Grammar 6.1
Parallelism
Directions. Each of the following sentences contains a list that is not written with parallel structure.
Rewrite the sentence, correcting the error so that all items in the list are parallel.
Example: I want to improve my skills, go online, and to surf the Internet.
I want to improve my skills, go online, and surf the Internet.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Before leaving, I have to call my mother, write a report, and to pay my bills.
College gives us a chance to be away from home and gaining independence.
This book will teach you ways to write better, make good grades, and to amuse your friends.
A standard formula for speeches is beginning with a joke and to conclude with a summary.
Student representatives on committees are required to attend all meetings, take notes, and to report to
the student government.
The future looks bright and hopefully.
Children scamper over the playground, and there are dogs playing in the field.
My parents considered getting a divorce, or they would obtain a legal separation.
Meaghan was excited by the prospect of visiting Paris, or that she might be able to attend a family
reunion in Italy.
Katherine told me that after school she would practice volleyball, conduct a science experiment, and
she would also apply for a job at Starbuck’s.
Publishing the first edition of the literary magazine and the fact that the editorial staff attended the
conference cost the administration $8000.
The veterinarian examined the lab results, consulted with a colleague, and he also studied a specimen
under the microscope before meeting with the owner of the dog.
Directions. In the following story, four sentences contain a list that is not written in parallel structure.
For these four sentences, rewrite the sentence on your own paper correcting the errors. For the other four
sentences, write C.
Example: I want to improve my skills, go online, and to surf the Internet.
I want to improve my skills, go online, and surf the Internet.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
My boyfriend, Matt, loves talking on his cell phone and to play video games.
In fact, he seems to do little else.
He spends hours doing both at the same time.
I talk on my cell and play video games sometimes, but I also like meeting people face to face, going
out with friends, and to have a little variation in what I do.
Just last weekend, I had an opportunity to participate in a blood drive and going to a baseball game.
During that entire time, Matt managed to run up 200 minutes on his cell phone and to complete HalfLife 2 for the tenth time.
This weekend, I plan on watching a movie with our friends, go for a long walk around the park, and
to work in my garden.
If I can’t get him to join me with at least one of these activities, I might have to dump him and find
someone who is more compatible with my interests.