PARALLELISM
Quiz
Directions:
Check
if
the
sentences
have
parallel
structures. If the structure is parallel, write
PARALLEL on your answer sheet. If the
structure
is
NOT
parallel,
change
the
underlined word to make the sentence parallel.
1. I like singing, kayaking and to dance.
2. He started the engine, released the hand
break, and checking the mirror.
3. Some people think that being successful is
the same thing as to have money.
4. She wants neither the red one nor the
yellow one.
5. I would describe her as intelligent, caring,
and thoughtful.
6. Walking and to swim are good exercise.
7. Spain is a place where you can eat cheap food and
soak up the sun.
8. At the zoo you can see mammals, reptiles, birds,
and insects.
9. She decided to quit her job and moving abroad.
10. She is pleased not only by his attitude but also by
his intelligence .
1. I like singing, kayaking and to dance.
NOT PARALLEL - dancing
• singing and kayaking are in gerund form.
2. He started the engine, released the hand break, and
checking the mirror.
NOT PARALLEL - checked the mirror
• Two parts of the sentence (started the
engine/released the hand break) are verb phrases
and mixed by a gerund phrase.
3. Some people think that being successful is the
same thing as to have money.
NOT PARALLEL - having a money
• This is not a parallel structure as it should be ‘...as
having money’ in order to match with ‘being
successful’
4. She wants neither the red one nor the yellow one.
PARALLEL
• This is a parallel structure as both are adjective +
noun (red one/yellow one)
5. I would describe her as intelligent, caring, and
thoughtful.
PARALLEL
• Don’t get confused by the fact they have different
suffixes (i.e. -ent, -ing, - ful) - they are all
adjectives
6. Walking and to swim are good exercise.
NOT PARALLEL - swimming
• Transform to swim to gerund form.
7. Spain is a place where you can eat cheap food and
soak up the sun.
PARALLEL
• There are two verb phrases (eat cheap food + soak
up the sun).
8. At the zoo you can see mammals, reptiles, birds,
and insects.
PARALLEL
• They are all nouns.
9. She decided to quit her job and moving abroad.
NOT PARALLEL - to move abroad
• This is not a parallel structure as it should be
‘move abroad’ in order to match with ‘quit her job’
10. She is pleased not only by his attitude but also by
his intelligence.
PARALLEL
• We have two prepositional phrases.