Parallel Structure Problems

Here are some general guidelines for keeping your balance in sentences:

Words in a series must all be in the same form (all verbs, adjectives, nouns, etc.)

YES: Chewing tobacco, dipping snuff, and smoking cigarettes all cause wrinkles.

YES: Tobacco, snuff, and cigarettes all cause wrinkles.

NO: Chewing tobacco, dipping snuff, and cigarettes all cause wrinkles.

For two-word verbs, first make sure that you include all the appropriate parts of the verbs.

YES: Please listen to and abide by the doctor’s recommendations.

NO: Please listen and abide by the doctor’s recommendations.

Then if one of your verbs is negative, put it second.YES: Please ignore and don’t make fun of Binky’s huge ears.NO: Please don’t make fun of and ignore Binky’s huge ears.(The second one sounds like we should not ignore Binky’s ears.)

Do not mix passives and actives in one sentence.

YES: After the surgeon fixed my nose, she gave me a face-lift.

NO: After my nose was fixed, the surgeon gave me a face-lift.(In the second version, the first part is passive, making it sound as if someone else fixed your nose or it fixed itself.)

Not only must the grammar or form be parallel, but the ideas must be parallel, too.

First make sure that the ideas even belong together in the same place.NO: The surgeon said I had a funny nose, a big rear end, a sagging face, and dirty hair.

Dirty hair doesn’t really seem to fit here because it is so much less important than the other three. It doesn’t seem related and probably should be in some other sentence. Second, make sure to arrange your ideas in some logical order.

YES: The surgeon said she would fix my nose, lift my face, tuck my tummy, and reduce my thighs.

NO: The surgeon said she would fix my nose, reduce my thighs, lift my face, and tuck my tummy. (In the first, we have something that moves from the nose down.)

1. The factory workers were ready, able, and were quite determined to do a great job.

The factory workers were ready.

The factory workers were able.

The factory workers were determined.

The factory workers were ready, able and determined to do a great job.

2. The computer network is safer, stronger, and more secure.

The computer network is safer.

The computer is stronger. The computer network is

securer/more secure.This sentence is correct!

3. We cannot be worried or terrified of difficulties in life.

We cannot be worried _____ difficulties in life.

We cannot be terrified of difficulties in life.

We cannot be worried about or terrified of the difficulties in life.

4. Mary likes hiking, swimming, and to cook.

Mary likes hiking. Mary likes swimming. Mary likes to cook.

Mary likes hiking, swimming, and cooking.

Or

Mary likes to hike, to swim, and to cook.

5. The requirements for a chemistry degree are not as strict as a medical degree.

The requirements for a chemistry degree

The requirements for a medical degree› To eliminate any repetition, cancel out

any duplicate terms.› Sometimes pronouns are needed to

replace nouns to preserve the meaning in a sentence.

The requirements for a chemistry degree are not as strict as those for a medical degree.

6. Either you can join the army or the navy.

You can join the army. You can join the navy.

You can either join the army or the navy.

7. The reorganization of the company is neither simple nor it will be cheap.

The reorganization of the company is not simple.

The reorganization of the company is not cheap.

The reorganization of the company is neither simple nor cheap.

8. When I was in high school, I learned piano and how to play guitar.

I learned how to play piano. I learned how to play guitar.

When I was in high school, I learned how to play piano and guitar.

9. Fred supports the idea because, first, its simplicity; second, it is unique.

Fred supports the idea because it is simple.

Fred supports the idea because it is unique.

Fred supports the idea because it is simple and unique.

10. They are either our friends or they are not.

They are our friends. They are __________

› In a parallel structure, the items in a list must be the same,

› What part of speech is “friends”› What noun is used to name someone

who is “not your friend?”

Enemies

They are either our friends or our enemies.