Parallelism

Parallel Structure Errors--Related parts of a sentence must be in the same form.

"I like skiing, snorkeling, and to fish." (wrong because skiing, snorkeling, and fishing are related parts of a list and must be in the same form.)

Transition Errors--The proper transition must be used to join two independent clauses to form a complete sentence.

"I like pizza and Sue doesn't." (wrong because we are drawing a distinction between two things— "but" should be used instead of "and")

Which sentence is parallel?

A. She enjoys singing, to paint, and dancing.

B. She enjoys singing, painting, and dancing.

B — all the verbs use the -ing form, which keeps the structure smooth and consistent.

Which version is correctly parallel?

A. The manager expected us to arrive early, finishing reports on time, and that we clean the office.

B. The manager expected us to arrive early, to finish reports on time, and to clean the office.

B— uses “to + verb” form consistently for all items in the list.

Which sentence is parallel?

A. The project requires attention to detail, working efficiently, and that deadlines are met.

B. The project requires attention to detail, efficiency in work, and meeting deadlines.

B— everything is a noun phrase or gerund, creating a smooth, parallel structure.

A. Not only did she organize the event, but she also handled the invitations and coordinating transportation.

B. Not only did she organize the event, but she also handled the invitations and coordinated transportation

B — all actions are in past tense verb form: organized, handled, coordinated