Conventions of Composition Rule 177

Rules: Parallel ideas should be worded in parallel form, so words, phrases, and clauses used serially or in compounds should take the same grammatical construction. Correlatives (both…and, either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also, etc.): each must be followed by the same grammatical construction.

Note: Sometimes, non-parallel comparisons become illogical. Be sure not to remove necessary words, most often prepositions, in your writing.

Examples:

Wrong: I always have and always shall admire his grace on the field.

Better: I always have admired and always shall admire his grace on the field.

Wrong: They had love and confidence in their leader.

Better: They had love for, and confidence in their leader.

Better still: They regarded their leader with love and confidence [or] They loved and trusted their leader.

Wrong: She is taller than any girl in her class.

Better: She is taller than any other girl in her class.

Wrong: The play emphasizes many of his good qualities—his honesty, his kindness, the fact that he was conscientious, and above all he was very patriotic.

Better: The play emphasizes many of his good qualities--his honesty, his kindliness, his conscientiousness, and, above all, his intense patriotism.

Practice revising these sentences to create parallel structures:

1. Dmitry can do his favorite sports--to swim, to run, and playing tennis--in the summer, when he's at his grandmother's house or at the park.
2. Tanawat (from Bangkok) speaks Japanese as well if not better than Riku, who was born in Osaka.
3. Zhang Wei would rather see Chicago's professional sports teams than Boston.
4. Lucas either wants to eat almond croissants for dessert or crepe Suzette.

Resources for further explanations about parallel structure:

Purdue OWL's Parallel Structure

Evergreen Writing Center's Parallel Structure