PARALLEL STRUCTURE 

When information in a sentence is given in the form of a list or series, all components must be grammatically parallel or equal. 
There may be only two components or there may be many components in a list; however, if the first is, for example, an infinitive, the rest must also be infinitives. Consider the following correct and incorrect sentences. 

Not parallel: Peter is rich , handsome , and many people like him .

adjective / adjective 

clause 

Parallel: Peter is rich , handsome , and popular . 

adjective adjective adjective 


Not parallel: Mr. Henry is a lawyer , a politician , and he teaches. 

noun / noun 
clause 

Parallel: Mr. Henry is a lawyer , a politician , and a teacher . 

noun noun noun 

(R 

remember that a clause standing alone would be a complete 
Sentence, meaning it has a subject and a verb.) 


Not parallel: The soldiers approached the enemy camp slowly and silent .

Parallel: The soldiers approached the enemy camp slowly and silently. 

Not parallel: She likes to fish , swim , and surfing . 
Parallel: She likes to fish , to swim , and to surf . 
infinitive infinitive infinitive 
OR 

She likes fishing , swimming , and surfing . 

/verb + ing] [verb + ing] [verb + ing] 


infinitive simple form [verb + ing] 

Not parallel: When teenagers finish high school, they have 
several choices: going to college , getting a job, of the army .

Parallel: When teenagers finish high school, they have 
several choices: going to college, getting a job, or joining the army . 
/verb + ing] [verb + ing] [verb + ing] 

Not parallel: Enrique entered the room, sat down, and is opening his book. 
 Parallel:  Enrique entered the room, sat down, and opened his book.


STYLE IN WRITTEN ENGLISH  


Note: If the sentence indicates that the different clauses definitely 
happ e fl ed or will happen at different times, then this rule does not 
need to be followed. For example: 

She is a senior, studies every day, and will graduate a 

present present future 

semester early. 

Exercise 50: Parallel Structure 

Change the following sentences so that they are parallel. 

1. The puppy stood up slowly, wagged its tail, blinking its eyes, and 
barked. 

2. Ecologists are trying to preserve our environment for future 
generations by protecting the ozone layer, purifying the air, and 
have replanted the trees that have been cut down. 

3. The chief of police demanded from his assistants an orderly 
investigation, a well-written report, and that they work hard. 

4. Marcia is a scholar, an athlete, and artistic. 

5. Slowly and with care, the museum director removed the Ming 
vase from the shelf and placed it on the display pedestal. 

6- The farmer plows the fields, plants the seeds, and will harvest 
the crop. 

7- Abraham Lincoln was a good president and was self-educated, 
hard-working, and always told the truth. 

• Children love playing in the mud, running through puddles, and 
g they get very dirty. 

* Collecting stamps, playing chess, and to mount beautiful 
jq butterflies are Derrick’s hobbies. 

Despite America’s affluence, many people are without jobs, on 
Welfare, and have a lot of debts.