes in word choice produce large effects in meaning.

Here are some other rhetorical parallelism examples:

• “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” —John F. Kennedy
• “Falseness lasts an hour, and truth lasts till the end of time.” —Arabic Proverb
• As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him. —Brutus in Julius Caesar (III.ii) by William Shakespeare

Rhetorical parallelism often relies on effective repetition. You can learn more about wielding repetition in rhetoric at this article:

https://writers.com/repetition-definition

2. Synthetic Parallelism

The following are primarily examples of parallelism in the Bible. Antithetical, synonymous, and synthetic parallelism are all common features of ancient poetry, particularly Hebrew poetry, though of course these devices can be used in modern poetry, too.

Synthetic parallelism is a poetic structure that advances a thought. It presents ideas of equal weight to make a certain argument, usually a moral one.

Here’s an example, from Proverbs 21:27.

“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent.”

In this quote, the two elements—“the sacrifice of the wicked” and “brings it with evil intent”—are both immoral actions. By placing these ideas next to each other, the quote amplifies its idea by amplifying what’s immoral.

You may notice how the two ideas have different syntactic structures. This is partially because the translation from Hebrew to English is difficult, and partially because it matters more that each idea takes up a similar amount of space on each singular line.

Proverbs is a book about proper conduct in the world, as well as the thoughts behind the ways we conduct ourselves. Synthetic parallelism allows this quote to elegantly express both abominable actions and, further, thoughts that make those actions even worse.

3. Antithetical Parallelism

Antithetical parallelism uses the same sentence structure as synthetic, but it highlights differences. Take, for example, Proverbs 19:16.

“He who obeys instructions guards his life, but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die.”

The two ideas—“obedience” versus “contempt”—are equally weighted, but opposed in such a way that one action is regarded in much higher esteem. “But” is the operant word highlighting contrast, and when it comes to parallelism in the Bible, attention to comparison words helps us understand how different ideas are being compared.

4. Synonymous Parallelism

Synonymous parallelism is simply the repetition of similar ideas with different words. This repetition may appear redundant, but it’s done with the purpose of amplifying an idea and making it multifaceted.

Take the below example, from Psalm 120:2.

“Save me, O Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.”

“Lying lips” and “deceitful tongues” are clearly synonymous. Modern readers might find the second line to be wholly unnecessary. What is it expressing that’s different from the first line? The point is not to be redundant, it’s to elucidate and amplify. The repetition of an idea in different words highlights the importance of the idea itself. And, since this quote begins with “save me,” repeating the idea also repeats the idea of needing to be saved—it adds a certain layer of desperation, of lack.

You can also find synthetic, antithetical, and synonymous parallelism throughout Ancient Middle Eastern poetry, including the Quran and among many Sufi poets. Think of these structures as advancing moral arguments. The way that rhetorical parallelism helps us speak to audiences of today, these parallel devices helped speak to the listeners of yesterday (and can still do so today!)

More Parallelism Examples in Literature

Parallelism helps advance big ideas, create surprising juxtapositions, and craft effective styles. Here’s how modern authors have wielded the device in their work. The parallelism examples have been bolded.

Parallelism Examples: “I Know What You Think of Me” by Tim Kreider

Retrieved from The New York Times archives.

Years ago a friend of mine had a dream about a strange invention; a staircase you could descend deep underground, in which you heard recordings of all the things anyone had ever said about you, both good and bad. The catch was, you had to pass through all the worst things people had said before you could get to the highest compliments at the very bottom. There is no way I would ever make it more than two and a half steps down such a staircase, but I understand its terrible logic: if we want the rewards of being loved we have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known.

In this essay, the parallel sentence structure sets forth a complex idea with supreme elegance. The parallelism helps keep each idea equally weighted: the work of being known is certainly mortifying, but its reward is equal in nature. We cannot be loved until the people that love us know who they are loving. The reciprocal relationship doesn’t need to be stated as reciprocal: syntax accomplishes this for us.

Parallelism Examples: “The Long and the Short of It” by Richard Siken

Retrieved here, from this archive of Spork Press’s Editor’s Pages .

“I work my jobs, I take my pills. Knot the tie and go to work, unknot the tie and go to sleep. I sleep. I dream. I wake. I sing. I get out the hammer and start knocking in the wooden pegs that affix the meaning to the landscape, the inner life to the body, the names to the things .”

This entire paragraph is constructed in parallels, but what strikes me most is the final sentence. Siken showcases beautifully how language defines the world: it affixes meaning to landscape, it connects our bodies to our minds, and it names each and every object and idea. This demonstration of language’s capability, as well as the work of the writer, lingers in the brain both semantically and visually, tying the abstract to the concrete.

Parallelism Examples: Excerpt from the Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

Retrieved here.

“All of us know, whether or not we are able to admit it, that mirrors can only lie, that death by drowning is all that awaits one there. It is for this reason that love is so desperately sought and so cunningly avoided. Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within. ”

Baldwin was a master prose stylist, and this is hardly the only quotable parallel sentence he’s written. This passage highlights a certain duality applicable to a wide variety of situations. We are all wearing masks, in some way or another, and love takes off this mask so that we can be seen for who we truly are. How might love unmask the constructs imposed on us—like masks of nationhood, gender, or occupation?

Parallelism in Poetry

Here are some examples of parallelism in poetry.

Parallelism Examples: Excerpt from “A Litany for Survival” by Audre Lorde

Retrieved from Poetry Foundation .

And when the sun rises we are afraid it might not remain when the sun sets we are afraid it might not rise in the morning when our stomachs are full we are afraid of indigestion when our stomachs are empty we are afraid we may never eat again when we are loved we are afraid love will vanish when we are alone we are afraid love will never return and when we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard nor welcomed but when we are silent we are still afraid

So it is better to speak remembering we were never meant to survive.

Lorde makes her argument through a series of negations: we are constantly worrying about the loss of something we have. If this is the case, it follows that our fears are better ignored. Why do we let fear prohibit us from achieving what we want? This is a poem that finds beauty in inversion. Rather than adopting the attitude “we’re all going to die,” the poem says “ since we’re going to die, let’s enjoy the time we spend not dying, and demand what we deserve.” This point is hammered through a series of parallelisms.

Parallelism Examples: Excerpt from “Parameters” by Caitlin Scarano

Out of Caitlin’s collection The Necessity of Wildfire.

There were days when we laughed, days we grew teeth. Season to sow, season to reap.

The juxtaposition of these two parallel sentences is simply gutting. It implies that laughter sows, and growing teeth reaps—that, in this relationship, the time spent in laughter sets the stage for fighting. This excerpt is a fantastic example of how parallelism can tie the abstract to the concrete, using visual imagery that sticks in the mind’s eye. ( Check out what Caitlin is teaching with Writers.com! )

Parallelism Examples: “We Lived Happily During the War” by Ilya Kaminsky

Retrieved from The Academy of American Poets .

And when they bombed other people’s houses, we

protested but not enough, we opposed them but not

enough . I was in my bed, around my bed America

was falling: invisible house by invisible house by invisible house.

I took a chair outside and watched the sun.

In the sixth month of a disastrous reign in the house of money

in the street of money in the city of money in the country of money, our great country of money , we (forgive us)

lived happily during the war.

The parallelisms that Kaminsky employs help amplify the poem’s critique. It makes visual the idea that every square foot of the country is not-so-figuratively paved in gold—highlighting the futility of protest in a nation that’s rich enough to do whatever it wants, including bombing its own houses.

Tips for Writing Parallel Structure

Parallel structure should be an actively utilized tool in every stylist’s toolkit. Here are some tips for writing parallelism examples in your own prose and poetry.

1. Avoid Faulty Parallelism

A faulty parallelism is a sentence set up to have parallel structure, but with an error. We’ve already seen some examples of this in our Parallelism Definition section. It happens most commonly in sentences with lists of three or more.

To reiterate, faulty parallelism can manifest in the following ways:

• Mismatched verb tenses
• Different parts of speech
• Different points of view
• Nouns and pronouns with different numbers
• Mismatched subject matter
• Stylistic error

Here are some faulty parallelism examples, using each of the above flaws:

Parallel sentence: We like to travel the world, read lyric poetry , and eat ice cream.

Faulty parallelism examples:

• Mismatched verb tenses : We like to travel the world, read lyric poetry, and ate ice cream.
• Different parts of speech : We like to travel the world, read lyric poetry, and ice cream.
• Different points of view : We like to travel the world, she reads lyric poetry, and you eat ice cream.
• Mismatched subject matter : We like to travel the world, read lyric poetry, and support our grieving friends. (You might get away with a sentence like this by writing satire .)
• Stylistic error : We like to travel the world, read lyric poetry, and eat mountains and mountains of Van Leeuwen’s honeycomb ice cream with toasted walnuts. (I sure do.)

And, for nouns and pronouns with different numbers : The sky is filled with an airplane, birds, and clouds. (“Airplanes” would make this parallel.)

2. Pay Attention to Rhythm and Flow

Good parallel sentences have rhythm and flow. Typically, this is accomplished by giving each component of the sentence equal weight. When one item has more words, or more unique words, than the other items, then the sentence is likely to be jarring. Simplicity is key.

Here’s a simple, stylish parallel sentence: I think, therefore I am.

The following moderations are a bit less mellifluous:

• I cogitate, therefore I am.
• I think; ontologically, therefore, I must exist.
• Because I think, it follows that I also have existence.

In each of these examples, one side of the sentence weighs more than the other. Word choice and clause length both contribute to rhythmic and effective parallel structure.

See also: stylistic error as a form of faulty parallelism.

3. Deepen Relationships Between Objects and Ideas

For creative writers, parallelism can create relationships between objects and ideas concisely and elegantly.

Take the example of parallelism in poetry we shared from Caitlin Scarano. In those 2 ½ lines, the poem draws a connection between “laughter” and symbolic “teeth” without stating that connection explicitly. It creates a relationship between the two, showing cause and effect . This is also a means of employing show, don’t tell in writing .

Another thing you can do with parallelism is compare and contrast . Here’s an example, from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (III.ii)

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.

The evil that men do lives after them;

The good is oft interred with their bones

Notice how the sentences are set up in parallel, but use contrasting words. “Bury vs praise” and “evil vs good” are set up side by side in this excerpt, deepening the reader’s understanding of Marc Antony’s intent.

4. Keep Things Simple

Don’t overextend an idea. Simplicity and elegance are key.

Here’s a parallelism that’s short and effective: Immature people want things to be “right” or “wrong,” but mature people recognize that things are complicated.

This sentence communicates exactly what it needs to. It opposes immaturity versus maturity, and it recognizes that many things in life are not absolutely good or bad; morality is more nuanced and complicated.

Here’s a sentence that goes too far: Immature people want things to be “right” or “wrong,” but mature people recognize things are complicated; immature people crave absolutes, mature people acknowledge nuance; immature people wish to condemn, mature people wish to understand.

While the ideas added to this sentence might add complexity, they’re tiring to read. The point has already been made, and the writer should trust in the reader. Spoonfeeding your ideas will rarely do the reader any good. Leave room for interpretation and understanding. Great parallelism examples will express themselves neatly, elegantly, and briefly.

5. Use the Oxford Comma

This last bit of advice is purely stylistic, and there are grammarians who disagree. But, here, we advocate for the oxford comma.

An oxford comma is a comma that precedes a conjunction in lists of 3 or more. Here’s an example: I like the colors yellow, purple, and black.

The comma after the word “purple” is the oxford comma. Now, in this example, it’s optional. If you remove that comma, it doesn’t change the meaning of the sentence. We still get three colors, and I still communicate to the reader that I like each of them.

Here’s an example where the oxford comma might prove useful:

I have met both my state senators, a clown professor and the queen of Sweden.

Without an oxford comma, this sentence implies that my two state senators are a clown professor and the queen of Sweden. This results in a faulty parallelism, because I am actually trying to communicate three items in a list. (Sadly, in real life, I have not met any of these people. Does Sweden even have a queen?)

Not every sentence needs an oxford comma, but it’s good practice to use it in every list you write. Otherwise, you might neglect the comma in a sentence that really needs it.

Master Parallel Structure at Writers.com

Grammatical parallelism helps writers deliver smart ideas in elegant sentences. To master this and other elements of style, take a look at our upcoming writing courses , where you’ll receive expert feedback on everything you write.

Sean Glatch

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2.11: Parallel Structure

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• Page ID 126909

• Gabriel Winer & Elizabeth Wadell
• Berkeley City College & Laney College via ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative (OERI)

What is parallel structure?

As you may know, parallel lines are two lines that continue without ever touching (see Figure 2.10.1). Parallel structure is similar. It is two separate grammar structures that exist side by side in your writing.

Parallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. This results in clearer and more consistent writing, which helps readers better understand your point. We are focusing on parallel structure for two reasons. First of all, you may have errors to fix. However, if you use it correctly, it is a powerful tool for improving cohesion.

Parallel structure and cohesion

Parallel structure increases cohesion by showing your reader how ideas are connected together.

Let's look at some quotes by public figures that have parallel structure. Can you make a guess at how they end?

• “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is ...."—James Baldwin
• “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice ....” —The Dalai Lama
• “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite...” —Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
• “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting .....” —Dale Carnegie
• "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them ....." —Maya Angelou
• “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what .....” —Winston Churchill
• "To be smart on crime, we should not be in a position of constantly reacting to crime after it happens. We should be looking at preventing crime ....." —Kamala Harris
• "I just hope that more people will ignore the fatalism of the argument that we are beyond repair. We are not beyond repair. We are never ....." —Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
• “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what....” —John F. Kennedy

As you can see, it was easier to guess and remember the quotations because they use parallel structure. Would anyone remember a quotation like "Ask not what your country can do for you. Instead, why don't you think about whether there is anything that you can do to help improve your nation"? Probably not.

In paragraphs, we can see the same thing. We can understand complex ideas more clearly if there is parallel structure that shows us how they are connected.

Types of parallel structure

We can use parallel structure for single words up through entire clauses. Let's see how that works.

Parallel structure with words

If you are listing words, make sure that all of the words are the same part of speech.

Incorrect parallel structure: Stereotypes are inevitable and problems.

Here, you have an adjective and a noun. The reader will get a little lost in the reading because they will not understand the connection between these words. You can fix it by making both words into adjectives.

Improved parallel structure: Stereotypes are inevitable and problematic.

Parallel structure with verbs

If you are using two or more verbs that are part of a list, that are connected by a conjunction, or that come after another verb, make sure they are the same form and tense.

Incorrect parallel structure: I hate to make stereotypes about others and hearing others making stereotypes about me.

You can use either a gerund or an infinitive after the verb "hate", but you should choose the same form for both verbs.

Improved parallel structure: I hate making stereotypes about others and hearing others making stereotypes about me.

Parallel structure with phrases and clauses

If you are using two or more phrases or clauses that are part of a list or comparison or that are linked by a conjunction, make sure they follow the same structure. This will make it easier for readers to understand the connection between your idea.

Incorrect parallel structure: There is a lot of discussion about what women experience when they are studying science and engineering and better supporting them.

This sentence confusing for the reader because the objects of the preposition "about" are long and have different structures. To make it more clear, the same structure can be used for both. For example, making them both noun clauses that start with "wh" quesetion words will make the relationship more clear.

Improved parallel structure: There is a lot of discussion about what women experience while studying science and engineering and how universities can better support them.

Identifying parallel structure

Let's see how published writers use parallel structure to make complex sentences and ideas more clear for the reader.

Notice this!

Here is a paragraph from a published research paper by on women in engineering by Kathleen N. Smith and Joy Gaston Gayles. It has a variety of sentence structures. Can you find examples of parallel structure of words, phrases, or clauses?

          Why is it that women who are talented in math and science avoid or leave engineering majors and careers? An American Association of University Women report on women’s success in engineering and computing suggests that women who persist in science and engineering are not all that different from women who decide to leave. The major difference between staying and leaving has been found to have less to do with the women themselves and more to do with the academic and workplace environments where they attend school and pursue careers. Throughout the literature on women’s persistence in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, a range of structural and cultural barriers contribute to the high prevalence of gender bias in these fields, with direct implications for women’s self-efficacy, experiences, opportunities, and success, particularly in engineering.

Fixing errors with parallel structure

Here are some tips for improving your parallel structure:

Articles and prepositions

Articles ( a , an , the ) and prepositions ( of, in, by, at , etc.) in a list should either be used only once or be repeated with each term:

• Correction:  The  science fields, the technology fields, and  the engineering fields.
• Alternate correction:  The science fields, technology fields, and engineering fields.
• Correction:  In elementary school,  in high school, or in  college.
• Alternate correction:  In  elementary school, high school, or college.

Correlative expressions

Correlative expressions are phrases that are used to connect structures together. However, sometimes they are used incorrectly. Here are some tips:

• "not only" requires a "but also"
• "either" requires an "or"
• "neither" requires a "nor"
• say "first, second, third, etc." or ("firstly, secondly, thirdly," etc.)

Here are some examples:

• Corrected version: It was neither helpful nor useful.
• Corrected version:  Not only was the class long, but it was also boring.
• Corrected version:  First , I will explain the problem. Second , I will offer a solution.

Add parallel structure for clarity and cohesion

As your essay, look at each sentence in your draft and check to see if you have problems with the parallel structure or if more parallel structure can make the relationship between ideas stronger.

Here are three sentences from a student's body paragraph. How can you improve the parallel structure?

• Having stereotypes highlights people’s differences and equality is nearly impossible. In her TED talk, Chimimanda Adichie claims, “The consequence of the single story is this: it robs people dignity. . . . It emphasizes how we are different rather than how we are similar.”
• What she means is that a single story usually focuses on what other groups do not have and it benefits the people telling the story, rather than the entire truth.
• This makes us look at our differences and society is less equal.

(For possible answers, check the 2.15: Answer Key: Organization and Cohesion )

Works Cited

Smith, Kathleen N., and Joy Gaston Gayles. “‘Girl Power’: Gendered Academic and Workplace Experiences of College Women in Engineering.” Social Sciences 7.1 (2018): 11. Crossref . Web.

Licenses and Attributions

Authored by Elizabeth Wadell, Laney College. License: CC BY NC.

Sample sentences from a paragraph on stereotypes are adapted from an essay entitled "Single Story: Matters More Than You Thought" by Tram Nguyen. License: CC BY.

CC Licensed Content: Previously Published

What is Parallel structure? and Improving your Parallel structure are adapted from Technical Writing at LBCC's page Parallel Contruction . License: CC BY.

The paragraph on women in engineering in the Notice this! box is from “Girl Power”: Gendered Academic and Workplace Experiences of College Women in Engineering" by Kathleen N. Smith and Joy Gasten Gales, licensed CC BY.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

9.3 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 .

Connecting the Pieces: 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.

Putting the Pieces Together Copyright © 2020 by Andrew Stracuzzi and André Cormier is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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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.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

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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