1. Prepared by Professors Rita Perkins & Paul Harris
Parallelism
Prepared by Professors
Rita Perkins & Paul Harris
Camden County College

2. Uses of Parallelism To coordinate elements in a series. To pair ideas.
To enhance coherence.
To organize lists.

3. Using Parallelism
All items listing two or more words, phrases, or clauses, need to be written in the same grammatical structure. For example, balance a noun with a noun, a phrase with a phrase, a clause with a clause.
Many people are interested in combat when they read about it at home, study about it in school, or watching it on television.
Revision: Many people are interested in combat when they read about it at home, study about it in school, or watch it on television.

4. Using Parallelism with Pairs
When two ideas are included, they must be parallel.
Tourists enjoy viewing air shows on military bases and to examine displays of armor in museums.
Revision:
Tourists enjoy viewing air shows on military bases and examining armor displays in museums.

5. Using Parallelism
Put words linked by coordinating conjunctions in parallel form.
The martial arts stress the study of hand technique and how you kick.
Revision:
The martial arts stress strengthening the hands and the feet.

6. Using Parallelism
Correlative conjunctions (either/or, neither/nor, both/and, whether/or) require parallel form.
In Kung Fu the hands must be not only hard enough to knock down a man, but also their sensitivity must feel which way the wind blows.
Revision:
In Kung Fu the hands must be both hard enough to knock down a man and sensitive enough to feel which way the wind blows.

7. Using Parallelism Comparisons using than or as need parallel form.
The President would rather use diplomacy than agreeing to send troops abroad.
Revision:
The President would rather use diplomacy than agree to send troops abroad.

8. Using Parallelism
By repeating the preposition, the articles, or the subordinating conjunctions, the parallelism becomes clearer and more effective.
The peace negotiators promised to help out in the day or night.
Revision:
The peace negotiators promised to help out in the day or in the night.

9. Checking for Parallelism
Check items listed in a series.
Use a parallel grammatical structure for all items.
Check places where coordinate or correlative conjunctions are used.
Check sentences where you use than and as.

10. Parallelism Review Exercises
Identify whether the following
sentence is correct.
Correct
In the 18th century, Franz Mesmer treated patients by using iron magnets and hypnosis.

11. Parallelism Review Exercises
Identify whether the following
sentence is correct.
People accused him of being a magician and that he was a fraud.
Error

12. Parallelism Review Exercises
Identify whether the following
sentence is correct.
People accused him of being a magician and a fraud.
Revision

13. Parallelism Review Exercises
Identify whether the following
sentence is correct.
Today hypnosis is used in dentistry, in obstetrics, and when having minor surgery.
Error

14. Parallelism Review Exercises
Identify whether the following
sentence is correct.
Today hypnosis is used in dentistry, in obstetrics, and in minor surgery.
Revision

15. Parallelism Review Exercises
Identify whether the following
sentence is correct.
Under hypnotic trance, the depressed patient may learn to assign positive feelings to past loss or learn to put the loss behind him and resume his life.
Correct

16. Parallelism Review Exercises
Identify whether the following
sentence is correct.
However, hypnotic subjects can readily confuse events that really happened with imaginary events.
Error

17. Parallelism Review Exercises
Identify whether the following
sentence is correct.
However, hypnotic subjects can readily confuse real events with imaginary events.
Revision

18. Parallelism Review Exercises
Identify whether the following
sentence is correct.
Fear, stress, and feeling anxious seem to be factors in increasing physiological pain.
Error

19. Parallelism Review Exercises
Identify whether the following
sentence is correct.
Fear, stress, and anxiety seem to be factors in increasing physiological pain.
Revision

20. Parallelism Review Exercises
Identify whether the following
sentence is correct.
Hypnosis can quiet the mind by slowing heart rates, lowering respiration rates, and it reduces blood pressure.
Error

21. Parallelism Review Exercises
Identify whether the following
sentence is correct.
Hypnosis can quiet the mind by slowing heart rates, lowering respiration, and reducing blood pressure.
Revision

22. Any Questions?
Just ask!