GRAMMAR:
FAULTY PARALLELISM
COMPLETE SENTENCE
SENTENCE FRAGMENTS
Components to cover:
• PARALLELISM: FAULTY PARALLELISM
• COMPLETE SENTENCE
• SENTENCE FRAGMENTS
DEFINITION OF PARALLELISM
Parallelism is a similarity of form in words, phrases, or
clauses that have similar functions in a sentence or a
paragraph.
It also refers to writing equivalent ideas in similar
grammatical form. Parallelism helps achieve balance in
a sentence and tends to equalize the importance given
to each of the items mentioned.
WHEN TO USE
PARALLELISM?
Example
1. Items in Lists: Words,
phrases, or clauses in a list or 1. Erin likes surfing the net, working
series should all have the same
out, and visiting her family.
grammatical structure.
2. Items Joined by Coordinating
Conjunctions: Words or phrases
joined by coordinating
conjunctions should have the
same structure.
2. Chocolate and peanut butter
taste great together.
WHEN TO USE
PARALLELISM?
3. Elements joined by
correlative conjunctions, such
as "either . . . or" and not "only
. . .but also," should be parallel.
4. Two elements that are
compared or contrasted should
be expressed in parallel
structures.
Example
3. We could go fishing or go
bicycling.
4. I like blue cars as opposed to
red cars.
WHAT IS FAULTY PARALLELISM?
When similar parts of a
sentence do not follow the
same structure, you have
created Faulty Parallelism.
UNDERSTANDING
PARALLELISM
Use similar structures to
express similar ideas.
a)Put nouns with nouns
b)Put verbs with verbs
c)Put adjectives with
adjectives
Example
a) Faulty (F): I enjoy basketball
more than playing video games.
Correct (C): I enjoy basketball
more than video games.
b) F: On our anniversary, we ate,
danced, and were singing.
C: On our anniversary, we ate,
danced, and sang.
c) My history class was both
interesting and a challenge.
C: My history class was both
interesting and challenging.
PARALLELISM IN
PAIRS AND LISTS
Parallelism in pairs and
list is used when you
present two or more
items in a series joined
by and or or, use similar
form for each item.
Example
Faulty: I am doing well in my
English class, in my math class,
and my history class.
Correct: I am doing well in my
English class, in my math class,
and in my history class.
.
PARALLELISM
IN
COMPARISON
In comparisons, the
items being compared
must have parallel
structure.
Example
F: Driving to Austin is as fast as to fl
C: Driving to Austin is as fast as flyin
F: Buying textbooks is almost as exp
tuition.
C: Buying textbooks is almost as exp
paying tuition.
C: Textbooks are almost as expensiv
tuition.
FAULTY
PARALLELISM
Remember that items in
series should be in
continuation and in
parallel structure.
Example
The anthropologist travele
heated jungles, along insec
infested rivers, and up stee
mountain trails.
My neighbor is a novelist, a
gardener, and a horseman.
FAULTY
PARALLELISM
Alternatives joined by
“and,” “or,” “but,” or
“nor” should be parallel.
Example
Faulty: The president of the club
wondered whether he should
pay the bills or to resign.
Correct: The president of the
club wondered whether he
should pay the bills or resign.
ACTIVITY 1
Read the sentence carefully and choose the right
option:
Question1:
A. Barking dogs, kittens that were meowing, and
squawking parakeets greet the pet shop visitors.
B. Barking dogs, meowing kittens, and squawking
parakeets greet the pet shop visitors.
C. Dogs that bark, kittens that meow, and parakeets
squawking greet the pet shop visitors.
ACTIVITY 1
Read the sentence carefully and choose the right
option:
Question2:
A. During class, Samuel spent his time flirting with
Brittney, eating candy, and doodling on the
assignment sheet.
B. During class, Samuel spent his time flirting with
Brittney, he ate candy, and doodling on the
assignment sheet.
C. During class, Samuel spent his time to flirt with
Brittney, to eat candy, and doodling on the
assignment sheet.
ACTIVITY 1
Read the sentence carefully and choose the right
option:
Question 3:
A. Alex looked everywhere for his math book—under
the bed, on his desk, and he searched inside the
refrigerator.
B. Alex looked everywhere for his math book—
viewing under the bed, searching on his desk, and
inside the refrigerator.
C. Alex looked everywhere for his math book—under
the bed, on his desk, and inside the refrigerator.
ACTIVITY 1
Read the sentence carefully and choose the right
option:
Question 4:
A. The manager wanted staff who arrived on time,
smiled at the customers, and didn’t snack on the
chicken nuggets.
B. The manager wanted staff who arrived on time,
would be smiling at the customers, and would not
be snacking on the chicken nuggets.
C. The manager wanted staff who arrived on time,
smiled at the customers, and no snacking on the
chicken nuggets.
ACTIVITY 1
Read the sentence carefully and choose the right
option:
Question 5:
A. After giving Jeremy her phone number, Felicia had to
tolerate his late night calls, stupid conversations, and
requests for her math homework.
B. After giving Jeremy her phone number, Felicia had to
tolerate his late night calls, the fact that he carried on stupid
conversations, and requests for her math homework.
C. After giving Jeremy her phone number, Felicia had to
tolerate being woken up late at night, having stupid
conversations, and he constantly requested her math
homework.
ANSWERS TO ACTIVITY 1
Question 1: B
Question 2: A
Question 3: C
Question 4: A
Question 5: A
ACTIVITY 2
Fill in the blanks with the correct option:
1. Pasta boiling in water, __________, and garlic bread
baking in the oven welcomed Francisco as he opened
the door.
A.
B.
C.
D.
simmered tomato sauce in the pan
tomato sauce simmering in the pan
tomato sauce that simmered in the pan
saucy tomatoes that were simmering in the pan
ACTIVITY 2
Fill in the blanks with the correct option:
2. During our vacation in the Bahamas, we hope
__________, to enjoy beautiful sunsets, and to dance
ourselves dizzy at reggae clubs.
A.
B.
C.
D.
that we eat delicious seafood
that eating delicious seafood occurs
to eat delicious seafood
eating delicious seafood
ACTIVITY 2
Fill in the blanks with the correct option:
3. Karen wished Ray chewed with his mouth closed,
for otherwise he was everything she wanted in a date;
he was tall, intelligent, and __________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
he looked good
being good looking
one handsome man to look at
handsome
ACTIVITY 2
Fill in the blanks with the correct option:
4. To win Laurie’s love, Albert visited the florist for
roses, the drugstore for a box of chocolates, and
__________.
A. bought an expensive gold necklace at the jewelry
store
B. the jeweler for an expensive gold necklace
C. the jeweler where he bought an expensive gold
necklace
D. to buy an expensive gold necklace
ACTIVITY 2
Fill in the blanks with the correct option:
5. Kimberly won’t date Terry because he is too short,
too noisy, and _________.
A.
B.
C.
D.
because he picks his teeth with his fingers
too impolite
is the most impolite man she has ever met
Picking his teeth with his fingers
ANSWERS TO ACTIVITY 2
Question 1: B
Question 2: C
Question 3: D
Question 4: B
Question 5: B
WHAT IS A SENTENCE FRAGMENT?
Sentences are in fragments only when they do not
have a clause attached to them. There are some
punctuations needed for new sentences.
A sentence tells a complete idea. A fragment tells
and incomplete idea.
WHAT IS A
COMPLETE
SENTENCE?
Example
A complete sentence must
have:
My homework is taking every waking
hour.
•
•
•
INCLUDES
• Subject (My homework)
• Verb (is taking )
• Expresses a complete idea (I’m
tired!)
A subject
A verb
Must express a complete
idea.
It must start with a capital
letter in the beginning and
end with a full stop.
FRAGMENTED
SENTENCE
A sentence that does not
have either a verb, a subject
or a complete idea.
Example
My math homework.
No VERB: Doesn’t express the
action
Taking every waking hour.
No SUBJECT: Doesn’t explain who or
what
Because my math homework is taking
every waking hour.
No COMPLETED IDEA. Because of
this, what?
COMMON
FRAGMENT
TYPES
Example
APPOSITIVE PHRASE:
FRAGMENTED SENTENCE: I tried
everything I could think of to get an
A. Such as bribing the professor.
An appositive phrase is a
word that explains or adds
extra information.
COMPLETE SENTENCE:I tried
everything I could think of to get an
A, such as bribing the professor.
COMMON
FRAGMENT
TYPES
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE:
A prepositional phrase is a
group of words containing
a preposition, a noun or
pronoun object of
the preposition, and any
modifiers of the object.
Example
FRAGMENTED SENTENCE:I hope to
complete the requirements for my
major. By the end of next semester.
COMPLETE SENTENCE:I hope to
complete the requirements for my
major by the end of next semester.
COMMON
FRAGMENT
TYPES
INCOMPLETE VERBS:
Incomplete verbs are the
past or present participles
without the helping verb
Example
FRAGMENTED SENTENCE: The
student sleeping in the back row.
COMPLETE SENTENCE: The student
was sleeping in the back row.
COMMON
FRAGMENT
TYPES
DEPENDENT CLAUSE:
They are group of words that
contains a subject and verb
but doesn’t express a
complete thought because of
the beginning word.
Example
FRAGMENTED SENTENCE: I kept
working on my essay. Although I was
tired.
COMPLETE SENTENCE: I kept working
on my essay, although I was tired.
ACTIVITY 1
For each of the following, write S on the line if it is a
complete sentence. Write F if it is a sentence fragment.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
___Long, long ago, in a faraway land.
___ There lived a princess named Gretchen.
___ The most beautiful girl in the land.
___ She was still very unhappy.
___ Her 21st birthday was approaching.
ACTIVITY 1
For each of the following, write S on the line if it is a
complete sentence. Write F if it is a sentence fragment.
6. ___ Her twin brother, Prince Reginald, would become
king.
7. ___ She would have to marry King Jomen of Far Land.
8. ___ A very cruel and unkind man.
9. ___ She decided to run away and formed an excellent
plan.
10. ___ The plan required the help of her friends,
Grumpy and Happy.
ACTIVITY 1
For each of the following, write S on the line if it is a
complete sentence. Write F if it is a sentence fragment.
11. ___ They were eager to help, as they did not like the
idea of their friend being
unhappy for the rest of her life.
12. ___ She disguised herself as a maid and left the
palace.
13. ___ Unfortunately, her brother saw her and thought
she was being kidnapped.
14. ___ Set out to rescue her.
15. ___ She ran until she reached Near Land.
ACTIVITY 1
For each of the following, write S on the line if it is a
complete sentence. Write F if it is a sentence fragment.
16. ___ A happy and somewhat silly place full of very
silly people.
17. ___ When Prince Reginald reached Near Land.
18. ___ She agreed to go home when he promised that
when he became king, he would
not make her marry anybody.
ANSWER TO ACTIVITY 1
Answers: Complete Sentences and Sentence
Fragments
1. F
2. S
3. F
4. S
5. S
6. S
7. S
8. F
9. S
10. S
ANSWER TO ACTIVITY 1
Answers: Complete Sentences and Sentence
Fragments
11. S
12. S
13. S
14. F
15. S
16. F
17. F
18. S
The end