Parallelism (or parallel structure) is the use of a series of words, phrases, subordinate clauses, or sentences.To be parallel, each element must match the others；in other words, all elements in a series should be all nouns, adjectives, adverbs, or verbs in the form.
1.Parallel words
1) Writing is a slow process, requiring considerable thought, time, and effort.
2) Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
3) In life, there are enough times when we are disappointed, depressed and annoyed.
4) The university stands at the heart of Toronto, geographically, spiritually and professionally.
5) Each person has a unique way of seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and thinking.
6) The three most common purposes for writing are to entertain, to inform, and to persuade.
2.Parallel phrases
1) The adventurous (历险者) are free to follow the smallest tracks (小路) up the mountains, across the deserts or into the forests.
2) The keys to improving grades are to take effective notes in class, to plan study time, and to prepare carefully for exams.
3) We learn from the past, experience the present, and hope for success in the future.
4) Seeing much, suffering much, and studying much are the three pillars (支柱) of learning.
3.Parallel subordinate clauses
1) John hoped that his book would be published, that it would become a best seller, and that it would be made into a movie.
2) She is a woman who understands children, who enjoys housework, andwho worships her husband.
3) Some college graduates attend law school because they hope to get high-paying jobs, because they are not yet ready to work, and because they are not sure what else to do.
4.Parallel sentences
1) There are three ways to make money.You can inherit it.You can marry it.You can steal it.
2) All of Jimmy's friends say he is a wonderful guy.When a friend needs money, Jimmy is ready to lend it.When a friend needs some help, Jimmy is there to give him a hand.When a friend needs a ride, Jimmy offers to take him.Everyone loves Jimmy and thinks he is great.But his wife thinks he is too generous.
3) Similarly, atoms come and go in a molecule (分子) , but the molecule remains；molecules come and go in a cell, but the cell remains；cells come and go in a body, but the body remains；persons come and go in an organization, but the organization remains.
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Faulty parallelism occurs when sentence elements do not have the same grammatical form.Some typical examples are listed below:
1) Our teacher teaches with skill and humorously.
2) Professor Cray asked her students to close their books, to take out a pen and a piece of paper, and that they were to write a short composition.
3) In choosing a career, you should plan carefully and also some research is needed.
Each sentence has the same problem: faulty parallelism.In sentence 1) , skillis a noun, but humorouslyis an adverb.In sentence 2) , the first two elements are infinitive phrases, yet the third one is not.In sentence 3) , the first element is the active voice, yet the second element is shifted to the passive voice unnecessarily.
To be parallel, elements in a series must all be expressed in the same grammatical form.The above sentences can be corrected as follows:
4) Our teacher teaches with skill and humor.
5) Professor Cray asked her students to close their books, to take out a pen and a piece of paper, and to write a short composition.
6) In choosing a career, you should plan carefully and also do some research.
Practice 2-8-1
Identify which sentence in each pair below contains a correct parallel structure, and underline its parallel elements.Answers are provided.
1. (a) He took the job because he needed money and because he wanted experience.
(b) He took the job because he needed to earn some money and ex-perience would be useful to him.
2. (a) Jobless and poor, the student had to drop out of school.
(b) Without a job and poor, the student had to drop out of school.
3. (a) Passing the oral test is usually more difficult than to pass the written test.
(b) Passing the oral test is usually more difficult than passing the written test.
4. (a) When you have swept the floor and the furniture is dusted, please let me know.
(b) When you have swept the floor and dusted the furniture, please let me know.
5. (a) People who feel valued (受到重视) are more productive and like to cooperate with others.
(b) People who feel valued are more productive and cooperative.
Practice 2-8-2
Identify and underline the parallel elements in each of the following sentences.For example:
1) Wishing for success, working to make it happen, and enjoying it to the full are elements of the good life.
2) Fashionable cell phones have the following features: small size, lovely color, beautiful pictures and nice music.
Answers are provided only for the first five sentences.
1.The clothes we choose reflect our preferences, values, and personality.
2.I looked for my key in the drawer, in the bed, and in the pocket, but I failed to find it.
3.Mary can't live with the man who has no responsibility and who never does a thing completely.
4.Sarah forgot that her research paper was due on Friday and that her professor would not accept late papers.
5.Driving kids prematurely from cradles to schools will deprive them of freedom for regular development physically and mentally.
6.Knowing how to study and learning how to budget time are very important for college students.
7.Address your reader by writing objectively, logically, and respectfully.
8.Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. (From Barack Obama's Inaugural Address, Jan.20, 2009)
9.Prof.Davis who gives a wonderful speech at the conference hall and who brings a lot of interesting teaching materials from abroad is popular with the students at the University of California.
10.Hillary grew up in Chicago, went to school at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, studied law at Yale University in Connecticut, and built her legal career (律师事业) in Arkansas.
11.The hurricane interrupted traffic, ruined some crops, and destroyed thousands of homes.
12.You know that my eyes are pretty sharp, and that I wasn't born yesterday.
13.If you leave a note or if you telephone, I will get your message.
14.A nurse has to be prepared to work at night, on weekends, and on holidays.
15.I'm not just a consumer -I'm a victim.If I order a product, it is sure to arrive in the wrong color, size, or quantity.If I hire people to do repairs, they never arrive on the day scheduled.If I owe a bill, the computer is bound to overcharge me.
Practice 2-8-3
Rewrite the following sentences to correct any errors in parallelism.Answers are provided only for the first five sentences as suggestions.
1.First-year chemistry courses are supposed to teach students how to take notes on an experiment and the ways of writing a lab report.
2.Dentists advise brushing the teeth after each meal and to avoid too much sugar in the diet.
3.Far away from my hometown, I feel lonely, helpless, and missing my family.
4.Many people choose air transportation because it is fast, offers conve-nience, and it is not very expensive.
5.After the camping trip, I was exhausted, irritable, and wanted to eat.
6.People can book tickets through the Internet, or make a phone call.
7.He told me to go home at once and that I should begin my assignment.
8.Dr.Nolen is a man of many ideas and who knows how to express them.
9.If I had my choice of seeing a rock concert or opera, I would choose the latter.
10.My parents are kind-hearted and they enjoy helping others.
11.I have finally realized that one can learn much more in life by studying than worrying.
12.Remember to proofread your paper and you should submit it on time as well.
13.Worried and having doubts, the job applicant paced the waiting room floor.
14.Whether successful or fail, you must try your best.
15.To complete their training for the marathon, runners need stamina, courage, and most of all, to want very much to succeed.
Practice 2-8-4
The following well-written sentences containing parallel structure were collected from Chinese students' writings.Identify and underline the parallel elements in each sentence.No answers are provided.
1.Education, experience, and enthusiasm all are necessary for you to find a good job.
2.I like my city because of its warm sunshine, gentle wind, and attractive seashore.
3.Computers have the power to allow people within a company, across a nation, or even around the world to work together.
4.I'm eager to be successful, to be respected, and to be loved.
5.Nowadays, many people like to travel abroad because they want to release their work pressure and because they hope to enrich their knowledge about the world.
6.My boss is a man who is friendly to his employees and who is strict with himself.
7.An excellent teacher is the one who loves his students, who has great passion for his career, and who possesses profound professional knowledge.
8.I have a dream that the world will be peaceful and that all people will lead a happy life.
9.Without water, fish will die；without sunlight, flowers will fade；without knowledge, we will be ignorant.
10.A teacher is like a candle who burns herself to light the future of her students；a teacher is like the sun who warms the hearts of her students；a teacher is like the mother who gives all love to her students.
Practice 2-8-5
Complete each of the following sentences with at least three parallel elements.
For example:
The leisure economy (假日经济) makes it possible for people to have enough time to_________, _________, and_________.
The leisure economy makes it possible for people to have enough time to travel, consume, and study.
Answers will vary.
1.I study English in order to_________, _________, and_________.
2.To achieve my goal in life, I need_________, _________, and_________.
3.To stay healthy, we should_________, _________, and_________.
4.The youth worship an idol by_________, _________, and_________.
5.I like/dislike my major/job because_________, _________, and_________.
Practice 2-8-6
Write sentences in parallel structure.Answers will vary.
1.Write a sentence that contains a series of two or more words in parallel structure.
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2.Write a sentence that contains a series of two or more phrases in parallel structure.
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3.Write a sentence that contains two or more subordinate clauses in parallel structure.
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4.Write two or more sentences that are in parallel structure.
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