Grammar - Parallel Structure

People naturally pick up on patterns and try to anticipate what is coming. When writers meet the expectations of their readers by repeating language structures, they make their ideas clear and often effect a songlike rhythm to their writing. In this topic, you learned that the repetition of consistent grammar structures is known as parallelism, and you examined how the use of parallel structure can be used for dramatic effect or to create humor. On the other hand, you also saw examples of how breaking parallel structure with skillful calculation can add flair to speeches or witty humor in comedic skits.

Parallel structure is commonly called for in sentences that include a series or list, a coordinating conjunction, a pair of correlative conjunctions, or comparisons using the words than or as. After familiarizing yourself with how to maintain parallel structure in these situations, you then reviewed some tips and strategies for identifying faulty parallelism and revising language to correct it.

As you have learned, parallel structure can be a powerful tool. If you add it to your writer's toolbox, you can join the greatest writers and orators of the English language who have used the skill of parallelism to their advantage. So stay familiar with it, write sentences with it, and have fun with it!