Chapter 17. Parallelism

All items in a series should be in parallel form—all nouns, all prepositional phrases, all adverb clauses, and so on. Such parallelism makes a series graceful and easy to follow.

Items in a list should be parallel.

Items on a formal outline and headings in a paper should be parallel. The headings in this chapter, for example, use parallel phrases.

Parallel structures can help you pair two ideas effectively. The more nearly parallel the two structures are, the stronger the connection between the ideas will be. Parallel structures are especially appropriate when two ideas are compared or contrasted.

History became popular, and historians became alarmed.

—WILL DURANT

I type in one place, but I write all over the house.

—TONI MORRISON

To create an especially forceful impression, writers may construct a balanced sentence, one with two clauses that mirror each other.

Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind.

—JOHN F. KENNEDY

Using coordinating conjunctions

When you link ideas with a coordinating conjunction—and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet— try to make the ideas parallel in structure.

We performed whenever folks would listen and wherever they would pay.

Using correlative conjunctions

Always use the same structure after both parts of any correlative conjunction (36g)—either . . . or, both . . . and, neither . . . nor, not . . . but, not only . . . but also, just as . . . so, whether . . . or.

The organization provided both scholarships for young artists and grants for established ones.

The edited sentence is more balanced. Both parts of the correlative conjunction (not only . . . but also) precede a verb.

In addition to making any parallel elements grammatically similar, be careful to include all words—prepositions, articles, verb forms, and so on—that are necessary for clarity or grammar. (See also 39e.)

To a city in Mexico or to Mexico in general? The editing makes the meaning clear.

In the unedited version, had . . . see is not grammatically correct.