A Grammar Guide
Sometimes when we review our own writing or the writing of a peer, we notice that some phrases seem “awkward.” It’s not always easy to detect just why the sentence is a little strange, but quite often the cause is simply a flaw in parallel structure.
Parallel Structure occurs when all parts of a sentence “match.” If you think about it in terms of balance, a nonparallel structure will feel a little lopsided. If you have more of a mathematical mind, a parallel structure can be related to the balanced algebraic equation—something that is even on both sides.
First, we need to familiarize ourselves with parts of speech: the job any given word has when it is used in a sentence.
- Noun: Names a person, place, or thing (Mom, Detroit, water)
- Verb: Names an action(run, thinking, was)
- Adjective: Describes a noun (green, kind, handsome)
- Adverb: Describes a verb (quickly, closely, fully)
- Preposition: Describes position or placement(of, toward, around)
- Conjunction: Brings words and phrases together(and, or, so)
Further, parts of speech can be extended into entire phrases. A phrase is a group of words that functions as a unit.
- Noun Phrase: “whispering people”
- Verb Phrase: “walking through the forest”
- Prepositional Phrase: “between the tall buildings”
Flaws in parallel structure are easiest to find in sentences that include a comparison, list, or series. For example:
“We bought milk, eggs, and went to the bakery for bread.”
This would not be parallel because the first two items are nouns while the last is a verb phrase. The sentence can be made parallel in a few ways:
- “We bought milk, eggs, and bread.” Making all the items in the list all nouns
- “We visited the market for milk, traveled to the farm for eggs, and drove to the bakery for bread.” Making all the items in the list all verb phrases
- “We went to the market for milk, to the farm for eggs, and to the bakery for bread” Making all the items in the list all prepositional phrases
Pro Tip: As you proof read, keep an eye out for sentences that use conjunctions, (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) and make sure those sentences are parallel. Since you are using a conjunction, you are bringing two or more ideas together, and it’s important to make sure those ideas are balanced!
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