{"id":3969,"date":"2016-10-05T09:44:56","date_gmt":"2016-10-05T16:44:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/toefl\/?p=3969"},"modified":"2020-12-10T13:42:47","modified_gmt":"2020-12-10T21:42:47","slug":"toefl-parallel-structure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/toefl\/toefl-parallel-structure\/","title":{"rendered":"Introduction to Parallel Structure in English"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"introduction<\/p>\n

Parallel structure<\/em>\u00a0in English refers to the use of similar grammar constructions within a sentence or clause. Understanding parallel structure in English can help your TOEFL\u00a0score.<\/p>\n

Examples of parallel structure<\/h2>\n

Parallel structure is a fairly advanced grammar concept. But examples of good and bad parallel structure can be surprisingly obvious. So before we go into the exact definition of parallel structure, let me show you some sample sentences. Read the pairs of sentences below. Can you tell which sentence is best?<\/p>\n

Sentence Pair A:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. I like to eat apples and drinking apple juice too.<\/li>\n
  2. I like to eat apples and to drink apple juice too.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Sentence Pair B:<\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. I am taking the bus and went to school.<\/li>\n
    2. I took the bus and went to school.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Sentence Pair C:<\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. The raccoon and skunks are animals found primarily in North America.<\/li>\n
      2. The raccoon and skunk are animals found primarily in North America.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        You may have already sensed the “good” sentence in each of the pairs above. But if you’re still not sure, don’t feel bad. Like I said, this is an advanced English concept.\u00a0We’re about to look at it in detail.<\/p>\n

        In each of the sentence pairs above, the second sentence is the better one. The second sentence is the one with parallel structure. Each #2 sentence has matching pairs of verbs or nouns. In Pair A sentence 2, to\u00a0eat<\/em> and\u00a0to drink<\/em> are both infinitive verb forms. So the grammar structures of these verbs are the same — the structures are\u00a0parallel.\u00a0<\/em>In sentence 2 of Pair B,\u00a0took<\/em> and\u00a0went<\/em> also show parallel structure; both are past tense verbs. Finally, in sentence C2, we see both nouns in the singular with “the” used to label the nouns and broad categories. (See Rule 6 in my post on using “the” in English<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

        In contrast, each of the first sentences do not<\/em> have parallel structure. In Pair A sentence 1,\u00a0to eat<\/em> is infinitive, while\u00a0drinking<\/em> has an -ing ending and is present participle. In Pair B sentence 1,\u00a0am taking<\/em> is present progressive tense, but\u00a0went<\/em> is simple past tense. Finally, in Pair C sentence 1,\u00a0the raccoon\u00a0<\/em>is singular and marked with “the,” while\u00a0skunks<\/em> is plural.<\/p>\n

        The rules of parallel structure in English<\/h2>\n

        Obviously, the most important rule of parallel structure is that it requires two or more verbs or nouns to have the same grammatical form. But under what conditions must verbs or nouns have\u00a0parallel grammar structure?<\/p>\n

        Rule # 1: Parallel structure requires that nouns and verbs have the same grammatical form<\/strong><\/p>\n

        This is the most obvious feature of parallel structure, as seen and explained with the examples above.\u00a0Parallel structure nearly always applies only to verbs that are used together or nouns that are used together. This is because verbs and nouns have some clearly different grammatical forms. Verbs have tense, participle, and singular\/plural variations. Nouns can be singular or plural, and can have\u00a0determiners<\/em> (words like\u00a0a, an,\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0the<\/em>) attached to them.<\/p>\n

        Rule # 2: Parallel structure should be used within a single clause.<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Generally, two or more verbs or nouns must be parallel if they’re in the same\u00a0clause<\/em>. Recall that a clause<\/a> is a set of words that has a subject and predicate. (Predicates<\/a> add information about a subject and must contain a verb.) Some clauses are complete sentences.\u00a0Other clauses are phrases within a complete sentence.<\/p>\n