Parallel Structure

When a sentence lists two or more items, readers expect those items to follow the same grammatical pattern. When they do not, the sentence feels bumpy. The editing questions test whether you can spot and repair these mismatches.

Parallel structure means that items joined in a list or series share the same grammatical form. If one item is a verb ending in “-ing,” the others should match; if one is a noun, the rest should be nouns. Parallel form makes sentences balanced and easy to read.

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Keeping Lists Balanced

Whenever you join items with “and,” “or,” or commas, check that each item has the same form. Wrong: She likes hiking, swimming, and to bike. Two items end in “-ing,” but the third switches to “to bike.” Corrected: She likes hiking, swimming, and biking. Now all three match. The same rule applies to longer phrases. Wrong: The job requires typing quickly, good communication, and to solve problems. The three items use three different forms. Corrected: The job requires typing quickly, communicating well, and solving problems. Reading the list back with each item attached to the opening words is the fastest test: “She likes hiking, She likes swimming, She likes to bike” reveals the odd one out. Fix the mismatch by rewriting the stray item to match the pattern the others set.

Parallel Pairs and Comparisons

Parallel structure also matters with paired connectors like “both…and,” “either…or,” “neither…nor,” and “not only…but also.” The words after each half of the pair should have the same form. Wrong: She is not only talented but also works hard. “Talented” is an adjective, but “works hard” is a verb phrase. Corrected: She is not only talented but also hardworking. Comparisons need parallel form too. Wrong: Reading a book is more relaxing than to watch television. Corrected: Reading a book is more relaxing than watching television. When you use one of these paired connectors, look at the words that follow each part and make them mirror each other. Balanced pairs sound smooth and show a reader that your ideas are carefully organized.

Watch: A Short Video Lesson

Khan Academy gives a clear overview to go with this lesson:

A Routine for Parallelism

1. Find the list or paired items in the sentence.
2. Check whether each item has the same grammatical form.
3. Rewrite any item that breaks the pattern.
4. Read the list back with the opening words to test it.

Practice

1. What does parallel structure mean?
2. When should you check for it?
3. Fix this: “He enjoys reading, writing, and to draw.”
4. Fix this: “The plan is quick, cheap, and it works well.”
5. Fix this: “She is either at home or she is at work.”
6. What is a fast test for a list?

Answers

1. Items in a series share the same grammatical form.
2. Whenever items are joined by “and,” “or,” or commas.
3. “He enjoys reading, writing, and drawing.”
4. “The plan is quick, cheap, and effective.”
5. “She is either at home or at work.”
6. Read each item back with the opening words.

Where This Fits in Your RLA Prep

Parallelism pairs with fixing misplaced modifiers and cutting wordiness and fixing order. See every topic on the Language Arts Prep Hub.

Recommended Prep Books

Keep building momentum with a full study guide and practice tests:

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