Parallel Structure: Parallelism) Is The Repetition of A Particular Grammatical Construction Within A
Parallel Structure: Parallelism) Is The Repetition of A Particular Grammatical Construction Within A
Parallel Structure: Parallelism) Is The Repetition of A Particular Grammatical Construction Within A
Parallel structure (or parallelism) is the repetition of a particular grammatical construction within a
sentence or paragraph. It is used to indicate that multiple ideas have equal levels of importance. In addition,
the use of parallel constructions makes writing clearer and easier for readers to follow.
1) In lists: 3 items
In any given list of three or more items, each item should appear in the same format: noun, noun, and noun;
gerund, gerund, and gerund; verb, verb, and verb. For example, consider the question below.
The first two items in the list begin with nouns (changes, runoff), so the third item must begin with a noun
as well. (D) is the only option that begins with a noun (accumulation), so it is the only possible answer.
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If a full list is underlined, you can simplify the question by checking the beginning of each item. For
example, consider this version of the question from the previous page.
' Healthy marine environments result from a precise Mark for Review I
, balance of factors and are therefore vulnerable to -- - ... - - - - --- - -- - - - - --- - - - - - - --- - ,_ -- - - --- - - - - - -
' - - - I
threats from a variety of sources. For example, _ _ Which choice completes the text so that it
' can all lead to the creation of ocean waters low in conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
' oxygen and inhospitable to marine life.
® changes in wind circulation, runoff from
sewage, and accumulating fertilizers
Questions can also test punctuation within lists. Remember from Chapter 7 that the items in a list can be
separated by either commas or semicolons, but not both within the same list.
·-------------------------------------------------
1 ------------------------------------ ---·
: '. '._ - ' : I
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Parallel Structure with Conjunctions
Another type of parallel structure question involves only two items joined by a conjunction (and, or, but).
Although these questions are fairly straightforward, you must consider the entire sentence because the
answer is likely to depend on information outside the blank. For example, consider the question below.
-~~;i;e-s-;~~- ~- - - - - - - - - . : -~ - ;~r-J~~i~~- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -!
developed sense of vision. As a result, they are able ' - - - - - - - - - - -:: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -:. - -•
to use clear body language and _ _ their colors in Which choice completes the text so that it
order to communicate. conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
I® \ alter
I® \ altering
\© \ they alter
----------------------------------------------------~'_@~\_a_lt_e_re_d_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The word and connects the underlined item to the non-underlined item, so the two items must match. Note
that the repetition of the word to is optional. The correct answer could read either to alter or alter, as is the
case here. (A) is thus correct.
-.-
It is also possible that two-item parallel structure questions will ask you to work with phrases rather than
single words. For example:
The construction before and consists of a noun (financial constraints), so the construction after it must begin
the same way. Neither (C) nor (D) begins with a noun, so both can be eliminated. (A) incorrectly contains
a clause with a verb (has), whereas (B) correctly contains only a noun phrase without one.
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Exercise: Parallel Structure (answers p. 206)
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1
® prey; including trapping it in webs; with
1. In the insect world, spiders are fearsome animals-
sticky bolas they lasso it, and mimicking
the tiny equivalent of wolves, lions or sharks. Spiders
other insects
use a wide range of strategies to capture ___ in
order to avoid detection. @ prey, including trapping it in webs,
lassoing it with sticky bolas; and they
mimic other insects
2. Scientists have long been uncertain whether dogs - ·1 ® j those that indicate fear or anger.
can read human emotions, but evidence is growing that
canines can accurately "read" what people feel. In fact, @ those in which fear or anger are
indicated.
a recent study found that dogs are able to distinguish
between expressions that indicate happiness and
j © j fear in anger are indicated in others.
3. Without structural engineers, everything could - ·1 ® I capture the power that the waves have.
twist and shake apart. Their know-how is vital to
mastering green construction's novel materials and j ® j capturing the power of the waves.
innovative practices, whether used to harness the force
of the wind or _ __ j © j have captured the power of the waves.
I
__I @ j capture the power of the waves.
L---------------------------------------------------
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,---------------------------------------------------- -..,------,,-----,-------~-----,-----c--,:--r-----,
, ® spring; snow would give the idea of
4. Haiku poems, which contain just 17 syllables, can winter and summertime would be
describe any person or object, but they are seldom
suggested by fireflies.
complicated or difficult to understand. Each Haiku
must contain a kigo, a season word that indicates what spring; snow would give the idea of
®
time of the year the Haiku is set. For example, blossoms winter; and fireflies would suggest
would indicate summertime.
5. For centuries, there have been reports of strange -1 ® I flames that flicker.
bright lights in the sky just before, during, or after an
earthquake. Over the years, descriptions have varied I ® I flames that are flickering.
widely: the lights have been described as flaring white
streaks, floating orbs, and _ _ Sometimes the lights I © I flames to flicker.
appeared for just a few seconds, but other times they
hovered in the sky for minutes or even hours at a time. I @ I flickering flames.
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Cumulative Review: Chapters 8-12 (answers p. 206)
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1. Although rap music originated in the United States,
it has international influences. The kora, the balafon,
--, ® I a West African instrument
J
and the ngoni are _ _ that rappers have I® I a West African instrument, ]
incorporated into their music.
I© I West African instruments ]
I@ I West African instruments, I
L--------------------------------------------------- - -
~---------------------------------------------------
1
I
I 2. Most jurors are not compensated at rates sufficient --1 ® he or she
I
to replace lost wages. As a result, many citizens called
for jury duty seek to avoid selection by demonstrating I® they
that _ _ have urgent commitments or would
experience financial hardship. I© one
I@ you
--
r--------------------------------------------------- - . - - - . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
3. Many major historical inventions occurred ® I has arisen
simultaneously in multiple places. Writing, in contrast,
had only a few independent origins, and the alphabet ® I had arisen
_ _ only once in history.
© I arises
@ I arose
----------------------------------------------------
I
.---------------------------------------------------
4. Retrieval practice is an approach to studying that - , ® \ helps
involves recalling previously learned information. The
method, which can take forms including flash cards, I® I help
practice tests and open-ended writing prompts, _ _
learners recognize what they do and don't know. I © I have helped
__I @ I are helping
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: 5. Although Moby Dick has long been considered and only modest literary success was
a classic work of literature, it was published to achieved.
middling reviews in 1851. Its author, Herman Melville,
worked as a customs inspector for most of his _ __
® life; suffered from nervous exhaustion,
and achieving only modest literary
success.
·---------------------------------------------------- ---,-@-----,-b-l_o_wn_l,--o_n_g__,d:-:-is_t_a_n-ce-s---:b:-y-t---:-h-e~wi------:-.n-d:;-s-m-al;--;-le-r-,
6. After a disaster like a forest fire or a volcanic
than a grain of pollen.
eruption, the first plants to come back are the fastest
colonizers-particularly ferns. Unlike other types of
® that by the wind are blown long distances
flora, ferns sprout from minuscule spores _ _ smaller than a grain of pollen.
175
8. Throughout the Edo period (1603-1867), the Samurai · 1 ® I a scholar or a bureaucrat J
were the highest-ranking group in Japan. After the Meiji
Restoration of 1868, however, the Japanese imperial
family reassumed rule. The samurai caste faded away,
I~-®~\ _a_s_c_h_o_la_r_o_r_b_u_r_e_a_u_c_r_at_s_______]
. \ @ I scholars or bureaucrats I
r---------------------------------------------------
9. The presence of brief, high-frequency electrical
events generated in the hippocampus _ _ believed to
indicate major events in the brain's so-called episodic
memory. This type of memory involves important
episodes or pieces of information, such as childhood I © I have been
birthday parties or old telephone numbers.
I@ \were
r--------------------------------------------------- ® it was revealed by researchers what no
10. Bacteria push themselves forward by coiling long,
traditional light microscope could see:
threadlike appendages into corkscrew shapes that act as
makeshift propellers. Because the "propellers" are made ® researchers revealed what no traditional
of a single protein, the process by which bacteria move light microscope could see:
has traditionally baffled scientists. Using cryo-electron
microscopy, however, _ _ th~ strange structure of © the revelation of researchers that no
these propellers at the level of individual atoms. traditional light microscope could see:
~---------------------------------------------------
11. By the beginning of the fifteenth century, Venice --i ® has drawn
strivers from across the Mediterranean basin.
There, they ran the guard fleets that kept the city-state's
adversaries in check.
I® had drawn
I© draws
--
I@ drawing
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1-------------------------------------------------- --
I® I characterize
I
I@ I are characteristic of
--
-
13. Norman Rockwell's intricately conceived I® I images stories.
narrative paintings were widely reproduced in
popular magazines. Across the United States, a vast I® image's stories.
J
J@ J images' stories.
-
--------------------------------------------------- - ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~
14. For all his fame and celebration, William ® exists.
J
@ I is in existence.
--------------------------------------------------- --'-------'---------------------'
--------------------------------------------------- - ~ ------------------
® water is used by frescoes as a vehicle for
15. Since ancient times, the fresco has served as an
allowing them to merge with the plaster.
important method of mural making. Consisting of
watercolor applied to freshy laid plaster, _ _ When @ water and pigment merge with the
the plaster sets, the painting becomes an integral part plaster to create frescoes.
of the wall.
© frescoes use water as a vehicle that
allows pigment to merge with the plaster.
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