Parallelism with that,
which, and who
Mini-Lesson #73
From the
UWF Writing Lab’s
101 Grammar
Mini-Lessons Series
What is parallelism?
• The principle of parallelism requires that
writers add or repeat words needed to
complete compound structures.
• That is, words like that, which, and who
often need to be repeated in the second
half of a compound element, especially if
there is any danger of misreading without
the repetition of these words.
• Using and which, and who, and and that
(or but which or but who) where there is no
preceding who or which clause is a mistake
many writers make.
The secret to the parallelism test:
• Make sure everything is
the same!
Parallelism with and that
Incorrect:
Aunt Rosie said that she would fix her famous
lasagna for my birthday dinner and she will also
bake my favorite cake.
Correct:
Aunt Rosie said that she would fix her famous
lasagna for my birthday dinner and that she
would also bake my favorite cake.
Parallelism with
and which and but which
Incorrect:
We finally replaced our old TV set, which we had
bought secondhand and suffered from every
known television ailment.
Correct:
We finally replaced our old TV set, which we had
bought secondhand and which suffered from
every known television ailment.
Parallelism with
and who and but who
Incorrect:
She is a person who has true compassion for
animals, and she tries to find their owners.
Correct:
She is a person who has true compassion or
animals and who tries to find their owners.
Practice
Child psychologists believe that spanking children is not an effective
discipline tool and “time-outs” allow the children and the parents a
chance to think.
Child psychologists believe that spanking children is not an effective
discipline tool and that “time-outs” allow the children and the parents
a chance to think.
Some of the regulars are acquaintances whom we see at work and
live in our community.
Some of the regulars are acquaintances whom we see at work and
who live in our community.