Notes and Practice

Parallel structure: • Used to express equal or related ideas in a

similar way

• Is poetic

• Catches the ear or eye of listeners or readers

The first word of each item should be the

same part of speech. • (all adjectives, all verbs, etc)

Job Responsibilities: • Plan lessons

• Make copies

• Organize classroom

What pattern does this list follow?

_______________________________

Rewrite these lists with parallel structure:

This summer I: • Went to Colorado

• Ate sushi for the first time

• School shopping

I enjoy • Hiking

• Skiing in Colorado

• Running

• Movies

Lists

I have • high expectations

• to channel my energy

• big goals

Sentences with parallel structure

repeatedly uses the same grammatical

structure for a list of ideas:

• Adjectives with adjectives

Ex: My English teacher is short, blonde, and excited.

• Phrases with phrases

Ex: I already started my outside reading assignment

by asking Mrs. White for a book idea, choosing one of

the books she suggested, and checking the book out

from the library.

• Clauses with clauses

Ex: Mrs. Brull reminded us that she doesn’t allow

anything to go airborne in her classroom and that she

is sensitive to strong smells.

Infinitives • to + verb

• I like to eat ice cream and to ride my bike.

Gerunds • -ed or –ing verb that functions as a noun

• Running and swimming are my two favorite

forms of exercise.

Participles • -ed or –ing verb that functions as an adjective

• Flailing my arms and screaming my head off, I

tried to get my teacher’s attention.

Prepositional Phrases • Prepostion plus an object (and other related

words)

• My teacher would croak if she knew I wiped

boogers under the desk and on the wall.

Noun Clauses • Include a relative pronoun, subject, and verb.

• Function as a noun (can be replaced with “it” or

“that”).

• My husband wanted to know who was at the door

and what they wanted.

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Rewrite the sentence with parallel

structure:

The best music is loud, fun, and you can

dance to it.

Rewrite the sentence with parallel

structure:

Tomorrow afternoon I will shop for

groceries, eat lunch with my brother, and

be running all sorts of errands.

Rewrite the sentence with parallel

structure:

That book we read for class was really

long, wordy, and didn’t make any sense.

Use correlative conjunctions • either/or

• both/and

• not only/but also

I could either take a nap or go to the

store.

My cat likes both to scratch my face and

to sleep on it.

Place correlative conjunctions directly before the items being compared for maximum clarity. • After the verb, not before it

DO This: The tornado destroyed not only

the shed behind the store but also the water tower across the street.

NOT This: The tornado not only destroyed the shed behind the store but also the water tower across the street.

Rewrite the sentences with parallel

structure:

Jamie either wants to eat at Olive Garden

or she wouldn’t mind going to the mall.

Rewrite the sentences with parallel

structure:

Shane both wants a good grade and to

slack off in class.

Rewrite the sentences with parallel

structure:

I not only am disgusted with that song’s

lyrics but also trying to understand them.

Auto-Bio Poem • All about you

• Parallel Structure

I am • Studying with a quirky Australian Professor

• Training for my third half marathon

• Teaching at Mulvane High School

Auto-Bio Poem • All about you

• Parallel Structure

I am • Studying with a quirky Australian Professor

• Training for my third half marathon

• Teaching at Mulvane High School

What pattern does this list follow?

_______________________________

You try.

I am • ____________________________________________

• ____________________________________________

• ____________________________________________

What pattern does this list follow?

_______________________________

You try.

I have never • ____________________________________________

• ____________________________________________

• ____________________________________________

What pattern does this list follow?

_______________________________

You try.

I will • ____________________________________________

• ____________________________________________

• ____________________________________________

What pattern does this list follow?

_______________________________