PARALLELISM: FINDING THE BALANCE IN WRITING

1. PARALLELISM: FINDING THE BALANCE IN WRITING

2. PARALLELISM To err is human, to forgive is divine.

3. PARALLELISM inf. LV adj. inf. LV adj. To err is human, to forgive is divine.

4. PARALLELISM We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. Martin Luther King, Jr.

5. PARALLELISM We must learn to live together as brothers or (to)perish together as fools. Martin Luther King, Jr. (two infinitive phrases)

6. PARALLELISM Cinzano and soda. Tinglier after tennis. Breezier on a boat. Livelier at a lawn party. Peppier ‘round the pool. Snappier after softball. Grander after golf. Bouncier at a barbecue. Brighter after biking. Friskier after fishing. Bubblier at a brunch.

7. PARALLELISM Cinzano and soda. Tinglier(after tennis). ( Adjective / prep. phrase ) Breezier(on a boat). Livelier (at a lawn party). Peppier(‘round the pool). Snappier(after softball). Grander(after golf). Bouncier(at a barbecue). Brighter(after biking). Friskier (after fishing). Bubblier (at a brunch).

8. PARALLELISM What is parallel structure (parallelism)?

9. PARALLELISM Parallel structure is the grammatical balanceof two or more logically related sentence elements.

10. Why use parallel structure?

11. Why use parallel structure? • Use parallel structure to: 1. aid reader in understanding words 2. clarify language 3. emphasize meaning

12. PARALLELISM • EXPRESS PARALLEL IDEAS IN THE SAME GRAMMATICAL FORM. • You should be able to use three kinds of parallel structure: • Coordinate • Compared and contrasted • Correlative

13. COORDINATE IDEAS • Coordinate ideas are of equal importance and are connected by coordinate conjunctions: and but or nor • For proper coordination, --- a noun is paired with another noun --- a phrase with a phrase --- a clause with a clause --- an infinitive with an infinitive --- a gerund with a gerund --- a word ending with –ing with another –ing word.

14. COORDINATE IDEAS • INCORRECT: In the winter I usually like skiingandto skate. ( gerund paired with an infinitive)

15. COORDINATE IDEAS • CORRECT: In the winter I usually like skiingandskating. (gerund paired with a gerund) In the winter I usually like to skiandto skate. (infinitive paired with an infinitive)

16. COORDINATE IDEAS • INCORRECT: A good scholar must beprecise and possess originality. (helping verb - adjective and action verb - noun )

17. COORDINATE IDEAS • INCORRECT: A good scholar must be precise and possess originality. • CORRECT: A good scholar must beprecise and original. (one verb and two adjectives)

18. COORDINATE IDEAS • INCORRECT: Noun Prep. Phr. Noun clause • Consider the origins of manand how he has developed. (noun / prepositional phrase with noun clause)

19. COORDINATE IDEAS • INCORRECT:Noun Prep. Phr. Noun clause Consider the origins of manandhow he has developed. • CORRECT: Noun clauseNoun clause Consider how man originated and how he has developed. (two noun clauses) Verb Verb Consider how man originated and developed. (two past tense action verbs)

20. COORDINATE IDEAS • INCORRECT: Give me the aggressive fellowand who has initiative. (adjective/noun with adjective clause) • CORRECT: Give me the fellow who is aggressive and who has initiative. (two adjective clauses)

21. COORDINATE IDEAS • INCORRECT: The pilot received orders to bomb the targetandthat he would then return home. (infinitive phase / noun clause) • CORRECT: The pilot received orders to bomb the targetandthen to return home. (two infinitive phrases)

22. COORDINATE IDEAS • In parallel constructions, observe this principle of pairing one part of speech with another or one kind of construction with another. • Parallelism is the grammatical balanceof two or more logically related sentence elements.

23. COMPARED AND CONTRASTED IDEAS • Ideas that are compared and contrasted are parallel, or in the same grammatical form.

24. COMPARED AND CONTRASTED IDEAS • INCORRECT: Einstein liked mathematical researchmore thanto supervise a large laboratory. • ( noun contrasted with an infinitive) OR

25. COMPARED AND CONTRASTED IDEAS • INCORRECT: Einstein liked mathematical researchmore thanto supervise a large laboratory. ( noun contrasted with an infinitive) • CORRECT: Einstein liked mathematical researchmore thansupervision of a large laboratory. (noun and a modifiercontrasted with noun and modifier)

26. COMPARED AND CONTRASTED IDEAS • INCORRECT: To chew carefully is as necessary for a good digestion aseating slowly. ( infinitive contrasted with a gerund)

27. COMPARED AND CONTRASTED IDEAS • CORRECT: Chewing carefully is as necessary for a good digestion aseating slowly. ( gerund contrasted with a gerund) To chew carefully is as necessary for a good digestion asto eat slowly. (infinitive contrasted with an infinitive)

28. CORRELATIVE IDEAS Correlative constructions are formed with the correlative conjunctions: both. . . and either . . . or neither . . . nor not only . . . but (also) • Correlative ideas should be expressed in parallel form. • Place the correlative conjunctions immediately before the parallel ideas.

29. CORRELATIVE IDEAS INCORRECT: With The Pickwick Papers, Dickens proved that he was not onlyhumorousbut also a writer of great originality. ( adjective --- noun)

30. CORRELATIVE IDEAS • CORRECT: With The Pickwick Papers, Dickens proved that he was not onlyhumorousbut alsooriginal. (two adjectives) With The Pickwick Papers, Dickens proved that he was not only a humoristbut also a writer of original ideas. (two nouns)

31. CORRELATIVE IDEAS • INCORRECT: A President of the United States mustnot onlyrepresenthis own political partybut alsothe entire American people. (Not only . . . but also should directly precede the parallel ideas his own political party and the entire American people.) Adj. adj. adj. n. his own political party Adj. adj. adj. n. the entire American people.

32. CORRELATIVE IDEAS • CORRECT: A President of the United States must representnot onlyhis own political partybut alsothe entire American people. (Do not split verb phrase or an infinitive. Move the correlative.)

33. CORRELATIVE IDEAS INCORRECT: Washington both enjoyed Yorktown and experienced the gloom of Valley Forge. CORRECT: ___________________________________ ___________________________________

34. CORRELATIVE IDEAS INCORRECT: Washington both enjoyed Yorktown and experienced the gloom of Valley Forge. CORRECT: ___________________________________ ___________________________________

35. CORRELATIVE IDEAS INCORRECT: Washington bothenjoyed Yorktown and experienced the gloom of Valley Forge. CORRECT: ___________________________________ ___________________________________

36. CORRELATIVE IDEAS INCORRECT: Washington bothenjoyed Yorktownand experienced the gloom of Valley Forge. CORRECT: ___________________________________ ___________________________________

37. CORRELATIVE IDEAS INCORRECT: Washington both enjoyed Yorktownand experiencedthe gloom of Valley Forge. CORRECT: Washington experiencedboththe gloom of Valley Forge and the joy of Yorktown.

38. NOTE #1: • NOTE:To assure parallel form or to stress emphasis, repeat the wordthat introduces the parallel construction. (prepositions, relative pronouns, sign of the infinitive “to”)

39. NOTE # 1: Repeat the Word • EXAMPLE: We had to advise Edwards that(to accept his offer was out of the question),that(to leave our homestead was impossible), andthat(to move our ailing father was dangerous).

40. NOTE #1: Repeat the Word • Electrical contractors face involved problems in(estimating costs)and in(maintaining stock supplies). • He refused tolisten, tounderstand, and tocompromise.

41. NOTE #2: • NOTE: Change the word that introduces a series of parallel elements if doing so is necessary to maintain idiomatic expression.

42. NOTE #2: Idiomatic Expression • INCORRECT: He is awed and courteous to high-ranking officials.

43. NOTE #2: Idiomatic Expression • INCORRECT: He is awed and courteous to high-ranking officials. He is awed high-ranking officials. (?) He is awed to high-ranking officials. (?) He is courteous to high-ranking officials.

44. NOTE #2: Idiomatic Expression • INCORRECT: He is awed and courteous to high-ranking officials. • CORRECT: He is awed by and courteous to high-ranking officials. possible STAAR/EOC question)

45. NOTE #3: • NOTE: Change any word in a series of parallel elements if doing so is necessary to maintain correct grammatical form.

46. NOTE #3: Grammatical Form • INCORRECT: Men have always and will continue to try improving their standard of living. (one helping verb, one verb phrase)

47. NOTE #3: Grammatical Form • INCORRECT: Men have always and will continue to try improving their standard of living. (one helping verb, one verb phrase) Men have alwayscontinue to try improving their standard of living. (?) Men will continue to try improving their standard of living. (!)

48. NOTE #3: Grammatical Form • INCORRECT: Men have always and will continue to try improving their standard of living. (one helping verb, one verb phrase) • CORRECT: Men have always tried and will continue trying to improve their standard of living. (two verb phrases)

49. REMINDER: • CLUE: A good indication of the need for parallelism is the presence of either a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or) or a pair of correlative conjunctions (either…or, neither…nor, both…and, not only…but also).

50. PRACTICE QUESTION Changing over from a military to a peacetime economy means producing tractors rather than tanks, radios rather than rifles, and producing running shoes rather than combat boots. • producing running shoes rather than combat boots • the production of running shoes rather than combat boots • running shoes rather than combat boots • replacing combat boots with running shoes • running shoes instead of combat boots