Parallel Sentence Structure Review

Directions: Parallel sentence structure ultimately means that your sentences are all aligned properly! They have the same verb tenses, point of view (if applicable!), and overall grammatical structure. This makes your writing easier and more enjoyable to read!

Example of parallelism: During the summer months, Tom enjoyed swimming, hiking, and running.
[Notice that the gerunds (verbs that function as nouns) all end in -ing. This makes the sentence parallel as well as more "pleasing to the ear."]

Example of a sentence WITHOUT parallel structure: During the summer months, Tom enjoyed, swimming, hiking, and he liked to run.
[Do you see the difference? While we still understand the meaning of the sentence, it just doesn't sound as good when all the -ing gerunds are the same!

Using parallel sentence structure gives your writing the professional polish it deserves!

​Your Turn:
Can you make the following sentences parallel?

1. He told me to bring a new notebook, college-ruled paper, and pencils that I should have previously sharpened.

2. I need to get a good night's sleep, have a good breakfast, and I will leave my house early.

3. Would you rather have a collie, a beagle, or a dog that comes from a mixed breed?

4. Do you enjoy hiking in the woods or would you rather swim in the lake?

5. He was instructed not to look at the answers, not to look at his phone, and he shouldn't talk to his neighbor as well.

Note: Be ready to talk about which changes you made (and why)!

PART TWO:
Directions: Please read the following three sentences; they are the beginning of a story you will finish! The goal of this assignment is to maintain parallel sentence structure. You can allow the story to go in any direction you choose, but the grammatical structure should remain the same (and in this case, so should the narrator's point of view!). Have fun!

Shari was excited about her upcoming vacation. She still couldn't believe she would finally visit Hawaii with her childhood friends -- it would truly be a dream of a lifetime. However, when the day of the trip arrived, a loud knock on her front door and her shock at who was standing on her doorstep were about to change everything!

Your turn!!