RULES OF PARALLELISM AND BALANCE IN SENTENCES

 

RULES OF PARALLELISM AND BALANCE IN SENTENCES

Rule	Example
1. Parallelism means using the same grammatical form for related ideas.	She likes reading, writing, and singing.
2. Balanced sentences create rhythm and clarity.	Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.
3. When listing items, each must follow the same structure.	X She likes reading, to swim, and dancing. ../ She likes reading, swimming, and dancing.
4. Use the same verb form when ideas are equal.	He came, he saw, he conquered.
5. When using "not only...but also," keep structure parallel.	She is not only intelligent but also kind.
6. Maintain balance with correlative conjunctions (either or, neither nor, both and).	Either you study hard or you fail.
7. After prepositions, use the same word form.	She is interested in reading, dancing, and painting.
8. Ensure each clause in a comparison is balanced.	X He is richer than honesty. He is richer than he is honest.
9. Parallelism applies to nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and phrases.	Nouns: love, joy, peace / Verbs: run, jump, swim
10. In a list, all verbs should be either infinitives or gerunds, not mixed.	to run, to swim, to jump / running, swimming, jumping
11. In paired ideas, match tense and form.	She worked hard and succeeded easily.
12. In comparative sentences, parallelism clarifies logic.	Better to fail with honor than to succeed by cheating.
13. Keep articles or determiners consistent in lists.	The teacher, the guide, and the friend helped me.
14. Maintain balance in paired adjectives.	Rich and poor, strong and weak, young and old.
15. When using infinitives, repeat "to" if structure demands emphasis.	To read is to grow; to learn is to live.
16. Omit repeated words if structure is clear.	She likes coffee; he, tea.
17. In longer sentences, repeat helping verbs for emphasis.	He has studied, has practiced, and has improved.
18. Don't mix parts of speech in the same list.	X She loves honesty, being polite, and to help others. She loves honesty, politeness, and helpfulness.
19. Parallelism makes comparisons smoother.	He is as tall as his brother.
20. When using "both...and," match grammatical forms.	Both smart and confident / Both to read and to write.
21. With "either or" and "neither nor," use same part of speech.	Either now or never / Neither tall nor short
22. Keep verb voice consistent across clauses.	X He was praised and people loved him.  He was praised and loved by people.
23. Keep number (singular/plural) consistent.	The teacher and the student were ready.
24. Use repetition strategically for balance and rhythm.	Work hard, dream big, achieve success.
25. Use parallelism in slogans, poetry, and speeches.	Government of the people, by the people, for the people.
26. Use parallelism for contrast.	To err is human; to forgive, divine.
27. Don't break balance by changing grammatical structure mid-sentence.	X She loves dancing and to sing. s/ She loves dancing and singing.
28. Use commas to separate parallel ideas clearly.	He studied, practiced, and performed well.
29. Keep conjunction placement uniform in parallel lists.	Fast, flexible, and focused.
30. When comparing, use same prepositions and forms.	He is not only good at science but also at math.
31. Parallelism helps avoid awkward repetition.	She wanted to read more and to write better.
32. Use parallel forms after linking verbs.	Her goal was to win and to inspire others.
33. In questions, maintain balance for clarity.	Do you prefer tea or coffee?
34. Use parallel patterns for cause and effect.	He failed because he was careless, and succeeded when he worked hard.
35. Avoid unbalanced pairs like "both...but."	X Both she came but also he stayed. v/ Both she came and he stayed.
36. Keep negative and positive forms consistent.	He neither works nor studies.
37. Avoid mismatch between clauses.	X She wanted to be a dancer and her mother a singer. -+ She wanted to be a dancer and her mother wanted to be a singer.
38. Use rhythm and symmetry for readability.	Faith makes all things possible; love makes all things easy.
39. Parallelism improves clarity in lists and instructions.	To succeed: set goals, work daily, and review progress.
40. Avoid redundancy by combining parallel ideas.	She is creative, confident, and consistent.
41. Parallel structure makes longer sentences easy to follow.	He trained daily, studied nightly, and improved constantly.
42. Keep infinitives ("to + verb") balanced in purpose statements.	To learn and to grow is the goal.
43. Maintain balance in correlative phrases.	Whether in success or failure, stay humble.
44. Use parallel clauses in complex ideas.	When you work hard, when you stay focused, and when you believe, success follows.
45. Parallelism makes persuasive writing powerful.	We demand justice, we deserve peace, we seek equality.
46. Check endings symmetry should be maintained till the last phrase.	She is not only smart but also hardworking.
47. Avoid inconsistent prepositions.	X She is interested in and good at singing. .../ She is interested in singing and good at it.
48. Parallelism adds musicality to writing.	It makes sentences sound poetic and memorable.
49. Recheck parallel structure during editing errors often appear in lists.	Proofread for pattern consistency.
50. Mastering parallelism gives elegance, precision, and flow the mark of an expert writer.	Balanced grammar = beautiful language.

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