Parallelism

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Logical vs. Grammatical Parallelism Grammatical Parallelism: Uses the same part of speech when a coordinating conjunction is used to link words in a series of two or more. Source: Jones, D. (n.d.) Lynchburg College: Parallelism. Retrieved 6 Jan 2009 from Logical Parallelism: Has a parallel meaning in that the items are of equal value and importance e.g. group nouns are of the same classification Incorrect: The types of people at the rally included Asians, African Americans, Native Americans, and women. Correct: The types of people at the rally included Asians, African Americans, and Native Americans. Incorrect: I go to the store, and I bought bread. Correct: I went to the store, and I bought bread.

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Parallelism Is important in listing, comparing and contrasting items or ideas. Means each item in such lists or comparisons has the same grammatical structure Engineering graduates should possess the following abilities when they enter the workforce: think critically, work independently, and communicate effectively. What is the parallel grammatical structure here?

eg1471/jc/dec2008 What are the parallel structures? Nitrogen, oxygen and argon are three main types of gases on the earth’s atmosphere. All passengers boarding the plane were instructed to check their passports before and after clearing the customs. During the lab session, the technician demonstrated the use of the equipment and informed the students on the properties of the chemicals.

eg1471/jc/dec2008 What are the parallel structures? Nitrogen, oxygen, and argon are three main gases on the earth’s atmosphere. – nouns All passengers boarding the plane were instructed to check their passports before and after clearing the customs. – logical parallelism with adverb clause “clearing the customs” not being repeated During the lab session, the technician demonstrated the use of the equipment and informed the students on the properties of the chemicals. – verb clauses

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Parallelism with Coordinators Words, phrases ad clauses joined by and, or, and but are written in the parallel form. All passengers boarding the flyer could carry their small bags or leave them at the counter. The technicians possess the skills but not the knowledge to handle the latest machines.

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Parallelism with Correlative Coordinators The parallel form is used with correlative conjunctions like both…and, either…or, neither…nor and not only…but also. New laws may be needed both to regulate the use of pesticides and their disposal. If neither industry nor the public are concerned about waste disposal, future generations will suffer. It is not only important for the public to understand the importance of recycling, but also to embrace it as a lifestyle.

eg1471/jc/dec2008 Sources Jones, D. (n.d.) Lynchburg College: Parallelism. Retrieved 6 Jan 2009 from Lane, A. and Lange, E. (1999). Writing Clearly: An Editing Guide (2 nd ed.). Boston: Heinle and Heinle Publishers, Oshima, A. and Hogue, A. (2006). Writing Academic English (4 th ed.). New York: Pearson Education,