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

💡 Lesson 6: Parallel Structure for Clarity and Impact

To make your writing sound more professional, sophisticated, and clear, you need to create a good sense of balance and rhythm¹. One of the most important techniques for this is called Parallel Structure². This simply means that when you list items or ideas in a sentence, you should use the same grammatical pattern for each item.

Parallel Structure in Lists

The easiest place to see parallel structure is in a simple list. If you list several activities, the verbs should all be in the same form (e.g., all gerunds or all infinitives).

Incorrect (Faulty Parallelism):

"In Battambang, I enjoy visiting the temples, to walk along the river, and ride the Bamboo Train." (This mixes a gerund, an infinitive, and a base verb).

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Correct (Parallel Structure):

"In Battambang, I enjoy visiting the temples, walking along the river, and riding the Bamboo Train." (All gerunds).

OR: "In Battambang, I like to visit the temples, to walk along the river, and to ride the Bamboo Train." (All infinitives).

Parallel Structure with Conjunctions

This rule also applies to ideas joined by conjunctions like 'and', 'but', and 'or'.

Incorrect: "The tour guide told us to stay together and that we should not wander off."

Correct: "The tour guide told us to stay together and not to wander off." (to + verb || not to + verb)

This balance makes the sentence easier to read and understand, giving it greater impact³ and clarity⁴.

Parallel Structure with Correlative Conjunctions

It is especially important to use parallel structure with paired conjunctions (correlative conjunctions⁵). The grammatical form following each part of the pair should be the same.

both... and:
"She is both a talented artist and an excellent businesswoman." (noun + noun)

not only... but also:
"He not only speaks Khmer fluently but also writes it perfectly." (verb phrase + verb phrase)

either... or:
"You can either take the bus or hire a private taxi." (verb + verb)

🧠 Practice Quiz: Find the Error

Choose the correct option or fix the sentence to create parallel structure.

1. Which sentence is correct?
   a) He is kind, generous, and has a lot of intelligence.
   b) He is kind, generous, and intelligent.
   Answer: b. It lists three adjectives in parallel.
2. Correct the error: "The new manager is responsible for hiring new staff and to train them."
   Answer: The new manager is responsible for hiring new staff and training them. (gerund + gerund)
3. The company's goals are to increase profits, reduce costs, and _______ its market share. (expanding / to expand)
   Answer: to expand. (to maintain the infinitive pattern).
4. The presentation was not only informative but also _______. (it was entertaining / entertaining)
   Answer: entertaining. (adjective + adjective)

📝 Homework: Fix the Sentences

Rewrite these sentences to create correct parallel structure.

1. The report was long, detailed, and had a lot of information.
   Answer: The report was long, detailed, and informative.
2. The key to success is not just having a good idea, but also to work hard.
   Answer: The key to success is not just having a good idea, but also working hard.
3. The teacher asked who wrote the essay and the name of the editor.
   Answer: The teacher asked who wrote the essay and who edited it.

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Rhythm: (Noun) - ចង្វាក់ (châng'văk) - In writing, a pleasing and balanced flow of words and sentences. ↩
2. Parallel Structure: (Noun Phrase) - រចនាសម្ព័ន្ធស្រប (rô'châ'na'sâm'poan srâp) - Using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance. ↩
3. Impact: (Noun) - ឥទ្ធិពល (ĭt'thĭ'phôl) - A powerful effect or influence. ↩
4. Clarity: (Noun) - ភាពច្បាស់លាស់ (phéap ch'bah'leah) - The quality of being easy to understand. ↩
5. Correlative Conjunctions: (Noun Phrase) - ឈ្នាប់តភ្ជាប់ (chhnŏăp tâ'ph'chŏăp) - Pairs of conjunctions that work together to connect ideas (e.g., either/or, not only/but also). ↩