3. Parallelism

Question 1

What is the principle of parallelism?

Answer 1

Comparable sentence parts must be structurally and logically similar

*Note: we do not generally have to make every word parallel in the parallel elements; however, the most important words must be parallel

Question 2

What are parallel markers?

Answer 2

Words that link or contrast items and that force those items to be parallel

Question 3

What are examples of parallel markers?

Answer 3

The most important parallel markers are the three common conjunctions: and, but, and or

(1) And
(2) Both/and
(3) Or
(4) Either/or, neither/nor
(5) Not/but
(6) Not only/but also
(7) Rather than
(8) From/to
(9) Yet
(10) As much as
(11) Not so much…as
(12) Not just…but (also)

Question 4

What are coordinate ideas?

Answer 4

Prepositions, articles, helping verbs

Definition: Coordinate ideas occur in pairs or in a series, and they are linked by conjunctions like “and”, “but”, “nor”, “or”; also occur with items in list or verbs in a series

Rule: You must either repeat the preposition, in front of each element in the series, or include it only in front of the firm item in the series

Question 5

What are correlative constructions?

Answer 5

Definition: are used to relate two ideas in some way (e.g. “both…and”, “either…or”, “neither…nor”, “not only…but also”)

Question 6

Marker: And
Structure: ?
Example: ?

Answer 6

Structure: X and Y
Example: Apples, pears, AND bananas

Question 7

Marker: Both/and
Structure: ?
Example: ?

Answer 7

Structure: both X and Y
Example: BOTH apples and PEARS

Question 8

Marker: Or
Structure: ?
Example: ?

Answer 8

Structure: X or Y
Example: Apples OR pears

Question 9

Marker: Either/or
Structure: ?
Example: ?

Answer 9

Structure: Either X or Y
Example: Either apples OR pears

Question 10

Marker: Not/but
Structure: ?
Example: ?

Answer 10

Structure: Not X but Y
Example: NOT Apples BUT pears

Question 11

Marker: Not only/but also
Structure: ?
Example: ?

Answer 11

Structure: Not only X but also Y
Example: NOT ONLY Apples BUT ALSO pears

Question 12

Marker: Rather than
Structure: ?
Example: ?

Answer 12

Structure: X rather than Y
Example: Apples RATHER THAN pears

Question 13

Marker: from/to
Structure: ?
Example: ?

Answer 13

Structure: from X to Y
Example: FROM apples TO pears

Question 14

Noun. Example of parallel elements.

Answer 14

Her expression reflected BOTH [anger] AND [relief].

Question 15

Adjective. Example of parallel elements.

Answer 15

The park was NEITHER [accessible] NOR [affordable].

Question 16

Verbs. Example of parallel elements.

Answer 16

The custodian [cleaned] the basement AND [washed] the windows.

Question 17

Infinitives. Example of parallel elements.

Answer 17

We would like NOT ONLY [to hear] your side of the story BUT ALSO [to provide] a response

Question 18

Participles. Example of parallel elements.

Answer 18

The actor left quickly, [shunning] fans AND [ducking] into a car.

Question 19

Prepositional Phrases. Example of parallel elements.

Answer 19

It was important to leave the money [in the drawer] RATHER THAN [on the able].

*Note: the prepositions do NOT always have to be the same

Question 20

Subordinate Clauses. Example of parallel elements.

Answer 20

They contended [that the committee was biased] AND [that it should be disbanded].

Question 21

What are the four roles of “-ing”?

Answer 21

(1) Verb. “The man is sitting on a couch.”
(2) Adjective. “The man sitting on the couch is happy.”
(3) Noun. “Sitting on the couch makes the man happy.”
(4) Adverb. “The man sits on the couch, drinking beer and eating pizza.”

• ”-ing” adverbs are a VERY common correct answer on the GMAT!
• ”being” is usually wrong because it is trying to be a verb but failing

Question 22

WRONG: I want to retire to a place where I can relax and I pay low taxes.

Answer 22

CORRECT: I want to retire to a place where I can relax and where I pay low taxes.

*Note: Without repetition of the subordinator “where”, the first sentence could be read “I want to retire…and I pay low taxes”. Repeating the “where” eliminates ambiguity.

Question 23

WRONG: Sal applied himself in his new job, arrived early every day, skipped lunch regularly, and left late every night.

Answer 23

CORRECT: Sal applied himself in his new job, arriving early every day, skipping lunch regularly, and leaving late every night.

The main verb is “applied”, and the “-ing” phrases provide additional information about how Sal applied himself

Question 24

What are linking verbs?

Answer 24

• Instead of expressing what a subject does, these verbs express what the subject is, or what condition the subject is in
• Treat any linking verbs as parallel markers
• The most common linking verb is the verb “to be”

Question 25

What are examples of linking verbs?

Answer 25

• to be
• appear
• become
• feel
• grow
• look
• remain
• represent
• resemble
• seem
• smell
• sound
• stay
• taste
• turn

Question 26

When do you ignore parallelism with regard to uses of “to be”?

Answer 26

• Progressive tenses (“I am watering the plants”)

- Passive voice (“the plants were watered last night”)

Question 27

WRONG: We were dismayed to learn that our neighbors were untidy, disagreeable, and they were uninterested to make new friends.

Answer 27

CORRECT: We were dismayed to learn that our neighbors were untidy, disagreeable, and UNINTERESTED IN MAKING new friends.

Question 28

WRONG: The experiences we have when children influence our behavior in adulthood.

Answer 28

CORRECT: The experiences we have in childhood influence our behavior in adulthood

*The sentence does not have any parallelism signals. We know that “in childhood” should be parallel in structure to “in adulthood” because of the logical considerations: the sentence is meant to highlight a connect between childhood and adulthood.