AT A GLANCE

Editing for Parallelism

  • Look for any series of three or more items, and make all of the items parallel in structure. (27a)
  • Be sure items in lists and in related headings are parallel. (27a)
  • Check for places where two ideas are paired in the same sentence. Often these ideas will appear on either side of and, but, or, nor, for, so, or yet, or after each part of bothand, eitheror, neithernor, not onlybut also, whetheror, or just asso. Edit to make the two ideas parallel in structure. (27b)
  • Check parallel structures to be sure that you have included all necessary words—prepositions, the to of the infinitive, and so on. (27c)