which clause completes the sentence by creating parallelism

Daniel Parker

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23-02-2025

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Which Clause Completes the Sentence by Creating Parallelism? Mastering Parallel Structure

Parallelism, also known as parallel structure, is a crucial element of clear and effective writing. It involves using the same grammatical structure for similar items in a series. This creates a sense of balance and rhythm, making your writing easier to understand and more aesthetically pleasing. Mastering parallelism ensures your sentences flow smoothly and avoid awkward or confusing phrasing. This article will explore how to identify and create parallel structures, focusing on choosing the correct clause to complete a sentence.

Understanding Parallel Structure: The Basics

Before diving into examples, let's solidify the foundational concept of parallelism. Essentially, it means that items in a list or series should share the same grammatical form. This applies to words, phrases, and clauses. Think of it like this: all items should be of the same "type."

• Incorrect: She enjoys hiking, to swim, and cycling. (Verbs are not all in the same form.)
• Correct: She enjoys hiking, swimming, and cycling. (All are gerunds – verbs acting as nouns.)

Identifying Parallelism in Sentences: Common Structures

Parallelism often appears in sentences containing coordinating conjunctions (like and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet) or correlative conjunctions (like both…and, either…or, neither…nor, not only…but also). Recognizing these conjunctions is a key to identifying potential parallelism issues and correctly completing sentences.

How to Choose the Correct Clause for Parallelism

Let's tackle the core question: how to select the clause that creates parallelism? Here’s a step-by-step approach:

1. Identify the existing parallel elements: Determine the grammatical structure already present in the sentence. Is it a list of nouns? Verbs? Adjectives? Phrases? Clauses?

2. Analyze the options: Examine the clauses provided. Which one mirrors the grammatical structure of the existing parallel elements?

3. Check for consistency: Ensure the tense, mood, and voice of the verbs are consistent throughout the parallel structure.

Examples: Identifying the Correct Parallel Clause

Let's look at some examples to illustrate how to choose the correct clause for parallelism.

Example 1:

The coach told the players to practice their footwork, to improve their stamina, and ______.

a) they should work on their teamwork. b) to work on their teamwork. c) working on their teamwork.

Correct Answer: b) to work on their teamwork. This option maintains the parallel infinitive structure ("to practice," "to improve," "to work").

Example 2:

Not only did she excel in academics, ______.

a) but also she excelled in sports. b) but she also excelled in sports. c) but also in sports she excelled.

Correct Answer: a) but also she excelled in sports. This option maintains the parallel structure of the subject-verb construction ("she excelled").

Example 3:

The report detailed the company's financial success, its innovative marketing strategies, and ______.

a) how the employees were happy. b) the employees' overall satisfaction. c) the positive impact on employee morale.

Correct Answer: b) the employees' overall satisfaction. This option maintains the parallel structure of noun phrases. Options (a) and (c) are grammatically correct but interrupt the parallel structure of noun phrases.

Beyond the Basics: Advanced Parallelism

While the examples above focus on simpler sentences, parallelism can extend to more complex structures. Remember to maintain consistency in tense, voice, and mood throughout the entire parallel construction, regardless of length or complexity.

Conclusion: The Importance of Parallelism

Using parallel structure enhances the clarity, readability, and overall impact of your writing. By understanding how to identify and create parallelism, you will significantly improve your writing skills, making your sentences more precise and engaging for your readers. Remember to always analyze the existing sentence structure and choose the clause that maintains consistency in grammatical form, making your writing both grammatically correct and stylistically strong.