Parallel structure, also known as parallelism, involves using the same grammatical structure for
similar elements within a sentence. In the incorrect example, “the dog’s hair” and “how it
smells” are not parallel because one is a noun phrase and the other is a clause. In the correct
example, “the dog’s hair” and “smell” are parallel because they are both noun phrases, making
the sentence grammatically consistent and clearer.
In the incorrect example, the elements in the list (“respect,” “honesty,” and “being on time”) lack
parallel structure because they are not all expressed in the same grammatical form. “Being on
time” is a gerund phrase, while “respect” and “honesty” are nouns. In the correct example, all
elements in the list ("respect," ”honesty,” and “promptness”) are expressed as nouns, maintaining
parallel structure and improving clarity and readability.
In the incorrect example, “James enjoys reading more than to write,” the parallel structure is not
maintained because “reading” and “to write” are not in the same form. “Reading” is a gerund
(the -ing form of the verb used as a noun), while “to write” is an infinitive. In the correct
example, “James enjoys reading more than writing,” both elements (“reading” and “writing”) are
in the gerund form, maintaining parallel structure and improving clarity in the comparison.
In the example provided, “Edna is an industrious student, an obedient daughter, and a loyal
friend,” the sentence follows parallel structure because all the listed qualities (“an industrious
student,” “an obedient daughter,” and “a loyal friend”) are expressed in the same grammatical
form. This consistency improves readability and clarity. The note about disregarding the rule if
the sentence includes time signals that indicate the action happening at a different time or will
happen in the future refers to situations where maintaining strict parallelism may not be
necessary for conveying the intended meaning or emphasis.
Certainly! In this case, the qualities listed about Edna (“an industrious student,” “an obedient
daughter,” and “a loyal friend”) are all independent descriptions rather than items being directly
compared or contrasted with each other. The sentence aims to highlight different facets of Edna’s
character rather than establish a direct comparison or contrast between them. As a result, the
focus is more on providing a comprehensive picture of Edna’s qualities rather than strictly
adhering to parallel structure for comparison purposes.
