Grammar: 💡 Effective Word Choice & Style - Intermediate/Advanced (B2) - Lesson 6: Parallel Structure in sentences and lists for clarity and impact

The Grammar Lab

balance

Parallel Structure

រចនាសម្ព័ន្ធស្របគ្នា

Parallel Structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. It creates balance!

គឺការប្រើប្រាស់ទម្រង់ពាក្យដូចៗគ្នា (ឧ. V-ing ទាំងអស់ ឬ To + Verb ទាំងអស់) នៅក្នុងបញ្ជី ឬការប្រៀបធៀប ដើម្បីឲ្យប្រយោគមានលំនឹង និងពីរោះ។

rule

rule Keep it Identical

រក្សាទម្រង់ឲ្យដូចគ្នា

If you start a list with an adjective, everything else must be an adjective. If you start with a verb-ing, everything else must be verb-ing.

She is smart, funny, and plays well. ❌ (Adjective, Adjective, Verb = គ្មានលំនឹង)

She is smart, funny, and athletic. ✅ (Adjective, Adjective, Adjective = ត្រឹមត្រូវ!)

format_list_bulleted

format_list_bulleted Action Lists

បញ្ជីសកម្មភាព (And / Or)

When listing hobbies or tasks, choose ONE style (Gerunds OR Infinitives) and stick to it.

I like swimming, hiking, and to run. ❌

I like swimming, hiking, and running. ✅ (រចនាសម្ព័ន្ធ V-ing ទាំងអស់)

I like to swim, to hike, and to run. ✅ (រចនាសម្ព័ន្ធ To + Verb ទាំងអស់)

compare

compare Comparisons

ការប្រៀបធៀបរបស់ពីរ

When comparing two things, the grammar on both sides of the comparison word (than/as) must balance.

Walking is as healthy as to run. ❌ (V-ing ប្រៀបធៀបជាមួយ To + Verb = គ្មានលំនឹង)

Walking is as healthy as running. ✅ (មានលំនឹងល្អ!)

warning The Mix & Match Trap!

Never mix Nouns and Verbs in a list.

(កុំលាយបញ្ចូលគ្នារវាង នាម និង កិរិយាសព្ទ ឬ គុណនាម នៅក្នុងបញ្ជីតែមួយ!)

I want wealth, health, and to be happy. ❌

(Noun, Noun, Verb Phrase)

I want wealth, health, and happiness. ✅

(Noun, Noun, Noun. Perfect balance!)

Finding the Balance 🎬

Watch Teacher Sopheak explain the rhythm of Parallel Structure. Listen to how "balanced" sentences sound much more professional and satisfying to the ear!

quiz

Quick Check ⚡

ការត្រួតពិនិត្យចំណេះដឹង

format_list_bulleted Lists

Which sentence has correct parallel structure?

(តើប្រយោគមួយណាមានរចនាសម្ព័ន្ធស្របគ្នាត្រឹមត្រូវ?)

edit

edit Fill in the blank

My goals are to study hard, to save money, and ___ a house.

(គោលដៅរបស់ខ្ញុំគឺត្រូវខំរៀន សន្សំលុយ និងទិញផ្ទះមួយ។)

gpp_maybe TRICKY QUESTION!

How do you fix this broken sentence?

"He is smart, funny, and plays sports well."

(តើត្រូវកែប្រយោគនេះយ៉ាងដូចម្តេចដើម្បីឲ្យមានលំនឹង?)

compare

compare Comparisons

Which comparison is balanced correctly?

(តើការប្រៀបធៀបមួយណាដែលត្រឹមត្រូវ?)

build

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តជាក់ស្តែង!

Fix It build (កែប្រយោគនេះឲ្យមានរចនាសម្ព័ន្ធស្របគ្នា៖ "The manager told us to work fast, to be careful, and that we must finish by 5 PM.")

directions_run

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តជាក់ស្តែង!

Hobby List directions_run (សរសេរប្រយោគ ១ រាយបញ្ជីចំណង់ចំណូលចិត្ត ៣ របស់អ្នក ដោយប្រើ V-ing ទាំងអស់។ ឧ. I enjoy reading,...)

stars

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តជាក់ស្តែង!

Goal List stars (សរសេរប្រយោគ ១ រាយបញ្ជីគោលដៅ ៣ របស់អ្នក ដោយប្រើ To + Verb ទាំងអស់។ ឧ. My goals are to learn,...)

Ask a Question 🙋‍♂️

តើអ្នកមានចម្ងល់មែនទេ? សួរគ្រូនៅទីនេះ!

U

Recent Questions

S

Sokha 2 hours ago

Teacher, in a list of infinitives, do I have to repeat the word "to" every time? Like "to swim, to hike, and to run"?

Reply thumb_up 18

SP

Sopheak Pich Teacher 1 hour ago

Hi Sokha! Great question. You can actually drop the "to" after the first one! Saying "I like to swim, hike, and run" is perfectly parallel because the first "to" applies to all the verbs in the list. Both ways are correct! 📝

V

Vireak 4 hours ago

Does parallel structure matter when I use adjectives and nouns together?

Reply thumb_up 12

SP

Sopheak Pich Teacher 3 hours ago

Yes, absolutely! Never mix them. If you write "He is a writer, a teacher, and very creative", it breaks the balance (Noun, Noun, Adjective). Change it to: "He is a writer, a teacher, and an artist" (Noun, Noun, Noun). Balance is everything! ⚖️