Parallel Structure
Items in a list or comparison must be in the same grammatical form.
The rules
- In a series, match the forms: running, swimming and biking (not running, swimming and to bike).
- With pairs such as both/and, either/or, not only/but also, the words that follow each part must match.
- In comparisons, compare like with like: the climate of Alaska is colder than that of Texas.
- Read the list aloud. The item that sounds off is usually the one that breaks the pattern.
Watch out: Changing form halfway through a list. If two items start with -ing, the third should too.
Worked example
She likes hiking, swimming, and to ride bikes. Fix the list.
- The first two items end in -ing.
- "To ride bikes" breaks the pattern.
- Change it to "riding bikes."
Answer: She likes hiking, swimming, and riding bikes.
Try it yourself
Practice questions for this skill are for signed-in students. A free account is all you need.