Parallelism in Grammar: Rules and Examples for ESL Learners

📚 Quick Study Guide

• ⚖️ Parallelism ensures similar elements in a sentence have the same grammatical structure.
• 🍎 It's used with coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor), correlative conjunctions (both…and, either…or, not only…but also), and in lists or series.
• ✏️ Incorrect: *She likes reading, to hike, and to cook.* Correct: *She likes reading, hiking, and cooking.*
• 💡 Use the same verb form (e.g., infinitive, gerund), noun form, or phrase structure for each element in a parallel construction.
• 🔑 Check for consistency in tense, number, and word order.

Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following sentences demonstrates correct parallelism?
   1. She enjoys singing, to dance, and playing the piano.
   2. She enjoys singing, dancing, and playing the piano.
   3. She enjoys to sing, dancing, and to play the piano.
   4. She enjoys singing, dance, and piano.
2. Identify the sentence with faulty parallelism.
   1. He is not only intelligent but also hardworking.
   2. He is not only intelligent but also he works hard.
   3. Not only is he intelligent, but he is also hardworking.
   4. He is intelligent and hardworking.
3. Which sentence uses parallel structure correctly with correlative conjunctions?
   1. Either you must study hard, or you will fail.
   2. Either you must study hard, or failing will be the result.
   3. You either must study hard, or you will fail.
   4. Either studying hard or you will fail.
4. Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence with parallel structure: *I like to read novels, watch movies, and ______.*
   1. going for walks
   2. to walk
   3. walks
   4. walking
5. Which of these sentences has incorrect parallelism?
   1. The job requires patience, skill, and a good attitude.
   2. The job requires being patient, skillful, and having a good attitude.
   3. The job requires patience, skill, and attitude.
   4. The job requires patience, being skillful, and a good attitude.
6. Which sentence demonstrates correct parallelism in a list?
   1. The committee considered the budget, the timeline, and how to allocate resources.
   2. The committee considered the budget, the timeline, and resource allocation.
   3. The committee considered the budget, when the timeline should be, and resource allocation.
   4. The budget, the timeline, and considering resource allocation were things the committee considered.
7. Select the sentence that maintains parallel structure.
   1. She is good at writing, editing, and to design.
   2. She is good at writing, editing, and designing.
   3. She is good at to write, to edit, and designing.
   4. She is good at writing, to edit, and design.