Discuss and write:
Parallell sentences using 'and'
The following sentences all contain lists and use the coordinating conjunction and. How should these sentences be changed to create more balance? Make sure that the same grammatical structure is used on both sides of the conjunction.
Anna made a list of her favourite activities: drawing, painting, bike riding, and to play football.
The students were unprepared, rude, and disrupted the class.
Mary went hiking, swimming and zip-lined on her camping trip.
The maid has vacuumed the carpet, made the bed, and has cleaned the bathroom.
Grandpa walked carefully, in a slow way, and halted a lot.
Driving a car requires coordination, patience, and to have good eyesight.
Mary Ann likes line dancing and to write poetry.
Phillip had to iron, do the washing, and shopping before his parents arrived.
Suggested key
- Anna made a list of her favourite activities: drawing, painting, bike riding, and playing football.
- The students were unprepared, rude, and disruptive.
- Mary went hiking, swimming and zip-lining on her camping trip.
- The maid has vacuumed the carpet, made the bed, and cleaned the bathroom.
- Grandpa walked carefully, slowly, and haltingly.
Driving a car requires coordination, patience, and good eyesight.
Mary Ann likes line dancing and writing poetry OR
Mary likes to line dance and to write poetry.Phillip had to do the ironing, washing, and shopping before his parents arrived.
Discuss and write:
Parallell sentences using 'than' or 'as'
In the next sentences, the writer is attempting to make a comparison, using words like than or as. However, the structure is not parallel, and this can lead to confusion about what is actually being compared.
To correct some of these sentences, it may be necessary to add or delete words in the sentence.
How you look in the workplace is just as important as your behaviour.
Indian cuisine is far tastier than the food of Great Britain.
A brisk walk is as beneficial to your health as going for a run.
What you actually do is a better indication of your true motives than your words.
Swimming in the ocean is much tougher than a pool.
My salary is higher than an accountant.
Suggested key:
- How you look in the workplace is just as important as how you behave.
- Indian cuisine is far tastier than British cuisine.
- Going for a brisk walk is as beneficial to your health as going for a run.
What you actually do is a better indication of your true motives than what you say.
OR
Your actions are a better indication of your true motives than your words.Swimming in the ocean is much tougher than swimming in a pool.
My salary is higher than an accountant's
OR
My salary is higher than that of an accountant.
Discuss and write:
Parallell sentences using correlative conjunctions
Faulty parallelism often occurs in sentences with correlative conjunctions. Common correlative conjunctions include the following:
- either…or
- not only…but also
- neither…nor
- whether…or
- rather…than
- both…and
To make these sentences parallel, it may be necessary to rearrange sentences, by adding or omitting words and by matching verb constructions.
The cyclist owns both a mountain bike and has a racing bike.
My current job is neither exciting nor is it meaningful.
They not only ate all the food in the house but they also didn't clean up their mess.
It was both a long movie and poorly written.
The doctor told Mrs. Franklin that she should either eat less or should exercise more.
I would rather work a second job to pay for a new car than a loan.
We are neither interested in buying a vacuum cleaner nor do we want to utilise your carpet cleaning service.
Suggested key:
- The cyclist owns both a mountain bike and a racing bike.
- My current job is neither exciting nor meaningful.
- They not only ate all the food in the house but also didn't clean up their mess.
- The movie was both long and poorly written.
The doctor told Mrs. Franklin that she should either eat less or exercise more.
I would rather work a second job to pay for a new car than take a loan.
We are neither interested in buying a vacuum cleaner nor utilising your carpet cleaning service.
Write:
Read through the following excerpt from a school essay and revise any instances of faulty parallelism. Rewrite the sentences to create parallel structures.
Owning a pet has proven to be extremely beneficial to people’s health. Pets help lower blood pressure, boost immunity, and are lessening anxiety. Studies indicate that children who grow up in households with cats and dogs are at a lower risk of developing allergies or suffer from asthma. Owning a dog offers an additional bonus, as it makes people more sociable. Dogs are natural conversation starters, and this not only helps to draw people out of social isolation but also they are more likely to find a romantic partner.
Benefits of pet ownership for elderly people include less anxiety, lower insurance costs, and they also gain peace of mind. A study of Alzheimer’s patients showed that patients have fewer anxious outbursts with an animal in the home. Some doctors even keep dogs in the office to act as on-site therapists. In short, owning a pet keeps you healthy, happy, and is a great way to help you relax.
Suggested key
Owning a pet has proven to be extremely beneficial to people’s health. Pets help lower blood pressure, boost immunity, and lessen anxiety. Studies indicate that children who grow up in households with cats and dogs are at a lower risk of developing allergies or asthma. Owning a dog offers an additional bonus, as it makes people more sociable. Dogs are natural conversation starters, and this may help to draw people out of isolation as well as help them find a romantic partner.
Benefits of pet ownership for elderly people include less anxiety, lower insurance costs, and more peace of mind. A study of Alzheimer’s patients showed that patients have fewer anxious outbursts with an animal in the home. Some doctors even keep dogs in the office to act as on-site therapists. In short, owning a pet keeps you healthy, happy, and relaxed.
Source
Some examples and tasks are taken from:
Business Writing for Success. University of Minnesota. Parallelism. Retrieved from: https://pressbooks-dev.oer.hawaii.edu/cmchang/chapter/18-3-parallelism/