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What Is Parallelism

Parallelism is when phrases in a sentence have similar or have the same grammatical structure. In its most basic usage, parallelism provides a phrase with balance and clarity. Parallelism also serves to give phrases a pattern and rhythm and makes writing effective, classy and clear.

How to ensure parallelism in writing?

Lack of parallelism results in lack of rhythm and pattern in writing and speech. To attain parallelism in writing, writer must use same structure in a sentence of multiple clauses and phrases.


Example:

  • I need you to first water the plants, and then feed the dogs. For the last thing, I need you to put dinner in the oven.
  • This example lists three tasks in chronological order. In order to clarify this, find the parallel elements. There are two potential types of parallelism. First, the tasks are parallel: “water the plants,” “feed the dogs,” and “I need you to put the dinner in the oven.” Secondly, the timing is parallel with the time markers “first,” “then,” and “the last thing.” Adjust these phrases to be grammatically parallel:

Sentence with Parallel Structure

I need you to first water the plants, then feed the dogs, and lastly make the dinner.

This usage of parallelism lists the tasks in a simpler and clearer way:

I need you to first (adverb) water the plants (verb and object), then (adverb) feed the dogs (verb and object), and lastly (adverb) make the dinner (verb and object).

Rules of parallelism

Parallelism is used to balance nouns with nouns, prepositional phrases with prepositional phrases, participles with participles, infinitives with infinitives, clauses with clauses.

1. Parallelism is used with elements joined by coordinating conjunctions.


Example:

  • My mother likes cooking and to read. (Not Parallel)
  • My mother likes cooking and reading. (Parallel)
  • My mother likes to cook and read. (Parallel)

2. Parallelism is used with elements in lists or in a series.


Example:

  • This task can be done individually, in pairs, or can be done in groups of four. (Not Parallel)
  • This task can be done individually, in pairs, or in groups of four. (Parallel)

3. Parallelism is used with elements being compared.


Example:

  • She is mad about watching TV more than to read a book. (Not Parallel)
  • She is mad about watching TV more than reading a book. (Parallel)

4. Parallelism is used with elements joined by a linking verb or a form of be


Example:

  • To learn is understanding the world. (Not Parallel)
  • To learn is to understand the world. (Parallel)

5. Parallelism is used with elements joined by linking words.


Example:

  • The teacher not only wants his students to keep quiet but also doing the task. (Not Parallel)
  • The teacher wants his students not only to keep quiet but also to do the task. (Parallel)

6. Verb Forms should be same.


Example:

  • Nancy likes playing the piano, to blow the trumpet and beat the drum. (Not parallel, different verb forms are used)
  • Nancy likes playing the piano, blowing the trumpet and beating the drum. (Parallel)
  • Nancy likes to play the piano, blow the trumpet and beat the drum. (Parallel)
  • Either Gerund should be used or to-infinitive should be used.
  • We do not need to repeat ‘to’ to avoid redundancy and interruption.

7. Nouns vs. Verbs


Example:

  • My favourite breakfast is pancakes and to boil beans. (Not parallel; Pancakes is a noun but to boil is a verb.)
  • My favourite breakfast is pancakes and beans. (Parallel, both are noun)

    • Or

  • My favourite breakfast is baked pancakes and boiled beans. (Parallel because verb is added before both nouns)

8. Noun Number should be same.


Example:

  • Leaves and a flower are parts of a plant. (Not parallel)
  • Leaves and flowers are parts of a plant. (Parallel)

9. Subject matter should be relevant.

Parallelism in subject matter means that everything discussed in a sentence should have at least some amount of clarity and relatedness. In addition, connection must be clear.


Example:

  • He decided to cover the gown in sequins, and had a steak for dinner. (Not parallel, as tasks mentioned are not related to each other)
  • He decided to cover the gown in sequins; later, had a steak for dinner. (Relevance in terms of sequence of tasks)

10. Parallelism to create impact

In rhetoric, in the world of literature and speeches, or anytime to sound more empowered and want to create an impact parallelism is one of very good technique to do so. It involves one or more sentences with similar structures to produce a pattern of repetition and balance.


Example:

  • No pain, no gain. — Common saying
  • Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced. (James Baldwin)
  • I came, I saw, I conquered.