1. Parallel Structure
chomp!
chomp!

2. Parallel Structure Keeps Things in a Pattern
Helps readers follow what you are saying
Makes your writing CLEAR
DENOTATION: Repetition of a grammatical form within a sentence.

3. Parallel Structure Do I maintain parallelism with a participle?
Or should I use an infinitive?

4. What about using a prepositional phrase?

5. Examples of Parallelism

6. Ellen likes biking, playing Barbies, and swimming
GOOD

7. Ellen likes biking, to play Barbies, and she swam.
BAD

8. It needs to stay the same
Same tense
Swam, played, ran
Swim, play, run
Same form of verb
Swimming, playing, running
To swim, to play, to run

9. Items in a series must have parallel structure.
Parallelism looks like this:
Shane ,
, and .
Shane ,
, and .

10. Here is an example:
Shane ate the pizza, wiped his lips, and burped with contentment.
Ate = past tense verb; wiped = past tense verb; and burped = past tense verb.

11. The problem looks like this:
Shane ate the pizza, wiped his lips, and burping with contentment.
Now look what you’ve done! Ate and wiped = past tense verbs, but burping = present participle!

12. Parallelism with verb tenses
Sandy dressed up, puts on make-up, and is going to comb her hair.
Sandy dresses up, puts on make-up, and combs her hair.

13. Parallelism with Dependent Clauses
Is This Parallel?
Or is This Parallel?
The day ended as the sun set the cattle were returning, and as the bats awoke.
When everybody sang out loud, when everybody danced in beat, and when everybody moved in sync was what made the flash mob a success.

14. Parallelism with Prepositional Phrases
“I do not like green eggs and ham.”
Is This Parallel?
Or is This Parallel?
I do not like them in a den, with a hen, or a pen.
I do not like them on a house, on a mouse, on a louse, or on a blouse!

15. Parallelism with Infinitives
Is This Parallel?
Or is This Parallel?
Elvis Presley loved to sing, to play guitar, and to act.
Growing up, Evlis wanted to blend music genres, to combine influences, and blur racial barriers.

16. Parallelism with Participles
Or is This Parallel?
Is This Parallel?
The high key lighting, fast zooming, and fade are all cinematic elements Tim Burton uses.
The meddling mother, over powering father, and scheming friend are all characters Tim Burton uses in his films..

17. Parallelism with Gerunds
Or is This Parallel?
Is This Parallel?
Building the circus, collecting the strange shows, and creating mind blowing acts were part of his legacy.
Crying in the night, he ran around, and being a wolf were not high points in his career.

18. Sample Item
Directions: Choose the sentence that has no errors in structure.
Eileen bought new shoes for the party, a gold charm for her mother, and to treat her best friend Maria to lunch.
Eileen decided to buy new shoes for the party, purchasing a gold charm for her mother, and treating her best friend Maria to lunch.
Eileen purchased new shoes for the party, a gold charm for her mother, and lunch for Maria, her best friend.
Eileen bought new shoes for the party, a gold charm for her mother, and to treat her best friend Maria to lunch.
Eileen decided to buy new shoes for the party, purchasing a gold charm for her mother, and treating her best friend Maria to lunch.
Eileen purchased new shoes for the party, a gold charm for her mother, and lunch for Maria, her best friend.

19. Let’s see how you perform!
Quick Test, Part 1
Directions: In the items that follow, choose the sentence that has no errors in structure.
Let’s see how you perform!

20. Item 1
Barking dogs, kittens that were meowing, and squawking parakeets greet the pet shop visitors.
Barking dogs, meowing kittens, and squawking parakeets greet the pet shop visitors.
Dogs that bark, kittens that meow, and parakeets squawking greet the pet shop visitors.
Barking dogs, kittens that were meowing, and squawking parakeets greet the pet shop visitors.
Barking dogs, meowing kittens, and squawking parakeets greet the pet shop visitors.
Dogs that bark, kittens that meow, and parakeets squawking greet the pet shop visitors.

21. Item 2
During class, Samuel spent his time flirting with Brittney, eating candy, and doodling on the assignment sheet.
During class, Samuel spent his time flirting with Brittney, he ate candy, and doodling on the assignment sheet.
During class, Samuel spent his time to flirt with Brittney, to eat candy, and doodling on the assignment sheet.
During class, Samuel spent his time flirting with Brittney, eating candy, and doodling on the assignment sheet.
During class, Samuel spent his time flirting with Brittney, he ate candy, and doodling on the assignment sheet.
During class, Samuel spent his time to flirt with Brittney, to eat candy, and doodling on the assignment sheet.

22. Item 3
Alex looked everywhere for his math book— under the bed, on his desk, and he searched inside the refrigerator.
Alex looked everywhere for his math book— viewing under the bed, searching on his desk, and inside the refrigerator.
Alex looked everywhere for his math book— under the bed, on his desk, and inside the refrigerator.
Alex looked everywhere for his math book— under the bed, on his desk, and he searched inside the refrigerator.
Alex looked everywhere for his math book— viewing under the bed, searching on his desk, and inside the refrigerator.
Alex looked everywhere for his math book— under the bed, on his desk, and inside the refrigerator.

23. Item 4
The manager wanted staff who arrived on time, smiled at the customers, and didn’t snack on the chicken nuggets.
The manager wanted staff who arrived on time, would be smiling at the customers, and would not be snacking on the chicken nuggets.
The manager wanted staff who arrived on time, smiled at the customers, and no snacking on the chicken nuggets.
The manager wanted staff who arrived on time, smiled at the customers, and didn’t snack on the chicken nuggets.
The manager wanted staff who arrived on time, would be smiling at the customers, and would not be snacking on the chicken nuggets.
The manager wanted staff who arrived on time, smiled at the customers, and no snacking on the chicken nuggets.

24. Item 5
After giving Jeremy her phone number, Felicia had to tolerate his late night calls, stupid conversations, and requests for her math homework.
After giving Jeremy her phone number, Felicia had to tolerate his late night calls, the fact that he carried on stupid conversations, and requests for her math homework.
After giving Jeremy her phone number, Felicia had to tolerate being woken up late at night, having stupid conversations, and he constantly requested her math homework.
After giving Jeremy her phone number, Felicia had to tolerate his late night calls, stupid conversations, and requests for her math homework.
After giving Jeremy her phone number, Felicia had to tolerate his late night calls, the fact that he carried on stupid conversations, and requests for her math homework.
After giving Jeremy her phone number, Felicia had to tolerate being woken up late at night, having stupid conversations, and he constantly requested her math homework.

25. Now try a different type!
Quick Test, Part 2
Directions: In the items that follow, choose the correct word or phrase within the context suggested by the sentence.
Now try a different type!

26. Item 6
Pasta boiling in water, __________, and garlic bread baking in the oven welcomed Francisco as he opened the door.
simmered tomato sauce in the pan
tomato sauce simmering in the pan
tomato sauce that simmered in the pan
saucy tomatoes that were simmering in the pan
Pasta boiling in water, __________, and garlic bread baking in the oven welcomed Francisco as he opened the door.
simmered tomato sauce in the pan
tomato sauce simmering in the pan
tomato sauce that simmered in the pan
saucy tomatoes that were simmering in the pan

27. Item 7
During our vacation in the Bahamas, we hope __________, to enjoy beautiful sunsets, and to dance ourselves dizzy at reggae clubs.
that we eat delicious seafood
that eating delicious seafood occurs
to eat delicious seafood
eating delicious seafood
During our vacation in the Bahamas, we hope __________, to enjoy beautiful sunsets, and to dance ourselves dizzy at reggae clubs.
that we eat delicious seafood
that eating delicious seafood occurs
to eat delicious seafood
eating delicious seafood

28. Item 8
Karen wished Ray chewed with his mouth closed, for otherwise he was everything she wanted in a date; he was tall, intelligent, and __________.
he looked good
being good looking
one handsome man to look at
handsome
Karen wished Ray chewed with his mouth closed, for otherwise he was everything she wanted in a date; he was tall, intelligent, and __________.
he looked good
being good looking
one handsome man to look at
handsome

29. Item 9
To win Laurie’s love, Albert visited the florist for roses, the drugstore for a box of chocolates, and __________.
bought an expensive gold necklace at the jewelry store
the jeweler for an expensive gold necklace
the jeweler where he bought an expensive gold necklace
to buy an expensive gold necklace
To win Laurie’s love, Albert visited the florist for roses, the drugstore for a box of chocolates, and __________.
bought an expensive gold necklace at the jewelry store
the jeweler for an expensive gold necklace
the jeweler where he bought an expensive gold necklace
to buy an expensive gold necklace

30. Item 10
Kimberly won’t date Terry because he is too short, too noisy, and _________.
because he picks his teeth with his fingers
too impolite
is the most impolite man she has ever met
Picking his teeth with his fingers
Kimberly won’t date Terry because he is too short, too noisy, and _________.
because he picks his teeth with his fingers
too impolite
is the most impolite man she has ever met
Picking his teeth with his fingers

31. Wow…I think you’ve got it!
chomp!
chomp!

32. The End.