LanguageTeach

San Jose City College

Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 [ 7 ] 8

      Balancing Ideas withParallel Forms
         Parts of speech are the building blocks of sentences: form follows function.

Failure to use parallel forms (similar parts of speech or syntactical elements) when coordinating similar sentence parts results in word form errors. These errors may be marked with the symbols WF or PS for parallel structure.

Undersatanding parallelism is essential to the art of writing balanced, clear sentences. How do we edit for parallelism? Use these strategies:

     ♦ Look for the same word forms or phrase types on either side of the coordinating conjunction.
        Noun phrase + Noun phrase:
        Pope John Paul II was noted for his cultural awareness and political diplomacy.
        Adjective phrase + Adjective phrase:
        His writings and speeches were both intellectually challenging and deeply religious.
        Verb + Verb:
        Wherever he went, he drew large crowds, prayed with the masses, and dialogued with political
        leaders.

     ♦ Look for the same word forms or phrase types on either side of correlative conjunctions. The
       correlative conjunctions are both...and; either...or; neither...nor; not only...but also; rather...than.
       Examples:
       People with diabetes not only need to exercise more but also have to watch their diet carefully.
       Diabetes is becoming a serious health problem both in China and in India.
       Some cities would rather sell sugary Snapple in school vending machines than pay for a full physical
       education program.

     ♦ The terms of comparisons must be parallel in form. Look for parallel forms on either side of than
        or as.
        Examples:
        Many Chinese immigrants in America live much less strenuous lives than they did in their rural Chinese
        villages. NoteThe terms of comparison are full clauses (two complete ideas). The second clause always uses an auxiliary verb to avoid repetition.
        Their lifestyle in America requires less exercise than their lifestyle in China (did). NoteWhen the second clause ends with an auxiliary verb, it is usually omitted because it's meaning is clear from the context.
        The children of these immigrants are eating typical American snacks, which are not as healthful as
         traditional Chinese foods.

Directions: Click the phrase that is not parallel in form to the words in blue text to see the correct form. Then identify the form or function of the parallel parts.

1. Welch, West Virginia is a rural Appalachian town of about 2,700 residents, many of whom are very poor and they're sickvery sick.

2. Many of the residents in this coal-mining area suffer from heart attacks, breathing disorders, diabetes, and some have depressiondepression.

3. The Welch Emergency Hospital serves a three-county population of 115,000 and has had to rely on immigrant doctors rather than getting local doctorslocal doctors.

4. The doctors in Welch come from Liberia, Malawi, the Bahamas, the Philippines, and many from IndiaIndia. Note Come from is a two-word transitive verb. Transitive verbs take direct objects.

5. Doctors from West Virginia's own medical school want neither to live nor to go to workto work in this poverty-stricken area.

6. The U.S. government offers visas to foreign doctors on the condition that they work in rural communities and have to remain thereremain there.

7. Residents in rural areas are 10 to 15 years older than urban areasresidents in urban areas. NoteThe meaning is "than residents in urban areas are old," but the linking verb and subject complement are omitted because they're perfectly clear in this context.

8. Rural areas have less than half as many doctors per capita as in urban areas urban areas (do). NotePlease note the function of the optional auxiliary verb here. It carries the meaning of the rest of the sentence...as urban areas have (doctors). Auxiliary verbs help writers avoid unnecessary repetition.

9. One doctor in Welch reports that the most common meal among his patients is biscuits soaked with gravy that is made of made of flour, milk, lard or grease left over from frying, and salt and pepper. NoteSoaked... modifies biscuits; made...modifies gravy; left over...modifies grease.

10. In Welch, people under 40 have heart attacks due to their dietary habits and they smoke heavilyheavy smoking.

Next

1. Welch, West Virginia is a rural Appalachian town of about 2,700 residents, many of whom are very poor and they're sickvery sick.
2. Many of the residents in this coal-mining area suffer from heart attacks, breathing disorders, diabetes, and some have depressiondepression.
3. The Welch Emergency Hospital serves a three-county population of 115,000 and has had to rely on immigrant doctors rather than getting local doctorslocal doctors.
4. The doctors in Welch come from Liberia, Malawi, the Bahamas, the Philippines, and many from IndiaIndia. Note Come from is a two-word transitive verb. Transitive verbs take direct objects.
5. Doctors from West Virginia's own medical school want neither to live nor to go to workto work in this poverty-stricken area.
6. The U.S. government offers visas to foreign doctors on the condition that they work in rural communities and have to remain thereremain there.
7. Residents in rural areas are 10 to 15 years older than urban areasresidents in urban areas. NoteThe meaning is "than residents in urban areas are old," but the linking verb and subject complement are omitted because they're perfectly clear in this context.
8. Rural areas have less than half as many doctors per capita as in urban areas urban areas (do). NotePlease note the function of the optional auxiliary verb here. It carries the meaning of the rest of the sentence...as urban areas have (doctors). Auxiliary verbs help writers avoid unnecessary repetition.
9. One doctor in Welch reports that the most common meal among his patients is biscuits soaked with gravy that is made of made of flour, milk, lard or grease left over from frying, and salt and pepper. NoteSoaked... modifies biscuits; made...modifies gravy; left over...modifies grease.
10. In Welch, people under 40 have heart attacks due to their dietary habits and they smoke heavilyheavy smoking.