Writing with Concord:Parallel Structure

What is Parallelism?

• “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

-opening lines from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

What is Parallelism?

Also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure, this term comes from Greek roots meaning “beside one another.”

Parallelism refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity.

What is parallelism?

Parallelism refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of

words, phrases, sentences, or

paragraphs to give structural similarity.

Expressing related ideas in similar forms keeps writing on track.

Parallel structure for related ideas

Like railroad tracks, these similar forms are said to be parallel.

Parallel structure is the arrangement of corresponding parts of a sentence or group of sentences in similar grammatical forms.

Parallel structure for related ideas

Some of the greatest speakers and writers have used parallel structure to make their thoughts memorable.

Note the parallel grammatical forms our + noun

The repetition of the key word our adds to the sense of order and purpose in the passage.

Thomas Jefferson ended the Declaration of Independence with this memorable clause:

[W]e mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.[W]e mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

Parallel structure can be used to connect single words, phrases, clauses, or even entire sentences.

Parallel structure for related ideas

noun clauses

Here General Douglas MacArthur uses three strong nouns and three noun clauses in his farewell speech to the cadets at West Point.

Duty, honor, country—those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, and what you will be.

nouns

Parallel structure for related ideasNoun clauses

A clause is a group of words that contains a verb and its subject and is used as part of a sentence.

Subject

Duane finished firstVerb

Duane finished firstDuane finished first

A subordinate clause (or dependent clause) does not express a complete thought and cannot stand by itself as a sentence.

that Duane finished first

A noun clause is a kind of subordinate clause that functions as a noun.

Part of a Sentence

Duane finished first, and Scott finished last.

We did not realize that Duane finished first.Noun Clause

King repeats the key clause “let freedom ring” three times, each instance followed by a

Parallel structure for related ideasParallel structure is often seen in a series of three items. In his speech “I Have a Dream,” Martin Luther King, Jr., proclaims

prepositional phrase.

Each phrase also contains parallel elements:

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

from the + adjective + noun + of + name of state

Parallel structure

2. [G]overnment of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

3. That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

Identify the grammatical forms or key words that are parallel in each of the following famous quotations.

1. [A]mong these rights are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

Parallel structure

In this quotation from the Declaration ofIndependence, Life, Liberty, and pursuit are parallel because they are nouns. The final item is varied by adding a prepositional phrase, of Happiness.

Identify the grammatical forms or key words that are parallel in each of the following famous quotations.

1. [A]mong these rights are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

Parallel structure

Identify the grammatical forms or key words that are parallel in each of the following famous quotations.

2. [G]overnment of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

In this quotation from Abraham Lincoln’sGettysburg Address, of the people, by the people, and for the people are parallel because they are prepositional phrases. The repetition of the key word people adds to the parallelism.

Parallel structure

Identify the grammatical forms or key words that are parallel in each of the following famous quotations.

3. That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.

In this quotation from astronaut Neil Armstrong, one small step for a man and one giant leap for mankind are parallel because both begin withthe key word one followed by an adjective, a noun,and a prepositional phrase beginning with for.

Parallel structure for opposites

Another technique of rhetoric is to express opposites in parallel structures.

with + contrasting nouns + preposition + contrasting pronouns

with malice toward none, with charity for all

Abraham Lincoln used parallel structure to express opposites in his Gettysburg Address:

Parallel structure for opposites

the + contrasting adjectives + sharing of + contrasting nouns

The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.

Here Winston Churchill expresses the contrast between two systems of government by using parallel structure.

the inherent + contrasting nouns + of + noun

How does the use of parallel structure bring out the contrast that Churchill is making?

One special kind of parallel structure that orators use to relate opposites is called chiasmus.

Parallel structure for opposites

Let us never negotiate out of fear,

This technique gets its name from the Greek letter chi, which looks like an X.

Like an X, chiasmus involves making two statements that “cross,” as in this sentence from John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address:

but let us never fear to negotiate.

A

Φ Χ Ψ Ω

B

B A

One of the most famous examples of chiasmus in American rhetoric comes from the same speech.

Notice the parallel structure that makes this contrast possible. Both halves of the sentence are parallel and contain noun clauses that are also parallel.

Parallel structure for opposites

Ask not what your country can do for you,

ask what you can do for your country.

ask + noun clause

what + subject + can do + prepositional phrase starting with for

Parallel structure

[End of Section]

The following sentences contain words that are not parallel in form. Revise each sentence to create parallel structure.1. Jen completed the test quickly, but her work was

incorrect.

2. Both nations agreed to stop fighting, and they are now pursuing peace.

3. If we act on our emotions, then our emotions will perform actions on us.

4. Optimists see the best in every situation, while pessimists are seeing what is worst.

On Your Own

Parallel structure

Possible AnswersThe following sentences contain words that are not parallel in form. Revise each sentence to create Parallel structure .1. Jen completed the test quickly but incorrectly.

2. Both nations agreed to stop fighting and to pursuepeace.

3. If we act on our emotions, then our emotions will act on us.

4. Optimists see the best in every situation, while pessimists see the worst.

To all the peoples of the world, I once more give

expression to America's prayerful and continuing

aspiration: We pray that peoples of all faiths, all races,

all nations, may have their great human needs

satisfied; that those now denied opportunity shall

come to enjoy it to the full; that all who yearn for

freedom may experience its few spiritual blessings.

Review A

Identify each group of parallel structures in this famous sentence from President Eisenhower’s 1961 farewell address.

To all the peoples of the world, I once more give

expression to America's prayerful and continuing

aspiration: We pray that peoples of all faiths, all races,

all nations, may have their great human needs

satisfied; that those now denied opportunity shall

come to enjoy it to the full; that all who yearn for

freedom may experience its few spiritual blessings.

Review A

NounClauses

Identify each group of parallel structures in this famous sentence from President Eisenhower’s 1961 farewell address.

All + Nouns

Review B

Write three statements contrasting your thoughts or experiences as a child with what you know or do now. Make each statement parallel in structure, and include one example of chiasmus.

Review B

[possible answers]

1. Then, I kept to myself. Today, I reach out to others.

2. As a child, I thought about play. As a young adult, I

think about work.

3. If I did well, I expected some reward;

now I am rewarded by doing well. (chiasmus)

Write three statements contrasting your thoughts or experiences as a child with what you know or do now. Make each statement parallel in structure, and include one example of chiasmus.

The End