Parallelism Flashcards
(22 cards)
“Number Two Tells You What to Do”
In a series of 2+ elements, what you do on element #2 determines what you do with elements #3 and on.
- I like to swim, to run, and to dance.
- I like to swim, run, and dance.
Placement of the parallel marker may place a limitation on what words can be omitted from infinitive lists
- After the first infinitive: e.g., It is critical to suspend activities, notify investors and say nothing.
- Before the first infinitive: e.g., It is critical either to suspend activities or to notify investors.
FANBOYS Conjunctions are always parallelism triggers
A structure built around the FANBOYS conjunctions must be parallel. This structure is a two-element list. Steps:
- Notice the FANBOYS conjunction
- Determine what elements the FANBOYS conjunction connects
- Locate the words that introduce the elements connected by the FANBOYS conjunction
- Create separate test sentences using the introductory words and the words themselves
Repeating Element
A repeating element that is essential to what introduces a list must either appear once, before the first time on the list, OR appear in every one of the items in the list. Such a repeating element cannot appear haphazardly in the list.
Repeating Prepositions
Sometimes, in order for a sentence including a list to clearly convey a logical meaning, it’s necessary to repeat a preposition, such as “for,” “of,” “to,” “in,” “by,” or “because of” by placing the preposition before every item in the list.
- e.g., The manager wanted to know whether the additional employee training had been followed by material changes in product quality and in frequency of significant defects
Repeating “That”
Sometimes it’s necessary to repeat “that” by placing it before every item in the list.
e.g., Jim said that he is going to arrive soon and that he is going to find a way to resolve the issue.
→ Different meaning from: Jim said that he is going to arrive soon, and he is going to find a way to resolve the issue.
Nested List
Nested list vs. outer list
- Whatever introduces the nested list is understood to carry over to each of the elements in the nested list without being explicitly written. Distinguish the carry over in the nested list and the carry over in the outer list
- e.g., Please leave (your name and your number) and explain why you called.
Correlative Conjunction (always a parallel trigger)
What precedes the first part of a correlative conjunction carries over to the second part of the correlative conjunction. Same pattern/technique for all of the following.
- not only…but also
- not only…but…as well → another “not only” structure!
- not…but
- both…and
- either…or
- neither…nor
Not only…but also: first part before “not only” carries over
Whatever precedes the first part of a “not only…but also” correlative structure is understood to carry over to, without being written in, the second part of the correlative structure.
- Identify the contained unit (starting from “not only”)
- Incorrect: The board of directors demanded that the CEO not only resign immediately but also that she forfeit her annual bonus.
- Correct: The board of directors demanded that the CEO (not only resign immediately but also forfeit her annual bonus.)
- Then distribute the carried over part to see if the sentence makes sense.
- Illogical: Not only the board of directors demanded that the CEO resign immediately but also the board of directors demanded that the CEO that she forfeit her annual bonus
- Don’t need comma before “but also”
Not only…but also: whatever appears after “not only” doesn’t carry over
Incorrect: Jim not only is crazy but also fun.
→ Distribute: Not only Jim is crazy but also Jim fun → WRONG
→ Jim not only is crazy but also is fun.
→ Jim is not only crazy but also fun.
Incorrect: Not only does he neglect his studies but also regularly fails to turn in his homework.
→ Correct: Not only does he neglect his studies, but also he regularly fails to turn in his homework.
Not only…but also: words in between
Incorrect: The chef not only prepares dinners but he also bakes pastries.
→ Distribute: Not only the chef prepares dinners but he also the chef bakes pastries
Not only…but also: two-part only
Can only be a two-part construction. Can’t be three-part. However, be careful of this application:
e.g., In early Mesopotamian civilization, castor oil served not only as a laxative but also as a skin-softening lotion and as a construction lubricant for sliding giant stone blocks over wooden rollers.
→ Incorrect: In early Mesopotamian civilization, castor oil served as not only a laxative, but also a skin-softening lotion, and it was a construction lubricant for sliding giant stone blocks over wooden rollers.
Not only…bust also: what’s essential
If you have the first half of that construction, you should probably have the second. But if you have the second half (“but also”) you don’t necessarily need the first (“not only”).
e.g., He studies a lot, but he also likes to have fun.
Carrying Over
Certain elements of a structure involving a list are understood to be repeated throughout the list, although these elements are not explicitly written.
- Trick: Distribute the introductory words to each of the elements in the list
- THINK: The second part’s structure should match the first part’s structure (after the trigger word)
- e.g., Firefighters not only fight fires but also inspect buildings.
Carrying Over: Example #1
- Incorrect: Native Americans lost their history, their land, their culture, and is one of the least discussed genocides in the world history.
- Correct: Native Americans lost their history, land, and culture, and theirs is one of the least discussed genocides in the world history.
Carrying Over: Example #2
- Incorrect: The plethora of new products coming from technology companies, particularly in the area of communication, are both transforming the ways people accomplish things and the ways they relate to each other.
- Correct: The plethora of new products coming from technology companies, particularly in the area of communication, are transforming both the ways people accomplish things and the ways they relate to each other.
Other structures requiring parallelism
Unlike correlative conjunctions, the following structures don’t involve carry over. What makes them parallel is that the X and Y in each structure are grammatically similar.
- X rather than Y
- Mistake X for Y
- Prefer X to Y
- Range from X to Y
- More X than Y (in certain context)
Clauses in a sentence don’t have to be structured in the same way to be parallel because clauses are parallel to each other in that they all have subjects and verbs.
e.g., Most frogs and toads live for less than 10 years, many salamanders can live for up to 20 years, and the longest lifespan of an amphibian is that of the olm salamander, which can live for more than 100 years.
Verbs in different tenses can be parallel
e.g., The organization, which helped to shape Brazilian ecological policy, is promoting rainforest restoration, and will likely restore thousands of hectares in the near future, is made up of enterprises ranging from small farms to major NGOs.
Gerunds and infinitives are not parallel
- Correct: I like playing tennis, cycling in the mountains, and relaxing at the end of the day.
- Incorrect: I like playing tennis, cycling in the mountains, and to relax at the end of the day.
Active voice and passive voice in the same list can be parallel
e.g., Having hit her GMAT target, Aisha applied to her first-choice business school, was invited for an interview, and was accepted.
The strategy of choosing the choice that creates the more parallel version of a sentence should be used only as a last resort when we don’t see any other decision points.
Remember that elements of a sentence don’t have to be exactly the same to be correctly parallel.
- Better: Allobates zaparo, a frog species found in the rainforest and resembling a poison dart frog, is not actually poisonous.
- Worse: Allobates zaparo, a frog species found in the rainforest and that resembles a poison dart frog, is not actually poisonous.
