Parallelism<\/span> is the presentation of ideas of equal weight in the same grammatical fashion. It\u2019s one of those features of writing that\u2019s a matter of grammar, style, rhetoric, and content. Used well, it can enhance your readers\u2019 (and even your own) understanding and appreciation of a topic. You\u2019ll encounter parallelism in politics, advertising, religion, and poetry:<\/p>\n\n Here are a couple of examples of sentences in need of parallelism:<\/p>\n\n Parallelism is most often an issue with paired ideas and items in a series as shown in the preceding two examples. A key idea to keep in mind is that you need to use common wording with both items, such as common articles (e.g., the<\/em>, a<\/em>, an<\/em>) and common prepositions (e.g., by<\/em>, for<\/em>, of<\/em>, on<\/em>, to<\/em>). The next two subsections provide more in-depth discussion of these two concepts.<\/p>\n\n In a sentence, paired items or ideas are often connected with either a comparative expression (e.g., easier than<\/em>, as much as<\/em>, bigger than<\/em>), a coordinated conjunction (e.g., and<\/em>, but<\/em>, for<\/em>, nor<\/em>, or<\/em>, so<\/em>, yet<\/em>), or a correlative conjunction (e.g., both\u2026and<\/em>, either\u2026or<\/em>, just as\u2026so<\/em>, neither\u2026nor<\/em>, not\u2026but<\/em>, not only\u2026but also<\/em>, whether\u2026or<\/em>). Read the following error examples<\/strong>. Think of a way to correct each sentence. Then look below the error to see possible corrections<\/em>. Note that you can usually correct each error in more than one way.<\/p>\n\n Our neighbor\u2019s house is bigger than the size of our house.<\/strong><\/p>\n Possible Corrections:<\/p>\n Our neighbor\u2019s house is bigger than our house.<\/em><\/p>\n OR<\/p>\n The size of our neighbor\u2019s house is bigger than the size of our house.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n Louie, my crazy black lab, loves running after Frisbees and plays with leaves.<\/strong><\/p>\n Possible Corrections:<\/p>\n Louie, my crazy black lab, loves running after Frisbees and playing with leaves.<\/em><\/p>\n OR<\/p>\n Louie, my crazy black lab, loves to run after Frisbees and to play with leaves.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n Not only was he rude, but also ate all the shrimp balls.<\/strong><\/p>\n Possible Corrections:<\/p>\n Not only was he rude, but also he ate all the shrimp balls.<\/em><\/p>\n OR<\/p>\n Not only was he rude, but he also ate all the shrimp balls.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Items in a series include ideas embedded in a sentence as well as those in numbered or bulleted lists. One way to check for parallelism is to say the sentence stem that precedes the first item and then, one at a time, add each subsequent series item to the stem. Assuming the stem works with the first item, subsequent items that do not work with the stem are not parallel with the first item.<\/p>\n\n After I get off work, I\u2019m driving to the gym, doing five miles, and weights.<\/strong><\/p>\n Stem prior to the first item: After I get off work, I\u2019m\u2026<\/p>\n Stem works with the first item: After I get off work, I\u2019m driving to the gym.<\/p>\n Stem works with the second item: After I get off work, I\u2019m doing five miles.<\/p>\n Stem does not work with the third item: After I get off work, weights.<\/p>\n A version of the sentence that is parallel: After I get off work, I\u2019m driving to the gym, running five miles, and lifting weights.<\/p>\n Now stem does work with the third item: After I get off work, I\u2019m lifting weights.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Example:<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n If you take the most impressive or startling item in a series and place it last, you can draw attention to it as well as to the whole series. Look at the difference in the following two sentences.<\/p>\n\n Most impressive item last: In the accident, he received cuts on his face, a mild concussion, a cracked rib, and a ruptured spleen.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Exercise 1<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n 1. Indicate whether relevant parts of each sentence are parallel. Then rewrite the problem sentences to make them parallel.<\/p>\n\n Subordination and coordination are used to clarify the relative level of importance or the relationship between and among words, phrases, or clauses within sentences. You can use subordination to arrange sentence parts of unequal importance and coordination to convey the idea that sentence parts are of equal importance.<\/p>\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/bmR90RghgUE\n Subordination allows you to convey differences in importance between details within a sentence. You can use the technique within a single sentence or to combine two or more smaller sentences. You should always present the most important idea in an independent clause and use dependent clauses and phrases to present the less important ideas. Start each dependent clause with a subordinating conjunction (e.g., after<\/em>, because<\/em>, by the time<\/em>, even though<\/em>, if<\/em>, just in case<\/em>, now that<\/em>, once<\/em>, only if<\/em>, since<\/em>, though<\/em>, unless<\/em>, until<\/em>, when<\/em>, whether<\/em>, while<\/em>) or a relative pronoun (e.g., that<\/em>, what<\/em>, whatever<\/em>, which<\/em>, whichever<\/em>, who<\/em>, whoever<\/em>, whom<\/em>, whomever<\/em>, whose<\/em>). These starters signal the reader that the idea is subordinate. Here\u2019s a sentence that uses a relative pronoun to convey subordination:<\/p>\n\n The core idea is that I will either come to your house or meet you at the gym. The fact that you\u2019ll choose whichever option works best for you is subordinate, set apart with the relative pronoun \u201cwhichever.\u201d<\/p>\n In the next example, two smaller sentences are combined using the subordinating conjunction \u201cbecause\u201d:<\/p>\n\n You will want to avoid two common subordination mistakes: placing main ideas in subordinate clauses or phrases and placing too many subordinate ideas in one sentence.<\/p>\n\n Here\u2019s an example of a sentence that subordinates the main idea:<\/p>\n\n The problem here is that main idea is embedded in a subordinate clause. Instead of focusing on the distinctive features of the LoDo neighborhood, the sentence makes it appear as if the main idea is the neighborhood\u2019s location in Denver. Here\u2019s a revision:<\/p>\n\n A sentence with too many subordinated ideas is confusing and difficult to read.<\/p>\n\n Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n\n And here\u2019s a possible revision:<\/p>\n\n Some sentences have two or more equal ideas. You can use coordination to show a common level of importance among parts of a sentence, such as subjects, verbs, and objectsw.<\/p>\n\n Subject example:<\/strong> Both green beans<\/span> and asparagus<\/span> are great with grilled fish.<\/p>\n Verb example:<\/strong> We neither talked<\/span> nor laughed<\/span> during the whole two hours.<\/p>\n Object example:<\/strong> Machine embroidery combines the beauty of high-quality stitching<\/span> and the expediency of modern technology<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The underlined ideas within each sentence carry equal weight within their individual sentences. As examples of coordination, they can be connected with coordinating conjunctions (and<\/em>, but<\/em>, for<\/em>, nor<\/em>, or<\/em>, so<\/em>, yet<\/em>) or correlative conjunctions (both\u2026and<\/em>, either\u2026or<\/em>, just as\u2026so<\/em>, neither\u2026nor<\/em>, not\u2026but<\/em>, not only\u2026but also<\/em>, whether\u2026or<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n You likely use subordination and coordination automatically. For example, if you say that something happened (e.g., Dale broke his leg while sledding) because of something else (e.g., he broke his leg when he sledded into a tree), you can use separate sentences, or you can use subordination within one sentence.<\/p>\n\n Ideas presented in two sentences: Dale broke his leg while sledding this weekend. His leg broke when the sled hit a tree.<\/p>\n Ideas presented in one sentence using subordination: This weekend, Dale broke his leg when his sled hit a tree. [Dale broke his leg is the main idea. The fact that it happened when the sled hit a tree is the subordinated idea.]<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n A natural way to use coordination is, for example, to discuss two things you plan to do on vacation. You can present the two ideas in separate sentences or in one sentence using coordination to signal equal emphases.<\/p>\n\n Ideas presented in two sentences: I\u2019m planning to see the Statue of Liberty while I\u2019m in New York. I\u2019m also going to go to a Broadway play.<\/p>\n Ideas presented in one sentence using coordination: While I\u2019m in New York, I am planning to see the Statue of Liberty and go to a Broadway play.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Exercise 2<\/p>\n\n<\/header>\n When revising your paper, checking to be sure that your ideas are properly aligned can help to strengthen your argument. Using parallelism to show that certain things or ideas are equal to each other is one way to enhance alignment in your paper. Proper subordination and coordination of ideas also helps align ideas properly in your paper.<\/p>\n Parallelism<\/span> is the presentation of ideas of equal weight in the same grammatical fashion. It\u2019s one of those features of writing that\u2019s a matter of grammar, style, rhetoric, and content. Used well, it can enhance your readers\u2019 (and even your own) understanding and appreciation of a topic. You\u2019ll encounter parallelism in politics, advertising, religion, and poetry:<\/p>\n\n \t
Making Paired Items Parallel<\/h2>\n
Making Items in a Series Parallel<\/h2>\n
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Utilizing Parallel Structure for Emphasis<\/h2>\n
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Using Subordination and Coordination<\/h1>\n
Subordination<\/h3>\n
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Subordination Pitfalls<\/h4>\n
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Coordination<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
Controlling Emphasis<\/h3>\n
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Parallelism<\/h1>\n
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