Parallelism

Parallelism is an important element in English writing, especially when you are listing,
comparing and contrasting items or ideas. Parallelism means that each item in a list or
comparison follows the same grammatical pattern. If you are writing a list and the first item
in your list is noun, write the following items as nouns also. If the first item is an infinitive
verb phrase, make all of the others infinitive verb phrases; if it is a dependent clause, make all
of the others dependent clauses. If you are making a comparison or contrast, make sure that
the items you are comparing or contrasting are the same.

Notice how the rule of parallelism is followed in the second sentences in each of the
following sets.

Not parallel
My English conversation class is made up of the Chinese, Spaniards, and some are from
Bosnia.
Parallel
My English conversation class is made up of the Chinese, Spaniards, and Bosnians.

Not parallel
The students who do well attend class, they do their homework, and practice speaking in
English.
Parallel
The students who do well attend class, do their homework, and practice speaking in English.

Not parallel
The teacher wanted to know which country we came from and our future goals.
Parallel
The teacher wanted to know which country we came from and what our future goals were.

Not parallel
The language skills of the students in the evening classes are the same as the day classes.
Parallel
The language skills of the students in the evening classes are the same as the language skills
of the students in the day classes.

You may also substitute a pronoun for the second “language skill.”
The language skills of the students in the evening classes are the same as those of the students
in the day classes.

All of the words in the first item do not always have to be repeated in the second. You may
repeat all or some of the words, depending upon what you wish to emphasize.

Before you write a paper or (before) (you) take a test, you must organize your thoughts.
“Before” and/or “you” may be deleted from the second item without breaking the rule of
parallelism.
Before you write a paper or take a test, you must organize your thoughts.
Coordinators
And, Or, But

Words, phrases, and clauses that are joined by and , or, and but are written in parallel form.
Notice the parallel structures joined by coordinators in the following sentences.

The Federal Air Pollution Control Administration regulates automobile exhausts, and the
Federal Aviation Administration makes similar regulations for aircraft.
The states regulate the noise created by motor vehicles but not by commercial aircraft.
Pesticides cannot be sold if they have an adverse effect on humans, on animal life, or on
environment.

Correlative
Conjunctions

Use parallel forms with the correlative conjunctions both…and, either…or, neither…nor, and
not only…but also.
Correlative conjunctions are placed directly before the elements they join in the sentence.
Notice the parallel structure in these clauses joined by correlative conjunctions:

A new law provides the means for both regulating pesticides and ordering the removal if
they are dangerous.
Air pollutants may come either from the ocean as natural contaminants given off by sea
life or from the internal combustion engines of automobiles.
If neither industry nor the public works toward reducing pollution problems, future
generations will suffer.
Many people are neither concerned about pollutants nor worried about their future
impact.
At the present time, air pollution is controlled through laws passed not only to reduce the
pollutants at their sources but also to set up acceptable standards of air quality.

Sentence Problems
In this section, you will learn to recognize and correct some common errors in sentence
structure: sentence fragments as well as choppy, run-on, and stringy sentences.

Sentence Fragments
Sentence fragments are incomplete sentences or parts of sentences. Remember that a
complete sentence must contain at least one main or independent clause

Study the following four examples of sentence fragments and the suggested methods for
correcting them.

1.Because some students work part-time while taking a full load of courses.
Problem : This is a dependent clause.
To correct: Attach it to an independent clause.
Because some students work part-time while taking a full load of courses, they have very
little free time.
2. For example, the increase in the cost of renting an apartment.
Problem : There is no verb.
To correct: Rewrite the sentences so that it has a verb.
For example, the cost of renting an apartment increased.

3. Feeling lonely and failing most of his classes.

Problem: This is a participial phrase.
To correct: (a) Add a subject and change the participles to verbs, or
(b) attach the phrase to an independent clause.
(a) He felt lonely and was failing most of his classes.
(b) Feeling lonely and failing most of his classes, the student
wisely decided to make an appointment with his counsellor.

4. Many young people who leave home at an early age.

Problem: This is a noun phrase + a relative clause. The independent
clause is unfinished.
To correct: (a) Change the relative clause into an independent clause, or
(b) complete the unfinished independent clause.
(a) Many young people leave home at an early age.
(b) Many young people who leave home at an early age do not manage
their money well.

Always check your own writing for sentence fragments. Pay particular attention to your
sentences beginning with subordinating conjunctions (although, since, because, if, before,
etc).
These are DANGEROUS WORDS! Make sure that every subordinate clause beginning with
these words is attached to an independent clause.

Choppy Sentences

Choppy sentences are sentences that are too short. Although short sentences can be effective,
overuse of them is considered poor style in academic writing.
Choppy sentences are easy to correct. Just combine two or three short sentences to make one
compound or complex sentence. Your decision to make a compound or a complex sentence
should be based on whether the ideas in the short sentences are equal of whether one idea is
dependent on the other.
If the sentences express equal ideas, use coordination to combine them.
Choppy sentences
Wind is an enduring source of power. Water is also an unlimited energy source. Dams
produce hydraulic power. They have existed for a long time. Windmills are relatively new.
Corrected
Both wind and water are enduring sources of power. Dams have produced hydraulic power
for a long time, but windmills are relatively new.

If the sentences express unequal ideas, that is, if one sentence expresses a less important idea
than the other, use subordination to combine them.

Choppy sentences
We must find new sources of energy. Natural sources of energy are dwindling. Solar
energy is a promising new sources of energy. Solar energy is energy from the sun.
Corrected
We must find new sources of energy because natural sources of energy are dwindling. Solar
energy, which is energy from the sun, is a promising new sources.
Examine your own writing carefully. Do you use to many short sentences? If you do, practice
combining them.

Run-On Sentences and Comma Splices

A run-on sentence is a sentence in which two or more independent clauses are written one
after another with no punctuation. A similar error happens when two independent clauses are
incorrectly joined by a comma without a coordinating conjunction. This kind of error is
called a comma splice.
Run-on: My family went to Australia then they emigrated to Canada.
Comma splice: My family went to Australia, then they emigrated to Canada.

The ways to correct these two sentence errors are the same.
1. Add a period: My family went to Australia. Then they emigrated to Canada.
2. Add a semicolon : My family went to Australia: then they emigrated to Canada
3. Add a coordinator: My family went to Australia, and then they emigrated to Canada.
4. Add a subordinator: My family went to Australia before they emigrated to Canada.
After my family went to Australia, they emigrated to Canada.

Stringy Sentences

A stringy sentence is a sentence with too many independent clauses, usually connected with
and, but, so, and because. It often results from writing the way you speak, going on and on
like a string without an end.
There is no rule limiting the number of independent clauses allowed in one sentence, but two
is a good maximum. To correct a stringy sentence, divide it and/or recombine the clauses,
remembering to subordinate when appropriate.
Stringy sentence
Many students attend classes all morning, and then they work all afternoon, and they also
have to study at night, so they are usually exhausted by the weekend.
Corrected
Many students attend classes all morning and work all afternoon. Since they also have to
study at night, they are usually exhausted by the weekend.

Because many students attend classes all morning, work all afternoon, and study at night,
they are usually exhausted by the weekend.