How to Fix Parallel Structure

To produce clear, logical writing, you need to ensure that every part of every sentence is grammatically correct. Sure, your ideas might make sense even with an error or two thrown in. But you won’t achieve truly excellent prose without taking care of the details. One detail you should always keep an eye on is parallel structure, which can elevate your writing from adequate to outstanding. Parallel structure is easy to do incorrectly--but, lucky for you, it’s also very easy to fix. Read on to learn how to fix parallel structure.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Pen and paper
• Computer
• Your writing

1. Understand the concept of parallel structure. Parallel structure is the presentation of multiple ideas in an equal way. Without it, your writing will come across as both sloppy and confusing. Here is an example of correct parallel structure: “Whit’s favorite weekend activities include going to movies, cooking big meals, calling friends and hanging out with his cat.” This sentence presents multiple items--the things Whit likes to do--equally, with each item structured identically.
2. Make sure lists of words or phrases are parallel. In the above example, Whit’s favorite activities are all gerunds (nouns ending in –ing). Look what happens when structure fails to be parallel: “Whit’s favorite weekend activities include movies, cooking big meals, calling friends and his cat.” Reading this sentence is jarring--nothing seems to match--and confusing: is he calling his cat as well as his friends? If you find a list of items in your work that is not parallel, simply rewrite each item so that they all have the same form.
3. Parallel structure is particularly important when you use paired words like “neither…nor” or “both…and.” Take a look at this example: “Loulie neither wanted to eat nor shop.” With “neither…nor,” you should make sure that the words or phrases that fall after each part are equal. In this case, “wanted to eat” and “shop” are not equal. Why? Consider the sentence’s meaning: Loulie, an indecisive girl, did not want to eat or shop. In other words: “Loulie wanted neither to eat nor to shop.” You could also say: “Loulie wanted to neither eat nor shop.” Both are correct, since both have equal elements after “neither” and “nor.”
4. Make bulleted, numbered or lettered lists and outlines parallel. A mark of a sophisticated, conscientious writer is paying attention to parallel structure even among groups of sentences. For example, all the items in a list should start with a capital letter (or not), and all should end with a period (or not).
5. Keep parallel structure in mind when you revise your work. Going through and circling sentences using “neither…nor” or “both…and” can help, as can watching out for a series of items separated with commas. In all these cases, double-check that your structure is parallel.

Tips & Warnings

• When you revise, keep a close eye out for words that signal the need for parallel structure, such as coordinating conjunctions (and, or, but, yet) and correlative conjunctions (neither/nor, either/or), as well as bulleted or numbered lists.