Parallelism and Comparisons

Parallelism and Comparisons

If Benjamin Franklin had written: "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and a C.E.O.," we wouldn't be quoting him today. Instead, he began his list with two adjectives, "healthy" and "wealthy," and completed it not with a noun, "C.E.O.," but with a third adjective, "wise," thereby rendering his maxim memorable. What he did was follow parallel construction, a technique that lends a sentence rhythm and cadence. It sounds good, and it creates emphasis.

Parallel construction = Consistency

The principle of parallel construction is a simple one. Plainly put, the reader expects consistency. Ideas that are related to each other should be expressed in parallel form. Expressions similar in content and function should be expressed similarly. Get the idea? Here's a sentence with non-parallel construction:

She is capable, experienced, and often works late at night.

Doesn't sound right, does it? In this sentence the writer breaks the contract with the reader by shifting from a series of adjectives, "capable" and "experienced," to a verb phrase, "often works late at night". The result is a break in rhythm, a loss of momentum. To honour the contract, the writer should have written:

She is capable, experienced, and dedicated"— or "talented"or "brilliant."

Here's another example:

The volume of business depends on an institution's delivery method, production time, and whether or not it is open or closed.

Can you hear where the sentence violates parallel construction and loses its momentum? To eliminate the breach in contract, the series should be concluded as it was begun – with a third noun phrase, like this: "delivery method, production time and hours of operation."

Here's another example:

She researches cell membranes and walls.

Is she a biologist, or a biologist with an interest in interior design? This revision makes the meaning clear:

She researches cell membranes and cell walls.

Here's another example:

Not only do I like to ski, but I also like sledding.

The verb in the first clause is an infinitive: to ski. But the verb in the second clause is a gerund: sledding. Fix it in one of two ways:

Not only do I like to ski, but I also like to sled. Not only do I like skiing, but I also like sledding.

Here's another example:

He liked killing, running, and to sulk.

Again, there are two ways to fix this:

1.      He liked to kill, to run and to sulk.

2.      He liked killing, running and sulking.

Here's another example:

1.        Painting with oils is easier than when you paint with water colours.

To fix this, make sure your verbs are in the same form:

2.        Painting with oils is easier than painting with water colours.

Another problem in parallelism occurs when you are using two verbs in a sentence and they are not grammatically parallel.

Incorrect: The doctors have been and will continue to conduct tests on the sick patient.

Correct: The doctors have been conducting and will continue to conduct tests on the sick patient.

Often parallelism problems occur when one preposition is expected to do the work of two.

Incorrect: She is a believer and supporter of the theory of love at first sight. Correct: She is a believer in and a supporter of the theory of love at first sight.

Use parallel structures when organising items in a series or a list.

Nouns go with nouns, verbs with verbs and adverbial phrases with adverbial phrases.

Ø Noun + noun + noun: He likes roses, violets and bicycles.

> Verb + verb + verb: When she was on stage, she danced, sang, and acted like an angel.

Ø Adjective + adjective + adjective: My teacher is fussy, picky, and hard-headed.

>       Participle + participle: They danced through life, loving one another and enjoying their adventures.

Infinitive + infinitive + infinitive: I like to sing, (to) draw, and (to) write poetry.

Ø      Phrase + phrase: With his arms akimbo and in a state of bliss, he leaped off the cliff.

Clause + clause: If she capitulates and when she apologises, we will forgive her blunders and unforgettable actions.

Look at another sentence below:

She thwarted his moves because of her status, her young age and desiring to marry a famous person.

Do you think that there is a problem with the above sentence? Maybe you do not! The problem of parallelism (the problem in thi sentence) is something that we normally gloss over, and do not pay much attention to. However, these problems are quite simple t identify if we are attentive. Try replacing the "and desiring to marry" with "and desire to marry .

We can correct this sentence in a few ways, by removing the error of parallelism. For example:

Aishwarya is a great dancer, but an ordinary actor. (Parallelism between nouns: dancer and actor.) Aishwarya is great at dancing, but ordinary at acting. (Parallelism between nouns: dancing and acting.) Aishwarya dances greatly, but acts ordinarily. (Parallelism between verbs: dances and acts.)

Let's take another example:

I believe that if Leander has it in him to win gold, he will beat Sampras in the semis and emerge the best player India has ever produced.

The problem with this sentence is that there is no parallelism of infinitives. It should have been:

I believe that Leander has it in him to win gold, to beat Sampras in the semis and to emerge the best player India has ever produced.

Similarly,

Romance is exciting, fun and it is expensive.

This sentence should be

Romance is exciting, fun and expensive.

Now we have parallelism between adjectives.

The three reasons why Vijay has not married are his young age, his uncertain future and desiring to marry every pretty girl.

Do you notice any problem in the above sentence? .Let us look at the sentence first. In this sentence, there is a main verb that controls several phrases that follow it. Each of those phrases has to be set up in the same way. In the sentence mentioned above, the three reasons cited are: his young age, his uncertain future and desiring to marry every pretty girl. There should have been parallelism in the construction of the three reasons as they stand for the same thing. The first two reasons have the same construction and function as nouns (young age and uncertain future). However, the third one seems to function as a verb and has a different construction. Therefore, we have to change desiring to a noun. The sentence now becomes:

The three reasons why Vijay has not married are his young age, his uncertain future and desire to marry every pretty girl.

The sentence is still wrong. Though we have changed the verb to a noun, we have not inserted the possessive pronoun his used before each of the other nouns. The correct sentence would be:

The three reasons why Vijay has not married are his young age, his uncertain future and his desire to marry every pretty girl.

It would have been correct, if the sentence had been:

The three reasons why Vijay has not married are his young age, uncertain future and desire to marry every pretty girl.

In this case, there is one possessive pronoun, which stands for each of the reasons as it is used before all the reasons. In the earlier sentence, since it was used before two of the reasons, it had to be used before the third reason as well.

We should be especially alert for problems in a sentence that is divided into two or more parts.

Here is an example:

To say that I do not deserve Jennifer Lopez is being unfair to me.

The problem with this sentence is that there is no parallelism between the two parts of the sentence. If the first half of the sentence is constructed in a particular way, the second half must also be constructed in the same way.

The first half of the sentence begins with "To say that". Therefore, the second half must begin the same way. The correct sentence is:

To say that I do not deserve Jennifer Lopez is to be unfair to me.

Some complicated parallels

1.        The suicidal roach skulked out of the toaster, scuttled across the counter, and skirted the sink before hurling its€ into the disposal.

2.        Angry ants, munching marshmallows, crumbling coffeecake, and sipping syrup, headed off across the Great Divide

3.        The concubine's entourage included a dimpled dwarf, a joking giant, and a humungous hamster.

4.        The duties of the Hospitality Committee are to greet the gynaecologists, serve the Sangria, pass the Popsicles, ar woo the wallflowers.

Diagnose these

1.      Like birds, wings have evolved in some mammals.

What's being compared here? Birds and wings or birds and some mammals? Right, birds and some mammals. To fix this, put tf two things being compared next to each other:

Like birds, some mammals have evolved wings.

2.      Like the Byzantines, Ottoman buildings often feature huge domes.

It's illogical to compare the Byzantines to Ottoman buildings. You're comparing people to structures. Instead, compare like wil like. Here are some ways to fix this problem:

1.        Like Byzantine structures, Ottoman buildings often feature huge domes.

2.        Like the Byzantines, the Ottomans built structures that feature huge domes.

3.        Like Byzantine architects, Ottoman architects built structures with huge domes.

Note: Be sure to compare only those things that are capable of being compared.

Incorrect	Correct
The damage done by the flood was worse	The damage done by the flood was worse than
than the fire.	that of the fire.
	OR
	The damage done by the flood was worse than
	the damage done by the fire.
The girl's teeth were prettier than the	The girl's teeth were prettier than the boy's.
boy.	OR
	The girl's teeth were prettier than the boy's
	teeth.
When hiking through the wilderness, pay	When hiking through the wilderness, pay
attention to your feet; the pain caused by	attention to your feet; the pain caused by
blisters is worse than a steep hill.	blisters is worse than that caused by a steep
	hill.
	OR
	When hiking through the wilderness, pay
	attention to your feet; the pain caused by
	blisters is worse than the pain caused by a steep
	hill.
Education Hall is older than any building	Education Hall is older than any other building
on campus.	on campus.
My best buddy, Naina, is more loyal than	My best buddy, Naina, is more loyal than any
my friends,	other of my friends.
	OR
	My best buddy, Naina is more loyal than any of
	my other friends.
What takes the most time, your job or	What takes more time, your job or school?
school?
Of all my four children, Himesh is the	Of all my four children, Himesh is the best cook
better cook by far.	by far.
Both Lalit and Varun are big eaters, but	Both Lalit and Varun are big eaters, but Lalit is
Lalit is the fattest of the two,	the fatter of the two.
She types faster than I, and she's the	She types faster than I, and she's more
most accurate.	accurate.
When I was younger, I was most	When I was younger, I was more frightened of
frightened of dogs.	dogs.
She likes hiking, swimming, and to ride	She likes hiking, swimming, and riding a
a  bicycle,	bicycle.
The production manager was asked to	The production manager was asked to write his
write his report quickly, accurately, and	report quickly, accurately, and thorough/y.
in a detailed manner.
The teacher said that he was a poor	The teacher said that he was a poor student
student because he waited until the last	because he waited until the last minute to study
minute to study for the exam, completed	for the exam, completed his lab problems in a
his lab problems in a careless manner,	careless manner, and lacked motivation.
and his motivation was low.
The coach told the players that they	The coach told the players that they should
should get a lot of sleep, that they	get a lot of sleep, that they should not eat
should not eat too much, and to do	too much, and that they should do some
some warm-up exercises before the game.	warm-up exercises before the game.
The coach told the players that they	The salesman expected that he would present
should get a lot of sleep, not eat too	his product at the meeting, that there would
much, and do some warm-up exercises	be time for him to show his slide presentation,
before the game.	and that questions would be asked by
	prospective buyers.
The dictionary can be used for these	The dictionary can be used for these purposes:
purposes: to find word meanings,	to find word meanings, pronunciations,
pronunciations, correct spellings, and	-correct spellings, and irregular verbs.
looking up irregular verbs.
He wondered whether it was better to tell	He wondered whether it was better to tell his
his girlfriend that he forgot or if he	girlfriend that he forgot or to make up some
should make up some excuse.	excuse.