Grammar Handbook: Parallelism

The Center for Writing Studies, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Parallelism occurs when compound verbs or verbals express an action taking place at the same time or in the same tense. When such is the case, the verb and/or verbals must be in the same, or parallel, form.

Example: Gail sings and dances.
("Sings" and "dances" are parallel forms of the verb.)

Types of Parallel Structure
Placement

:: Types of Parallel Structure
: Coordinated ideas of equal rank, connected by "and," "but," "or," or "nor."

Correct:
Earl loves bicycling and climbing.
(A gerund is paired with a gerund.)

Earl loves to bicycle and to climb.
(An infinitive is paired with an infinitive.)

Incorrect:
Earl loves bicycling and to climb.
(Here, a gerund is paired with an infinitive.)

: Compared ideas

Correct:
I like officiating basketball more than playing basketball.
(A gerund is paired with a gerund.)

I like to officiate basketball more than I like to play basketball.
(An infinitive is paired with an infinitive.)

Incorrect:
I like to officiate basketball more than I like playing basketball.
(An infinitive is paired with a gerund.)

: Correlative ideas are linked with the correlative conjunctions both...and, either...or, neither...nor, and not only...but also.

Correct:
Josh is talented not only as a basketball player, but also as a tennis player.
(A noun is paired with a noun.)

Josh is talented not only at playing basketball, but also at playing tennis.
(A gerund is paired with a gerund.)

Incorrect:
Josh is talented not only as a basketball player, but also at playing tennis.
(A noun is paired with a gerund.)
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:: Placement
Place correlative conjunctions immediately before the parallel terms:

Incorrect:
Brad has both experienced the sweet taste of success and the bitterness of defeat.

Revised:
Brad has experienced both the sweet taste of success and the bitterness of defeat.
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