Parallel Structure in English Writing: English Grammar Guide

What Is Parallel Structure?

Parallel structure—also called parallelism—means using the same grammatical pattern for words, phrases, or clauses that have the same function. Keeping forms consistent improves clarity, balance, and rhythm.

• ✅ She likes reading, writing, and jogging.

• ❌ She likes to read, writing, and to jog.

The correct version aligns all items as gerunds (-ing forms). Parallelism is crucial in lists, comparisons, correlative conjunctions, and paired ideas.

Why Parallel Structure Matters

1. Clarity: Consistent patterns help readers process information quickly.

2. Rhythm and flow: Balanced structures sound smoother and more professional.

3. Emphasis and persuasion: Repetition of form highlights relationships and strengthens arguments.

Compare:

• ❌ The teacher said the students should complete their homework, studying for the test, and that they should clean the classroom.

• ✅ The teacher said the students should complete their homework, study for the test, and clean the classroom.

How to Build Parallel Structure

Identify items that belong together and match their forms.

Lists and Series

Use the same grammatical form for each item.

• ✅ She enjoys swimming, hiking, and cycling.

• ❌ She enjoys to swim, hiking, and to cycle.

Correlative Conjunctions

Correlatives require mirror structure: both…and, either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also.

• ✅ She is not only smart but also kind.

• ❌ She is not only smart but also has kindness.

• ✅ You can either call me or send a message.

• ❌ You can either call me or a message should be sent.

Comparisons with than and as

Match the forms on both sides.

• ✅ She is as talented in music as in science.

• ✅ He works harder than his colleagues.

• ❌ She is as talented in music as he plays basketball.

Paired Ideas with Coordinating Conjunctions

When joining ideas with and, or, or but, keep the grammar aligned.

• ✅ The company values innovation and creativity.

• ❌ The company values innovating and creativity.

• ✅ The manager wants to hire new staff and to increase productivity.

• ❌ The manager wants to hire new staff and increasing productivity.

Long or Complex Sentences

The longer the sentence, the more vital the pattern.

• ✅ The proposal aims to reduce costs, to improve efficiency, and to promote sustainability.

• ❌ The proposal aims to reduce costs, improving efficiency, and that sustainability will be promoted.

Common Parallelism Mistakes

Mixing Verb Forms

• ❌ She likes to dance, singing, and to travel.

• ✅ She likes to dance, to sing, and to travel.
  (Or: dancing, singing, and traveling.)

Mixing Nouns and Clauses

• ❌ His goals are success, to earn respect, and to inspire others.

• ✅ His goals are to succeed, to earn respect, and to inspire others.

Breaking the Pattern in Comparisons

• ❌ He is as talented in music as he plays basketball.

• ✅ He is as talented in music as in basketball.

Losing Parallelism After Prepositions

• ❌ The course focuses on grammar, on writing, and how to speak.

• ✅ The course focuses on grammar, writing, and speaking.

Shifting Point of View or Structure Mid-List

• ❌ The job requires attention to detail, being on time, and you must communicate well.

• ✅ The job requires attention to detail, punctuality, and good communication.

Parallel Structure Across Writing Contexts

Academic Writing

Parallelism clarifies organization and argument flow.

• ✅ This study examines how social media affects communication, how it shapes relationships, and how it influences mental health.

Business and Professional Writing

Parallel structure projects confidence and polish.

• ✅ Our mission is to deliver quality, to ensure reliability, and to exceed expectations.

• ✅ We will cut waste, streamline processes, and accelerate delivery.

Creative and Rhetorical Writing

Parallel patterns create memorable rhythm.

• ✅ “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

• ✅ “We will fight for justice. We will stand for equality. We will work for peace.”

Practical Tips to Master Parallelism

1. Scan for connectors: Words like and, or, but, than, as, and correlatives often signal where parallelism is needed.

2. Choose a form and stick to it: If you start with an infinitive (to + verb), keep all items as infinitives; if you start with gerunds, keep gerunds.

3. Read aloud: If a sentence feels lopsided or choppy, align the forms.

4. Use symmetry in bullet lists: Begin each bullet with the same part of speech (e.g., imperative verbs for action items).

5. Revise for brevity: Parallelism often reduces wordiness by removing extra helpers and repeated structures.

Before-and-After Examples

Advanced Moves: Parallelism Beyond the Sentence

Parallel structure can organize paragraphs and entire sections:

• Topic sentences: Begin each paragraph with a similarly structured line to foreground the argument.

• Headings: Use a consistent grammatical form in headings (e.g., all gerund phrases: Defining X, Applying X, Evaluating X).

• Calls to action: Align verbs for punch: Sign up, share, and start today.

Example paragraph starter set:

• We will standardize our processes.

• We will measure what matters.

• We will improve continuously.

Quick Diagnostic Checklist

• Do all items joined by and/or share the same form?

• Do both halves of either…or / not only…but also mirror each other?

• Are comparisons with as/than structurally consistent?

• After a preposition, do all objects match (nouns or gerunds)?

• If a sentence starts with an infinitive or gerund series, does it keep that pattern?

Mini Exercises (With Answers)

Exercise A: Make Each Sentence Parallel

1. She likes to cook, baking, and to dance.

2. He is responsible for managing the budget, team coordination, and to submit reports.

3. The new policy aims to reduce costs, improving productivity, and to promote fairness.

4. The course focuses on grammar, on writing, and how to speak.

5. The campaign will raise awareness, to mobilize volunteers, and fundraising.

Possible Answers

1. She likes to cook, to bake, and to dance. (Or: cooking, baking, and dancing.)

2. He is responsible for managing the budget, coordinating the team, and submitting reports.

3. The new policy aims to reduce costs, to improve productivity, and to promote fairness.

4. The course focuses on grammar, writing, and speaking.

5. The campaign will raise awareness, mobilize volunteers, and raise funds.

Conclusion

Parallel structure is more than a grammar rule; it’s a style strategy that delivers clarity, rhythm, and impact. By matching forms in lists, comparisons, and paired ideas, you guide readers smoothly through your message and make your writing more persuasive. Choose a pattern, keep it consistent, and your sentences—and paragraphs—will become sharper, tighter, and more memorable.

FAQs

What is parallel structure in English?

Parallel structure (parallelism) is the practice of expressing similar ideas in similar grammatical forms. When items in a series, comparisons, headings, or paired ideas follow the same pattern—such as all gerunds, all infinitives, or all independent clauses—readers process them more easily. For example: “She likes reading, writing, and jogging.” Keeping the pattern consistent reduces cognitive load and improves rhythm.

Why does parallel structure matter for clarity and style?

Parallelism increases clarity by aligning the form of each element, so readers do not have to re-parse changing patterns. It improves rhythm and balance, which makes sentences sound more professional and persuasive. In persuasive or instructional writing, parallelism highlights relationships and priorities, helping your audience remember key points.

How do I identify places where parallelism is required?

Scan for signals: coordinating conjunctions (and, or, but), correlative pairs (either…or, neither…nor, both…and, not only…but also), comparison markers (as, than), and prepositions followed by lists (in, on, with, for). Wherever ideas are grouped, ensure the grammatical forms match. Read sentences aloud; a “lopsided” rhythm often reveals broken parallelism.

What are the most common mistakes writers make?

Typical issues include mixing verb forms (to dance, singing, to travel), combining nouns with clauses (success, to earn respect, to inspire others), breaking the structure after prepositions (focuses on grammar, on writing, and how to speak), and mismatched comparisons (as talented in music as he plays basketball). Another frequent error is starting a list with one form and drifting into another.

How do I keep verbs parallel in lists?

Choose one form and stick with it. If you start with infinitives, continue with infinitives: “to plan, to prototype, to test.” If you start with gerunds, keep gerunds: “planning, prototyping, testing.” Do not mix them unless meaning requires a deliberate shift (rare). Parallel verb forms create a consistent cadence that supports readability.

How do correlative conjunctions enforce parallel structure?

Correlatives work in mirrored pairs, so the grammatical structure that follows each part should match. Examples: “She is not only creative but also diligent.” “You can either call or email.” Avoid mismatches like “not only creative but also has diligence,” which disrupts the mirror pattern and confuses the reader.

How does parallelism apply to comparisons with as and than?

Keep the structures on both sides aligned. “He writes more clearly than he speaks.” “She is as skilled in design as in research.” When the second element is implied, ensure the comparison remains logical and grammatically equivalent. Avoid switching from a phrase to a full clause without necessity.

How does parallel structure work after prepositions?

Objects of the same preposition should be the same form. “The workshop focuses on planning, drafting, and revising.” Avoid: “focuses on planning, to draft, and how to revise.” Keeping each object as a noun or gerund maintains clarity and keeps the reader oriented.

Can parallelism help reduce wordiness?

Yes. By choosing a single structure and trimming duplicated helpers or filler, parallelism often shortens sentences. Compare: “Our goals are to improve quality, to reduce costs, and to delight customers” versus a nonparallel alternative packed with extra words. Parallel forms eliminate redundancy and tighten prose.

What about parallel structure across sentences and headings?

Parallelism can organize paragraphs and sections. Start successive sentences with the same grammatical pattern to create momentum: “We will standardize… We will measure… We will improve…” Use consistent forms in headings (e.g., all gerunds: Defining X, Applying X, Evaluating X) to signal clear structure and support scanning.

How can I quickly diagnose and fix broken parallelism?

Step 1: Underline or list the series elements. Step 2: Label each element’s form (gerund, infinitive, noun phrase, clause). Step 3: Choose one form and revise outliers. Step 4: Read aloud to confirm rhythm. Example: “The policy aims to reduce costs, improving productivity, and to promote fairness.” Fix by aligning forms: “to reduce costs, to improve productivity, and to promote fairness.”

Are there times when breaking parallelism is acceptable?

Intentional breaks can serve rhetoric or nuance, but they must be purposeful and rare. For instance, an author may disrupt a pattern to foreground contrast or surprise. However, in academic, technical, and business writing, clarity typically outweighs stylistic experimentation; strong, consistent parallelism is usually the better choice.

What are some parallel and non-parallel examples I can model?

Non-parallel: “The job requires attention to detail, being on time, and you must communicate well.”
Parallel: “The job requires attention to detail, punctuality, and strong communication.”

Non-parallel: “She wanted to study medicine, law, and to become a teacher.”
Parallel: “She wanted to study medicine, to study law, and to become a teacher.”

Use these as templates when revising your own sentences.

How does parallelism interact with punctuation and lists?

In lists (bulleted or comma-separated), begin each item with the same part of speech and maintain tense and voice across items. Punctuation should simply separate items, not mask structural inconsistencies. In formal lists, consider leading with imperative verbs to keep items crisply aligned and action-oriented.

Does voice (active vs. passive) affect parallel structure?

Yes—voice should match within a parallel series. If you start items in the active voice (“We measured… We analyzed… We reported…”), avoid shifting to passive in the same list unless you change all items. Mixed voice can be as jarring as mixed verb forms.

What role does parallelism play in reader engagement and retention?

Patterns make ideas memorable. Parallel structures create a predictable rhythm that aids recall—especially in presentations, marketing copy, executive summaries, and thesis statements. When key points are delivered in parallel lines, audiences can paraphrase and quote them more easily.

Can parallelism improve my thesis, topic sentences, and calls to action?

Absolutely. For a thesis with three prongs, parallelism ensures each prong is framed similarly. Topic sentences written in a shared pattern cue the progression of ideas. Calls to action are more compelling when verbs align: “Sign up, share, and start today.” The symmetry signals purposeful design.

How do I teach myself to spot parallelism while drafting?

Adopt a “pattern-first” habit: any time you write two or more similar elements, pause and label the forms. Use checklists: Are items the same part of speech? Do correlatives mirror each other? Are comparisons equivalent? Over time, this becomes automatic, and your first drafts will be more parallel.

What quick exercises help me practice?

Try converting mixed-form lists into all-infinitive or all-gerund patterns; rewrite mismatched comparisons to balance both sides; and standardize bullet lists by starting each line with an imperative verb. Read model sentences aloud to internalize cadence. Set a two-minute “parallel pass” at the end of revisions.

Can you provide a short self-test with solutions?

1. She likes to cook, baking, and to dance.
2. He is responsible for managing the budget, team coordination, and to submit reports.
3. The new policy aims to reduce costs, improving productivity, and to promote fairness.

Possible fixes: (1) to cook, to bake, and to dance. (2) managing the budget, coordinating the team, and submitting reports. (3) to reduce costs, to improve productivity, and to promote fairness.

What final checklist should I use before publishing?

• Series check: Do all items joined by and/or share the same grammatical form?
• Correlatives check: Do structures mirror after either…or and not only…but also?
• Comparison check: Are elements on both sides of as/than balanced and equivalent?
• Preposition check: Are all objects after the same preposition aligned (all nouns or gerunds)?
• Voice/tense check: Are voice and tense consistent across items?
• Read-aloud check: Does the sentence have even rhythm without stumbles?

If each answer is “yes,” your writing is likely parallel, polished, and persuasive.

English Grammar Guide: Complete Rules, Examples, and Tips for All Levels