Parallelism

Parallelism • It is an important element in

English writing, especially when you are listing, comparing and contrasting items or ideas.

What does Parallelism mean?

• It means that each item in a list or comparison follows the same grammatical pattern.

• SO if you are writing a list and the 1st item in your list is a noun, write the following items as nouns also.

• If the 1st item is an –ing word, make all others –ing words.

• If it is an adverb clause, make all the others adverb clauses.

• In other words:Use The same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. This can happen at three levels:

• Word• Phrase• Clause

Words and Phrases

Not Parallel:

Mary likes hiking, swimming, and to ride a bicycle.

Parallel: Mary likes hiking, swimming, and riding a bicycle.

More Examples: Words & Phrases

Not Parallel: The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and in a detailed manner.

Parallel: The production manager was asked to write his report quickly, accurately, and thoroughly.

The language skills of the students in the evening classes are the same as the day classes.

The language skills of the students in the evening classes are the same as the language skills of the students in the day classes.(The items are both noun phrases)

* The language skills of the students in the evening classes are the same as those of the students in the day classes.

The students who do well attend class, they do their homework, and practice speaking in English.

The students who do well attend class, do their homework, and practice speaking in English. (The items are all verbs +complements)

ClausesParallel structure that begins with clauses must continue on with clauses.

Not Parallel:

The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and to do some warm-up exercises before the game.

Parallel:The coach told the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat too much, and that they should do some warm-up exercises before the game

• The teacher wanted to know which country we came from and our future goals.

• The teacher wanted to know which country we came from and what our future goals were.

(The items are both noun clauses)

Notes about Parallelism:• All the words in the 1st item do not always

have to be repeated in the second. You may repeat all or some of the words, depending on what you wish to emphasize.

• The following are both correct:Before you write a paper or before you take a test, you must organize your thoughts.Before you write a paper or take a test, you must organize your thoughts.

Parallelism with coordinators: And, Or, But

• The Federal Air Pollution Control Administration regulates automobile exhausts, and the Federal Aviation Administration makes similar regulations for aircraft.

• The states regulate the noise created by motor vehicles but not by commercial aircraft.

• Pesticides cannot be sold if they have a harmful effect on humans, on animal life, or on the environment.

Parallelism with correlative (Paired) conjunctions

• Both……..and• Either …….or • Neither …….nor• Not only ………but also.

* Paired conjunctions are placed directly before the elements they join in the sentence.

• Both…andYou should both enter the date and the time. {Both is followed by a verb (enter) and is followed by a noun (the time)}

You should enter both the date and the time.{Both and and are followed by a noun}Which is correct?

Either…or

• faulty:• Students must either register by phone or by email.

[either is followed by a verb phrase (register by phone);or is followed by a prepositional phrase (by email)]

correct:• You must register either by phone or by email.

[either and or are followed by a prepositional phrase] •

neither…nor

faulty:• Neither a money withdrawal nor making a bill

payment is difficult with the new system.[neither is followed by a noun; nor is followed by an –ing phrase]

•correct:

• Neither a money withdrawal nor a bill payment is difficult with the new system.[neither and nor are followed by nouns]

not only…but also

faulty:• It is important to not only know the law but also to follow

it. [not only is followed by the second part of an infinitive (know); but also is followed by a complete infinitive (to follow)]

•correct:

• It is important not only to know the law but also to follow it. [not only and but also are followed by a complete infinitive]

Exercises

• Check the book pages : 181 – 183

Sentence Problems

1

Sentence fragments?

• They are incomplete sentences or parts of sentences.

• Remember that a complete sentence must contain at least one main or independent clause.

Examples:

• Because some students work part-time while taking a full load of classes.

?????

Problem

• Because some students work part-time while taking a full load of classes.

• This is a dependent clause.• It begins with a subordinator (because). • It doesn’t express a complete thought because

there is no independent clause.

Solution1- Add an independent clause.Because some students work part-time while taking a full load of courses, they have very little free time. 2-Delete the subordinator (because).Some students work part-time while taking a full load of classes. *check more examples in your book p. 184

2

Choppy sentences

• Are sentences that are too short.

Why avoid choppy sentences?

• Overuse of short sentences is considered poor style in academic writing.

• Many short sentences in succession make it appear that a writer is incapable of sustaining a complex thought. Rather than small, choppy sentences, construct ones that have some weight and depth.

Note:• Short sentences can be effective in certain

situations. For instance, when you want to make an impact, use a short sentence.

ExampleDespite countless doctors warnings, news stories, and magazine articles about the importance of eating a nutritious, balanced diet, many people resist developing healthy eating habits. Some people just like junk food. (A sentence of 25 words is followed by one of 6 words. The 2nd sentence has greater impact because it is so short.)

Solution• Choppy sentences are easy to correct. Just

combine 2 or 3 short sentences together. • => turn them into 1 compound or complex

sentence. • How to decide whether to use a compound or

a complex sentence?

How to decide?

• Based on whether the ideas in the short sentences are (=) equal or whether one idea is dependent on the other.

• But what’s the difference between a compound & a complex sentence?

A Compound sentence

• contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator. The coordinators are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. )

Example:• I tried to speak Spanish, and my friend tried to

speak English.

A complex sentence has an independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses. A complex sentence always has a subordinator such as because, since, after, although, or when (and many others) or a relative pronoun such as that, who, or which.

Examples:

• The teacher returned the homework after she noticed the error.

• The students are studying because they have a test tomorrow.

1-If the sentences express =ideas.Both sentences present the main idea.• Use coordination to combine them.(for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)

• Similar or equal idea (.……)• Negative equal idea (……..)• Opposite idea (…….)• Alternative possibility (…...)• Surprising continuation (…….)• Expected result (…..) • Reason (……)

• Similar or equal idea => and• Negative equal idea => nor• Opposite idea => but • Alternative possibility => or • Surprising continuation=> yet• Expected result => so • Reason => For

2- If the sentences express ≠ ideas./ one idea is less important than the other. Use subordination to combine them {because, since, after, although, or when (and many others) or a relative pronoun such as that, who, or which.}

Subordination • Time when, after, as soon as,…etc.• Reason because, since, as.• Contrast although, whereas,..etc.• Descriptive Information who, which, that, etc.

Example 1

• Wind is and enduring source of power. Water is also an unlimited energy source. Dams produce hydraulic power. They have existed for a long time. Windmills are relatively new.

Better

• Both wind and water are enduring sources of power. Dams have produced hydraulic power for a long time, but windmills are relatively new.

Example 2• We must find new sources of energy.

Natural sources of energy are decreasing. Solar energy is a promising new source of energy. Solar energy is energy from the sun.

Better• We must find new sources of energy because

natural sources of energy are dwindling. Solar energy, which is energy from the sun, is a promising new source.

• **Check the book p.186-187 for more examples and details on improving choppy sentences.

3

&

Comma Splice

Why is it wrong?

Example

My family went to Australia then they emigrated to Canada. => Run-on

My family went to Australia, then they emigrated to Canada. => Comma Splice

How to correct the two sentences?

1- Add a period:My family went to Australia. Then they emigrated to Canada.

2- Add a semicolon:

My family went to Australia; then they emigrated to Canada.

3- Add a coordinator:My family went to Australia, and then they emigrated to Canada.

4- Add a subordinator: My family went to Australia before they emigrated to Canada.

After My family went to Australia, they emigrated to Canada.

Exercises: *check book p.189-190

4

What is a stringy sentence?

• It is a sentence with too many clauses, usually connected with and, but, so, and sometimes because.

• It often results from writing the way you speak, going on and on like a string without an end.

How to correct a stringy sentence?

• Divide it • And / or recombine the clauses,

remembering to subordinate when appropriate.

• Many students attend classes all morning, and then they work all afternoon, and they also have to study at night, so they are usually exhausted by the weekend.

Improved Many students attend classes all morning, and then they work all afternoon, and they also have to study at night, so they are usually exhausted by the weekend. => Improved • Many students attend classes all morning and

work all afternoon. Since they also have to study at night, they are usually exhausted by the weekend.

• Many students attend classes all morning, and then they work all afternoon, and they also have to study at night, so they are usually exhausted by the weekend.

Improved• Many students attend classes all morning,

work all afternoon, and study at night, they are usually exhausted by the weekend.

• Also check this Prezi presentation on sentence problems ;)

• http://prezi.com/0oo0eozcqjrx/understanding-sentence-problems/

• Check book p.191 for exercises on stringy sentences.