How can parallel structure improve the clarity of your sentences?

1 What is parallel structure?

Parallel structure means that you use the same word order, tense, voice, and punctuation for items that are coordinated or compared in a sentence. To illustrate, if you use a verb after a preposition, you should also use a verb after every other preposition in the same sentence. Similarly, if you use a noun after a conjunction, you should similarly use a noun after every other conjunction in the same sentence. As an example, consider the following examples of parallel structure: She likes reading, writing, and painting (all gerunds); He is smart, handsome, and funny (all adjectives); They went to the park, the museum, and the cinema (all nouns).

2 Why is parallel structure important?

Parallel structure is important for making sentences more coherent, consistent, and logical. It can prevent confusion, ambiguity, and repetition while demonstrating a clear and organized thought process. Additionally, it can improve the rhythm, flow, and emphasis of sentences. Furthermore, parallel structure has several benefits: it improves readability and comprehension; reduces wordiness and redundancy; and adds variety and interest. For example, you can use it to create contrast, comparison, or balance in your sentences. You can also use different types of parallelism such as antithesis, anaphora, or asyndeton to create rhetorical effects.

3 How to apply parallel structure?

To apply parallel structure to your writing, you need to identify the elements that are coordinated or compared in your sentence and ensure they have the same grammatical form. Additionally, you should examine the word order, tense, voice, and punctuation of these elements and make them consistent. To do this, first identify the coordinating or correlative conjunctions in your sentence, such as 'and', 'but', 'or', 'neither...nor', 'not only...but also', etc. Then, recognize the elements linked by these conjunctions and make sure they have the same grammatical form. Finally, check the word order, tense, voice, and punctuation of these elements and make them uniform. For instance, if you use a verb in the past tense after one conjunction, use a verb in the past tense after every conjunction; if you use a comma after one element, use a comma after every element.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?