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Parallelism

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10 views5 pages

Parallelism

Uploaded by

sherryshay30
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What is Parallelism?

Definition,
Examples of Parallel Structures in
Writing
Parallelism definition: Parallelism is a grammatical term for arranging words of
identical or equivalent syntactical constructions in corresponding clauses,
phrases, lists, etc.
What is Parallelism?
What does parallelism mean? Parallelism is a grammatical term for arranging
words with syntactically accurate structure. In other words, parallelism refers to
making sentences have the same, or parallel, structure.
Parallelism is essential to proper writing (and speaking, for that matter).

Examples of Parallelism:
Here is an example with incorrect parallel structure:

 I like to fish, swimming, and to hike.


In this example, the list series does not use parallel structure. The terms are not
parallel. There are two infinitives (to fish, to hike) and one gerund (swimming).
This sentence is grammatically incorrect.

Here is an example of parallelism with the correct parallel structure:

 I like fishing, swimming, and hiking.


In this example, the list uses a parallel structure. The terms are parallel—all three
are gerunds. This sentence is grammatically correct.
The Function of Parallelism

What is the purpose of


parallelism? Parallel structure is paramount in good writing. Without it, writing is
awkward.
Parallel structure improves coherence and consistency. Allow the following
parallelism examples to illustrate.
Poor Structure:
 To build a tree house, my dad purchased some nails, lots of wood, and
rebar.
Parallel Structure:
 To build a tree house, my dad purchased nails, wood, and rebar.
The difference between the two sentences exists in the adjectives. Is the first
sentence able to be understood? Yes. Does the second sentence have better
coherence and consistency? Yes.
If a writer uses adjectives in a list to describe a noun, he should use an adjective
to describe every noun in the list. Or, like the second example, remove the
adjectives altogether.
Parallelism in Grammatical Structures
As we said above, parallelism is essential for clear, concise writing. This applies
across a number of different grammatical units like lists, phrases, clauses, etc.
Here is a list of different parallel example structures.

Parallel Structure in Lists

When creating lists, the items in the


list should be parallel. For example, in your list you might have noun, noun, and
noun or adjective, adjective, and adjective.

 The fruit salad has pears, peaches, and cherries.


 The movie was thrilling, exciting, and suspenseful.
Here are a few examples of incorrect and corrected parallel structures.

 Incorrect: I attended a conference, weddings, and a bar mitzvah last


summer.
 Correct: I attended a conference, three weddings, and a bar mitzvah last
summer.
 Incorrect: I taught my dog to speak, sitting, and rolling.
 Correct: I taught my dog to speak, to sit, and to roll.
 Also correct: I taught my dog to speak, sit, and roll.
 Incorrect: “The vessel also has a 1,380-seat theater that will show the
Broadway musical Grease, comedy club, jazz club, casino, aquatheater
and karaoke bar.” –USA Today
 Correct: The vessel also has a 1,380-seat theater that will show the
Broadway musical Grease. The theater also acts as a comedy club, jazz
club, casino, aquatheater, and karaoke bar.
Parallel Structure in Phrases and Clauses

Phrases and clauses need to be


parallel.

Parallel Examples with Phrases:


 Incorrect: Please place the leftover chicken on the counter or you can put it
in the refrigerator.
 Correct: Please place the leftover chicken on the counter or in the
refrigerator.
Parallel Examples with Clauses:
 Incorrect: My parents did not approve of my actions or what I said.
 Correct: My parents did not approve of what I did nor what I said.

Parallel Structure in Ideas and Concepts

When constructing sentences, it is


important to use similar ideas and concepts. This helps to improve coherence
and consistency.

 Incorrect: In my closet I have pants, dresses, and sporting equipment.


 Correct: In my closet I have pants, dresses, and shoes.
 Incorrect: My classmates are jovial, welcoming, and annoying.
 Correct: My classmates are jovial, welcoming, and likeable.
 Incorrect: He is tall, dark, and hungry.
 Correct: He is tall, dark, and handsome.
What is Parallelism in Literature?
Examples of parallelism in
literature: One of the most detailed examples of parallel structure in literature
exists in the opening paragraph of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities.
These lines model antithesis but in order to do so must also use accurate
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.
Beautifully, Dickens models appropriate parallel syntax. Perhaps that is one
reason why these opening lines are so well known—their parallel nature makes
them easier to recall.
Looking closely, you can see that each antithetical clause has the same number
of terms and is the same subject matter.

Dickens utilizes parallel structure here to further his text’s argument regarding the
“two cities” that exist together but completely separate.

Summary: Parallelism Literary Definition

Define parallelism in
literature: The definition of parallelism in literature is the use of identical or
equivalent syntactic constructions in corresponding clauses and phrases.
Parallel structure is essential to accurate grammatical structure, as it improves
coherence and consistency. All good writers understand the importance of
parallelism and are mindful of it when constructing their sentences.

Parallel Structure Example:


 Incorrect: My roommates enjoy playing basketball, baseball, and cooking.
 Correct: My roommates enjoy playing basketball, playing baseball, and
cooking.
 Correct: My roommates enjoy cooking, playing basketball, and playing
baseball.

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