Ninth Grade English: Parallelism in Sentences, Lists, and Series

Parallelism (also known as parallel structure) is the foundational grammatical and rhetorical principle requiring that coordinate elements within a sentence—words, phrases, or clauses—share identical grammatical architectures. In ninth grade, you will eliminate awkward, non-parallel structures from your essays, mastering the alignment of parallel lists, paired correlative conjunctions, and comparative clauses, ensuring your prose projects structural balance, clarity, and rhetorical elegance.

The Geometric Logic of Parallel Structure

Human cognition seeks symmetry. When a writer presents a list of three actions or coordinates two contrasting ideas, the human brain expects those items to follow an identical grammatical pattern.

Faulty Non-Parallel Architecture (Broken Symmetry):
The student loved [reading novels], [to hike mountains], and [when he baked].
                   Gerund Phrase      Infinitive Phrase     Dependent Clause
                   (Clunky, jarring, and syntactically fractured!)

Harmonious Parallel Architecture (Symmetrical Balance):
The student loved [reading novels], [hiking mountains], and [baking pastries].
                   Gerund Phrase      Gerund Phrase         Gerund Phrase
                   (Balanced, musical, and grammatically harmonious!)

The Core Law of Parallelism

The fundamental law of parallel structure asserts: Items in a coordinate series must be matched in grammatical form. If item one is an infinitive (to run), items two and three must be infinitives (to swim, to jump). If item one is a participial phrase, all subsequent items must be participial phrases. Mixing different grammatical structures within a single coordinate series jars the reader's ear and weakens rhetorical authority.

The Three Primary Arenas of Parallelism

Parallel structure must be maintained across three distinct grammatical arenas:

1. Parallelism in Coordinate Series and Lists

When linking three or more words, phrases, or clauses with a coordinating conjunction (and, or): Words: "The athlete was swift, agile, and resilient." (Three adjectives). Phrases: "We searched under the floorboards, behind the bookshelves, and inside the chimney." (Three prepositional phrases). Clauses: "The archivist revealed how the map was forged, where the artifact was hidden, and why the vault was locked." (Three noun clauses).

2. Parallelism with Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions work in fixed pairs: either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also, both...and, whether...or. The Non-Negotiable Rule: Whatever grammatical structure immediately follows the first correlative word must immediately follow the second correlative word!

Broken Correlative Syntax:
"He [not only lost] his wallet, but [also his keys]."
(After "not only" sits a Verb Phrase; after "but also" sits a Noun Phrase!)

Balanced Correlative Syntax:
"He lost [not only his wallet], but [also his keys]."
(After "not only" sits a Noun Phrase; after "but also" sits a Noun Phrase!)

3. Parallelism in Comparative Clauses (Than / As)

When making comparisons using than or as, the two entities being compared must be grammatically equivalent: Faulty: "Driving across the desert is more exhausting than to fly." (Gerund compared to Infinitive). Parallel: "Driving across the desert is more exhausting than flying across the country." (Gerund compared to Gerund). Parallel: "To drive across the desert is more exhausting than to fly across the country." (Infinitive compared to Infinitive).

The Rhetorical Power of Parallelism in High Oratory

Beyond basic grammatical correctness, parallel structure is the premier tool of memorable public oratory. When an orator links ideas with parallel syntax, the rhythm creates emotional resonance: Example: "We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne." (Patrick Henry). Notice the fourfold repetition of [We have + Past Participle]. The parallel cadence builds an unyielding rhythmic momentum, convincing the audience that every avenue of peaceful reconciliation has been exhausted.

Chapter Exercises

Exercise 1: State the fundamental rule of parallel structure. Explain why mixing different grammatical categories (such as pairing a gerund with an infinitive phrase) disrupts the reading experience.

Exercise 2: Correct the parallel structure violations in the following sentences: Sentence A: "The internship taught Julian how to manage corporate budgets, conducting forensic audits, and to write financial reports." Sentence B: "She was admired for her extraordinary intelligence, being a kind person, and her dedication." Sentence C: "To swim in the mountain river is more refreshing than hiking in the desert."

Exercise 3: Analyze the correlative conjunction placement in the following sentence, explain the structural defect, and compose two distinct parallel revisions: "The municipal committee voted neither to approve the commercial rezoning request nor did they reject the environmental petition."

Solutions and Explanations

Solution 1: The fundamental rule of parallel structure asserts that coordinate elements joined by coordinating conjunctions (and, or), correlative conjunction pairs (either...or, not only...but also), or comparative markers (than, as) must share identical grammatical architectures. Mixing different grammatical categories—such as pairing an infinitive phrase ("to study") with a gerund phrase ("reading")—disrupts the reading experience because the human brain relies on predictable syntactical symmetry to process coordinate information. When the grammatical pattern stumbles mid-sentence, the reader experiences cognitive friction, forcing them to pause and untangle the mismatched clauses, which destroys the sentence's rhythmic cadence and weakens its rhetorical clarity.

Solution 2: Correcting parallel structure violations: Sentence A: "The internship taught Julian how to manage corporate budgets, conducting forensic audits, and to write financial reports." Correction (Standardize to Infinitives): "The internship taught Julian how to manage corporate budgets, to conduct forensic audits, and to write financial reports." (Or drop the repeated "to": "...how to manage corporate budgets, conduct forensic audits, and write financial reports"). Sentence B: "She was admired for her extraordinary intelligence, being a kind person, and her dedication." Correction (Standardize to Noun Phrases): "She was admired for her extraordinary intelligence, her warm kindness, and her unyielding dedication." Sentence C: "To swim in the mountain river is more refreshing than hiking in the desert." Correction (Standardize to Gerunds or Infinitives): "Swimming in the mountain river is more refreshing than hiking in the desert." (Or: "To swim in the mountain river is more refreshing than to hike in the desert").

Solution 3: In the sentence "The municipal committee voted neither to approve the commercial rezoning request nor did they reject the environmental petition," the correlative pair neither...nor is unbalanced. Following the first marker ("neither") sits an infinitive verb phrase ("to approve..."), while following the second marker ("nor") sits an independent clause ("did they reject..."). This mismatch violates correlative symmetry. Revision A (Standardizing to Infinitive Phrases): "The municipal committee voted neither to approve the commercial rezoning request nor to reject the environmental petition." Revision B (Standardizing to Conjugated Past Tense Verbs): "The municipal committee neither approved the commercial rezoning request nor rejected the environmental petition."