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FAULTY PARALLELISM

Another type of sentence error that can confuse a listener or reader is faulty

parallelism.

PARALLELISM

Parallelism is the placement of equal ideas in words, phrases, or clauses of similar

types. Checking your sentences for parallelism can ensure that your sentences are clear and

logical.

Correct Use of Parallelism

Whenever you present a comparison or a series of ideas that are equal in importance,

you should express them in equal—that is, parallel—grammatical structures. Parallel

structures can be two or more words of the same part of speech, two or more phrases of the

same type, or two or more clauses of the same type. A coordinating conjunction such as and

or or usually helps link parallel structures.

PARALLEL WORDS: The board reviewed several aspects of the plan: social, educational,

and financial.

PARALLEL PHRASES: She loves to swim in the ocean and to water ski in the lake.

PARALLEL CLAUSES: We wondered what was in the box, where it came from, and why

it had not been unwrapped.

Parallel structures may also be written with an understood word that is omitted after

the first item in a series. In the following example, notice that the word by begins the first

phrase but has been omitted in the second and third phrases. The understood word is shown

in the brackets.

PARALLEL PHRASES: You can improve your chances of making the team by eating

properly, (by) sleeping regularly, and (by) exercising daily.

Sometimes, the conjunction may also be omitted between parallel structures

PARALLEL CLAUSE: If you do no homework, (and) if you show no interest in the lessons,

you may fail the course.

FAULTY USE OF PARALLELISM

Faulty use of parallelism results when ideas of equal importance are not expressed in

equal grammatical structures. The last idea in the following sentence, for example, is not

parallel to the others.

FAULTY PARALLELISM: The waiter suggested lamb chops, green beans, and that we try

the sweet potatoes.

The direct objects in the sentence above are not parallel: The first two are nouns; the

third is a noun clause. The easiest way to correct the faulty parallelism is to make all three

direct objects nouns.

CORRECTED SENTENCE: The waiter suggested lamb chops, green beans, and sweet

potatoes.

EXERCISE A. recognizing parallel ideas. Write two or more parallel ideas in each

sentence.

1. Good speech must be audible, logical, and have clarity.

_______________________________________________________________________

2. Coley likes hiking for great distances and to climb mountains.

_______________________________________________________________________

3. You can adjust he swing by lengthening the rope or you can shorten the other rope.

_______________________________________________________________________

4. The clock is compact, silent, and runs accurately.

_______________________________________________________________________

5. The dolls were Russian, Italian and one from Spain.

_______________________________________________________________________

6. We interviewed the principal, a teacher, and with the nurse.

_______________________________________________________________________

7. In India, we saw neither Ganges nor went to Calcutta.

_______________________________________________________________________

CORRECTING FAULTY PARALLELISM

To correct a sentence containing a faulty parallelism usually takes only a few

moments of thinking and rewriting.

Correct a sentence containing a faulty parallelism by rewriting it so that each

parallel idea is expressed in the same grammatical structure.

As you will see, faulty parallelism can involve not only words, phrases, or clauses in

a series but also words, phrases or clauses in comparison.

Nonparallel Words

In a series of words, each word should be the same part of speech. You should also be

careful not to match a series of words with a phrase or clause.

CORRECTING NONPARALLEL WORDS

Nouns and Phrases

Nouns

The qualities of a good scout are loyalty,

honesty, and being brave.

The qualities of a good scout are loyalty,

honesty, and BRAVERY.

Adverbs and Phrase

Adverbs

A well-trained dog obeys willingly,

completely, and with speed

A well-trained dog obeys willingly,

completely, and QUICKLY.

Verbs and Clause

Verbs

The class analyzed, discussed, and we raised

questions about the new rules.

The class analyzed, discussed, and

QUESTIONED THE NEW RULES..

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FAULTY PARALLELISM Another type of sentence error that can confuse a listener or reader is faulty parallelism. PARALLELISM Parallelism is the placement of equal ideas in words, phrases, or clauses of similar types. Checking your sentences for parallelism can ensure that your sentences are clear and logical. Correct Use of Parallelism Whenever you present a comparison or a series of ideas that are equal in importance, you should express them in equal—that is, parallel—grammatical structures. Parallel structures can be two or more words of the same part of speech, two or more phrases of the same type, or two or more clauses of the same type. A coordinating conjunction such as and or or usually helps link parallel structures. PARALLEL WORDS: The board reviewed several aspects of the plan: social, educational, and financial. PARALLEL PHRASES: She loves to swim in the ocean and to water ski in the lake. PARALLEL CLAUSES: We wondered what was in the box, where it came from, and why it had not been unwrapped. Parallel structures may also be written with an understood word that is omitted after the first item in a series. In the following example, notice that the word by begins the first phrase but has been omitted in the second and third phrases. The understood word is shown in the brackets. PARALLEL PHRASES: You can improve your chances of making the team by eating properly, (by) sleeping regularly, and (by) exercising daily. Sometimes, the conjunction may also be omitted betwe ...
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