Page 156 - Grammar for Great Writing B

Grammar Forms

11.1 Parallelism with Coordinating Conjunctions

Parallelism means that each item in a list has the same grammatical structure. Parallelism can occur
in sets of words, phrases, and clauses. Use parallelism with items before and after coordinating
conjunctions. Use it with:

1. words The official languages of Switzerland are German, French, Italian, and
Romansh. (nouns)
Wild pearls, which grow naturally inside oysters, are rare and expensive.
(adjectives)
Gardening, fishing, and bowling are popular hobbies in the United States.
(gerunds)

2. phrases Most people brush their teeth twice a day, in the morning and at night.
(prepositional phrases)
Shakespeare’s character Hamlet said, “To be or not to be, that is the
question.” (infinitives)

3. clauses Scientists can predict when a hurricane will arrive and how strong it will be.
(noun clauses)
Reptiles are animals that have cold blood and (that) live on land.
(adjective clauses)
More and more young people are taking a year off after they graduate
from high school and before they start college. (adverb clauses)

Note
When there are three or more parallel items, place a comma before and.
To lose weight, one should avoid excess sugar, fat, and carbohydrates.

11.2 Parallelism with Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions are used with two items that are equal in importance or weight. The
structures before and after correlative conjunctions need to be parallel.

1. both . . . and Shoes with very high heels are both uncomfortable and unsafe.

2. either . . . or In national parks, the best time to photograph animals is either
in the early morning or in the late afternoon.

3. neither . . . nor The Jordan River is neither deep nor wide.

146 Unit 11 Using Parallel Structure

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