Sentence Variety

Parallelism or Parallel Structure

Commas

Review & Practice

Writing portion of the Grammar Exam

Parallelism or Parallel StructureParallelism or Parallel Structure is an effective way to add smoothness

and power to your writing. Parallelism is a balance of two or more similar words, phrases, or clauses.

1- He likes dancing, swimming, and to jog.2- He likes dancing, swimming, and jogging.Dancing, swimming, and jogging are parallel. They are each ing verbs,

used here as nouns, and express parallel ideas.

1- The cable runs across the roof, the north wall where it runs down.2- The cable runs across the roof and down the north wall.Across the roof and down the north wall are parallel prepositional

phrases, each consisting of a preposition and its object.

1- She admires people with strong convictions and who think for themselves.

2- She admires people who have strong convictions and who think for themselves.

In sentence #2, who have strong convictions and who think for themselves are parallel clauses beginning with the word who.

Sometimes two entire sentences can be parallel

1- In a democracy we are all equal before the law.2- In a dictatorship we are all equal before the law.

In what ways are these two sentences parallel?

Certain special constructions require parallel structure:

1 – The fruit is both tasty and fresh.2 – He either loves you or hates you.3- Cassie not only plays golf but also swims like a pro.4- I would rather sing in the chorus than perform a solo.

Each construction has two parts: both/and, (n)either/(n)or, not only/but also, and rather/than.

The words, phrases, and clauses that follow each pair MUST ALSO be parallel: tasty/fresh, loves you/hates you, plays golf/swims like a pro, and sing in the chorus/perform a solo.

Now you do the work.

Rewrite each of the following sentences using parallel structure to accent parallel ideas:

1 – Teresa is a gifted woman – a chemist, does carpentry, and she can cook.

2- The classroom was spacious and it had air-conditioning.

3- Chia, my dog, is overweight and moves clumsily.

4- He is an affectionate boyfriend, a dutiful son, and kind to his pets.

5- She is a woman of great talent and who is compassionate.

6- James is the funniest man I know: he has the most style of any man I know

7- Joelle would rather work on a farm than spending time in an office.

Next, write one sentence that is parallel to each sentence below, creating pairs of parallel sentences.

1- On Friday night, she dressed in silk and sipped champagne.2- The child in me wants to run away from problems3- The survivors were people who saw disaster as a challenge.4- “Work hard and keep your mouth shut” is my mother’s formula for

success.5- The home team charged enthusiastically onto the field..

Review and Practice for the writing portion of the exam.

• Mixing short and long sentences.• Adding an occasional question, command, or exclamation.• Beginning with an adverb: Unfortunately, the outfielder dropped the

fly ball.• Beginning with a prepositional phrase: With great style, the pitcher

delivered a curve.• Joining ideas with a compound predicate: The fans roared and

banged their seats.• Joining ideas with an ing modifier: Diving chin first into the ground,

Johnson caught the ball.

Review• Joining ideas with a past participle modifier: Frustrated by the call, the batter kicked dirt onto home plate.• Joining ideas with an appositive: Peanuts, the cause of much messiness, should not be sold at games.• Joining ideas with relative clauses: Box seats, which are hard to get for important games, are frequently

bought up by corporations.• Use of parallel structure: The batter swung, missed, and struck out.• Mixing coordination and subordination:

– The fans hissed (,but : :however) the umpire paid no attention.

– (Although) T(t)he fans hissed, (although) the umpire paid no attention.