Materials Needed today: Spring Board text, journal, highlighter, pencil/writing utensil.
Open journal to your paragraph
response and leave on edge of desk.
Then open the text to page 12, and
read through the explanation of syntax
and parallel structure, and then try to
answer questions 1-5 in your text book.
Entry Task 9/25/14
1.4: Language and Writer’s Craft
What is parallel structure?
Parallel Structure is a convention and a
rhetorical device: a purposeful way to order
ideas in language.
Parallel structure is a part of syntax: a way of
ordering language.
1.4: Language and Writer’s Craft
How do I define it?
Parallel Structure: the repetition, or
pattern of phrases (or words) in the
same grammatical form.
Parallel Structure: the repetition, or pattern of
phrases (or words) in the same grammatical form.
Here is an old poet’s recipe for experiencing beautifully
constructed language:
“We must read aloud; we must listen. We must
roll vowels on our tongues, chew on consonants;
we must keep the beat with arm and leg.”
~ Donald Hall
What are the repeating patterns?
What are the repeating phrases? What is the
repeating grammatical form?
What is its purpose?
Parallel structure is an ordering of language (a syntax) and
has two main persuasive (rhetorical) purposes:
•To demonstrate that two or more ideas have the same
importance. (Impacting the intellect.)
•To please the reader/listener’s ear and eye with repetition
and balance. (Impacting the emotions/senses).
Why do I need to know this?
When you can create parallel structures in your own
sentences, you can bring power and persuasiveness to your
writing.
When you can identify parallel structure in others’ writing
you can analyze the IMPACT of specific kinds of writing on
audiences
Now rewrite the sentences on
page 13
 Rewrite them in the blank space below the 4
sentences.
 These sentences have incorrect parallel structure mostly
due to verb forms and/or other grammatical parallelism.
Now to begin “Marigolds”
 On page 15, there is a short story titled “Marigolds.” It is
a coming of age story written by Eugenia Collier.
 While you read the story, I want you to highlight and
annotate the diction, syntax (possibly parallel
structure), and imagery that creates the narrator’s
voice. All annotations should explain the inferences you
can make about the quote in regards to voice, tone,
character (personae), or significance of the event being
described.
It’s a longer story, so you have the rest of the class period to work on this,
and then whatever you don’t finish is homework.