Parallel Structure & Parallelism | Definition, Use & Examples

Cấu trúc song song & tính song song | Định nghĩa, cách sử dụng & ví dụ
Cấu trúc song song (trong Tiếng Anh còn được gọi là Parallel structure hoặc Parallelism) là một kỹ thuật viết sử dụng
lặp lại và cân bằng các từ, cụm từ hoặc mệnh đề có cùng cấu trúc ngữ pháp trong một câu hoặc một đoạn văn.
Ann enjoys shopping, cooking, and gardening.
I went home, took a shower and cooked for myself.
Vai trò của cấu trúc song song trong câu:
Khi áp dụng cấu trúc song song trong giao tiếp và trong phần thi IELTS Writing, ta sẽ nhận thấy rõ vai trò của cấu
trúc này bao gồm:
 Gia tăng tính nhất quán và sự hiệu quả trong việc truyền tải thông tin của bài viết.
 Làm nổi bật những thông tin quan trọng có ý nghĩa tương quan
 Truyền đạt những thông tin mang ý nghĩa so sánh và tương phản một cách dễ hiểu
 Hạn chế sự lặp lại của từ ngữ, giúp câu văn trở nên trang nhã và đảm bảo tính logic.
In English grammar, parallelism (also called parallel structure or parallel construction) is the repetition of the same
grammatical form in two or more parts of a sentence. Trong ngữ pháp tiếng Anh, song song (còn gọi là cấu trúc song
song) là sự lặp lại cùng một dạng ngữ pháp ở hai hoặc nhiều phần của một câu.

Not parallel Parallel

I like to jog, bake, paint, and watching movies. I like to jog, bake, paint, and watch movies.
I like jogging, baking, painting, and watching
movies.

Maintaining parallel structure helps you avoid grammatically incorrect sentences and improves your writing style.
Although lack of parallelism is not always strictly incorrect, sentences with parallel structure are easier to read and
add a sense of balance to your writing. Duy trì cấu trúc song song giúp bạn tránh được những câu sai ngữ pháp và
cải thiện phong cách viết của bạn. Mặc dù việc thiếu tính song song không phải lúc nào cũng hoàn toàn sai, nhưng
những câu có cấu trúc song song dễ đọc hơn và tạo cảm giác cân bằng cho bài viết của bạn.
Parallel construction is most commonly used in sentences containing elements that appear in a series or in a pair. It
is also applied to headings and outlines in academic writing. Cấu trúc song song thường được sử dụng nhất trong
các câu có chứa các thành phần xuất hiện theo chuỗi hoặc theo cặp. Nó cũng được áp dụng cho tiêu đề và dàn ý
trong bài viết học thuật.
Parallel structure in a series
Use parallel construction when items in a series have an equal level of importance. These items are usually joined
by commas or semicolons along with and or or.
Parallel words
On the word level, a noun should be grouped with other nouns, an adjective with other adjectives, and so on.

Not parallel Parallel

The company is looking for a candidate who The company is looking for a candidate who
is friendly, organized, meticulous, and is going to is friendly, organized, meticulous, and punctual.
arrive to work on time.

When a series is composed of verbs, do not mix forms. For example, mixing an infinitive (a verb beginning with to)
with a gerund (a verb form ending in -ing) breaks parallel structure.

Not parallel Parallel

The participants in the workshop learned how The participants in the workshop learned how
to communicate, negotiate, and working to communicate, negotiate, and work
collaboratively for the most effective outcome. collaboratively for the most effective outcome.
The participants in the workshop learned
about communicating, negotiating, and working
collaboratively for the most effective outcome.

Parallel phrases
Parallel structure should be used to balance a series of phrases with the same grammatical structure.
For example, avoid mixing noun phrases with verb phrases.

Not parallel Parallel

Initial trials showed that exposure to the Initial trials showed that exposure to the
chemical caused memory problems, intermittent chemical caused memory problems, intermittent
dizziness, and deters sleep. dizziness, and insomnia.

As with a series of verbs, a series of verb phrases should use parallel forms. Do not mix phrases based on an
infinitive with phrases based on -ing verbs.

Not parallel Parallel

Her main duties were answering phone Her main duties were answering phone
calls, filing records, and to conduct visitor calls, filing records, and conducting visitor
surveys. surveys.

Parallel clauses
Parallelism is also applicable to a series of clauses in a sentence.

Not parallel Parallel

The report card stated that the student often The report card stated that the student often
talked in class, that he bullied other students, talked in class, that he bullied other students,
and rarely finished his homework. and that he rarely finished his homework.
The report card stated that the student often
talked in class, bullied other students, and rarely
finished his homework.

Lists after a colon

A list that follows a colon should always have parallel elements: Một danh sách theo sau dấu hai chấm phải luôn có
các phần tử song song.

Not parallel Parallel

Mainstream economists have attributed the Mainstream economists have attributed the
Not parallel Parallel

recession to several key causes: deregulation recession to several key causes: the enactment
policies, spike in interest rates, manufacturing of deregulation policies, the spike in interest
orders declining, and the emergence of asset rates, the decline in manufacturing orders,
bubbles. and the emergence of asset bubbles.
Mainstream economists have attributed the
recession to several key causes: deregulation
policies, high interest rates, low manufacturing
orders, and asset bubbles.

Parallel construction in pairs

Use parallel construction when a sentence contains a pair of connected ideas.
Pairs can be connected by coordinating conjunctions, which include and, nor, but, or and yet.

Not parallel Parallel

She planned to collect data by either using an She planned to collect data by either using an
online survey or phone interviews. online survey or conducting phone interviews.
She planned to collect data through either online
surveys or phone interviews.

Use parallel structure when a pair of ideas are linked by a correlative conjunction, such as not only…but
also, either…or, and neither…nor.

Not parallel Parallel

His paper argues that the distinctive divergence His paper argues that the distinctive divergence
in the two artists’ styles was not only shaped by in the two artists’ styles was shaped not only by
their mutual rivalry but also because of the their mutual rivalry but also by the idiosyncratic
idiosyncratic tastes of patrons. tastes of patrons.

The same rule applies to pairs connected by a word of comparison, such as over, than or as.
Not parallel Parallel

He prefers movie nights at home over going to He prefers movie nights at home over loud
loud house parties. house parties.
He prefers hosting movie nights at
home over going to loud house parties.

Outlines and headings

Headings that divide a paper into sections should be parallel. Likewise, parallel structure should be applied to
elements in paper outlines.

Not parallel Parallel

1. Origin of homeopathy 1. Origin of homeopathy

2. Initial reception 2. Initial reception
3. Rising to popularity in the 19th century 3. Rise to popularity in the 19th century
4. Recent studies show lack of evidence 4. Lack of evidence in recent studies

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive
into the articles below.
This Scribbr article
Luo, A. (2023, February 06). Parallel Structure & Parallelism | Definition, Use & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved
November 10, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/sentence-structure/parallelism/
Cite this article
Sources
Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015). Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Garner, B. A. (2016). Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.