Questions from the SAT about Parallel Structure
1.
Neither the opposition of some key Republicans nor risking
secession by the southern states were sufficient to stop Lincoln
from campaigning on the platform that slavery would not be
expanded.
Phrases that should be parallel:
Neither
the opposition of some key Republicans
nor
risking secession by the southern states were
ANSWER = E
A. nor risking secession by the southern states were
B. nor risking that the southern states would secede was
C. or the risk that the southern states would be seceding was
D. or the risk of secession by the southern states were
E. nor the risk of secession by the southern states was
2.
People entering the workforce for the first time are finding that
many jobs call for a college degree, computer skills, and have basic
knowledge of a foreign language.
Phrases that should be parallel:
a college degree
computer skills
have basic knowledge of a foreign language
ANSWER = D
A. have basic knowledge of a foreign language
B. to have a basic knowledge of a foreign language
C. having a basic foreign language knowledge
D. basic knowledge of a foreign language
E. with a basic foreign language knowledge
3.
The attorney argued that “sampling” or by otherwise adapting her
client’s music for commercial purposes was a violation of copyright
law.
Phrases that should be parallel:
“sampling”
by otherwise adapting
ANSWER = E
A. or by otherwise adapting
B. or if otherwise adapted
C. or to otherwise adapt
D. or otherwise adapted
E. or otherwise adapting
4.
In his “American Scholar” address in the summer of 1837, Ralph
Waldo Emerson urged his listeners to free themselves from
European culture and looking instead to the culture of their own
country.
Phrases that should be parallel:
to free themselves from European culture and
looking instead to the culture of their own country
ANSWER = C
A. culture and looking
B. culture, that they should look
C. culture and to look
D. culture, but they must look
E. culture, but looking
5.
On the shore of South Carolina’s Bull Island, the solitude of the
beach is awesome, intense, and it can be exhilarating.
ANSWER = E
A. is awesome, intense, and it can be exhilarating.
B. is awesome, intense, also exhilarating
C. being awesome and intense, and exhilarating to people
D. is awesome, intense, and it can exhilarate one
E. is awesome, intense, and even exhilarating
6.
Octavio Paz (1914—1998) was a Mexican poet, critic, and he was a
diplomat who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1990 for his
poetry and essays.
ANSWER = E
A. critic, and he was a
B. critic and a
C. critic; he was also a
D. critic, a
E. critic, and
7.
Surprisingly, studies show that the longer the line is at an ATM,
it is less likely that someone will get out of the line and leave.
ANSWER = C
A. it is less likely that someone will
B. the likelihood decreased that someone would
C. the less likely it is that someone will
D. there is less of a likelihood for someone to
E. someone who will be less likely to