Parallel structures include word or phrase patterns which are similar. When ideas inside a sentence or paragraph offer a similar experience, you are able to reinforce these similarities in meaning by creating parallel structures. Effective parallelism creates symmetry in sentences and adds pressure for your writing it emphasizes the likeness between several ideas.

Correct Form for Parallel Structures

The very first sentence below contains parallel structures the 2nd doesn’t.

The Writing Center needs Consultants who’re ambitious, who’re self-motivated, and who’re dedicated.

The Writing Center needs Consultants who’re ambitious, motivate themselves, and exhibit dedication.

Within the first example, the language who’re are repeated three occasions, forcing the language ambitious, self-motivated, and dedicated to become alike. Within the second example, who’re is sensible with ambitious, but are should be dropped for any readers to understand the next phrases within the sentence. When sentences are really parallel, and also the verbs are utilized the identical in every phrase, they don’t need to be repeated.

Repeating the verbs turns into a question of fashion and emphasis. Don’t get carried away with parallelism! Sentence 1 above may be mentioned, without an excessive amount of repetition:

The Writing Center needs tutors who’re ambitious, self-motivated, and dedicated.

Parallelism to explain Meaning

Jesse researches cell membranes and walls.

Is Jesse a biologist, or perhaps a biologist with an intention in interior planning? This revision helps make the meaning obvious:

Jesse researches cell membranes and cell walls.

Some Uses of Parallel Structures With

Products inside a series:

Being an artist, he came, colored, and sculpted.

I came I saw I overcome. Eat, drink, and become merry.

The musicians started not just to sing, but additionally to bop. Ask not what your country can perform for you personally ask you skill for the country. (John F. Kennedy)

White-colored chickens lay white-colored eggs, and brown chickens lay brown eggs therefore if white-colored cows give white-colored milk, do brown cows give chocolate milk?

Lists and Outlines:

The study had three primary goals: To uncover the reason for the condition. To propose a medicinal treatment. To document the prosperity of the therapy.

Note: While you write or improve your resume, make certain all of your listings are parallel:

Responsibilities incorporated. as the start of each description, or begin each description with verbs within the same tense: Researched, Conducted, Supervised, etc.