Grammar: Parallel

Construction

The best way to learn is by examples:

1)
My income is less than my wife.
My income is less than my wife’s
2)
Unlike his friends, his performance shows a thorough preparation.
Unlike the performance of his friends, his performance shows a thorough preparation.
3)
His personal life was as good as her.
His personal life was as good as her personal life.

The urban population of India is much less than Brazil. (incorrect)

The urban population of India is much less than that of Brazil. (correct)

4)

John wants either money or to be famous. (incorrect)

John wants to be either rich or famous.(correct)

5)

He ran to the shopkeeper and was asking him to change the shirt immediately.
He ran to the shopkeeper and asked him to change the shirt immediately.
6)
Gavin sings and is playing the piano as well.
Gavin sings and plays the piano as well OR Gavin is singing and is playing the piano as well.

7)
Sasha likes to study in the afternoon and then playing later on in the evening.
Sasha likes to study in the afternoon and then to play later on in the evening OR
Sasha likes to studying in the afternoon and then playing later on in the evening.

8)

We liked the film Titanic because there was action, live, romance and some songs as well.
We liked the film Titanic because there was action, love, romance and songs as well.

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 Grammar: Parallel
Construction

9)
Mrs.Mirza loves to complain about the food and service in our hotel. (incorrect)
Mrs. Mirza loves to complain about the food and the service in our hotel.(correct)

10)
Coming from a joint family and that I am the youngest of the children, I have always been
pampered. (incorrect).
Coming from a joint family and being the youngest of the children, I have always been
pampered. (correct; coming is parallel to being).

11) My cousin who is young but very responsibility takes pains to set the breakfast
table.(incorrect)
My cousin who is young but very responsible takes pains to set the breakfast
table.(correct; young is parallel to responsible).

12) These girls are always arguing over whose job it is to put the beds and cleaning the
kitchen.(incorrect)
Theses girls are always arguing over whose job it is to put the beds and to clean the
kitchen.(correct; to put is parallel to clean).

13) People are usually affected by one of the following – greed, joy, pain or they are
poor.(incorrect)
People are usually affected by one of the following – greed, joy, pain or
poverty.(correct; greed,joy,pain and poverty are used parallelly)

14) The trainer advised the players that they should get good sleep, that they should not
overeat and to do warm-up exercises before the game.(incorrect).
The trainer advised the players to get good sleep, not to overeat and to do warm-up
exercises before the game.(correct; to get is parallel to not to overheat and to do).

15) Carl picked up his boots, he picked up his belt and jacket too before he left.(incorrect)
Carl picked up his boots, he picked up his belt and jacket before he left.(correct boots,
belt and jacket are used parallelly, and the verb picked is not repeated)

16) Peter went to work a bistro and to a mall, all in one day.(incorrect)
Peter went to work to a bistro and to a mall, all in one day.(correct to a bristo is parallel
to a mall)

17) The biologist was interested and excited about the new advances in
medicine.(incorrect)
The biologist was interested in and excited about the new advances in
medicine.(correct interested in and excited about are parallel idiomatic expressions.)

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 Grammar: Parallel
Construction

18) In psychotherapy, I think both talking and to listen are equally essential. (incorrect)
In psychotherapy, I think both talking and listening are equally essential. (correct;
talking is parallel to listening)

19) This bike is not only fast but also it is safe to ride.(incorrect)
This bike is not only fast but also safe.(correct ; fast is parallel to safe)

20) Joslyn is gifted not only as a guitarist but also at writing songs.(incorrect)
Joslyn is gifted not only as a guitarist but also as a lyricist.(correct; not only as a is
parallel to but also as a guitarist is parallel to lyricist)

21) Jennifer has both experienced the taste of happiness and the pain of
loneliness.(incorrect)
Jennifer has experienced both the taste of happiness and the pain of
loneliness.(correct; taste of happiness is parallel to pain of loneliness) (The word
defining the two parallel experiences follows the main verb experienced.)

22) The eminent journalist wrote a series of articles on Dogri art and its people.(incorrect)
The eminent journalist wrote a series of articles on Dogri art and on its people.(correct;
on Dogri is parallel to on its people)

23) Melissa needs financial independence and to find love.(incorrect)

Melissa needs financial independence and to love.(correct; financial independence is
parallel to love)

24) I o soo s, su er or i wi ter… i orre t

I o soo s, su er or i wi ter… orre t; i monsoons is parallel to in summer is
parallel to in winter) (The preposition in is repeated tomaintain parallelism)
I o soo s, i su er or i wi ter … orre t; in monsoons is parallel to in summer is
parallel to in winter) The preposition in is repeated to maintain parallelism.)

25) The war was both expensive and very damaging (incorrect)
The war was both expensive and damaging (correct; expensive is parallel to damaging;
both is parallel to and) (One should avoid using additional defining words like very.)

26) Carl’s ar is ore spa ious tha )eesha . i orre t

Carl’s ar is ore spa ious tha )eesha ’s. orre t; Carl’s car is parallel to Zeeshan’s
car)

27) In the film, we empathise with Billy more than Patty.(incorrect)

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 Grammar: Parallel
Construction
In the film, we empathise with Billy more than with Patty.(correct; with Billy is parallel
to with Patty)

28) His father is stronger than Zoya.(incorrect)

His father is stro ger tha )oya’s/ His father is stro ger tha )oya’s father. orre t; his
father is parallel to Zoya’s father )

29) In the play Dog in the Manager, o e does ’t k ow whether the hero sees the origi al
dog or a new one.(incorrect)
In the play Dog in the Manager, o e does ’t k ow whether the hero sees the origi al
dog or he sees a new one.(correct; the hero sees is parallel to he sees)

30) The criminal not only stole all the money but was also stabbing the
housekeeper.(incorrect)
The criminal not only stole all the money but also stabbed the housekeeper.(correct;
stole is parallel to stabbed)

31) Mr.Mehta is neither my father nor my father-in-law.(incorrect)

Mr.Mehta is neither my father nor is he my father-in-law.(correct; is neither is parallel
to nor is)

32) In the education fair we read a lot of interesting material, question banks, information
handouts and some test series. (incorrect)
In the education fair, we read a lot of interesting material, question banks, information
handouts and test series. (correct; interesting material, question banks, information
handouts, and test series are all singular elements used parallelly)

33) Joseph does not like to study with Freda as much as Reeta. (incorrect)
Joseph does not like to study with Freda as much as he likes to with Reeta. (correct;
does not like to is parallel to as much as he likes to)

34) Vishal ot o ly roke his fa ily traditio ut also was destroyi g his other’s faith i
him.(incorrect)
Vishal ot o ly roke his fa ily traditio ut also destroyed his other’s faith i
him.(correct; broke is parallel to destroyed)

35) Hal seems to be an irresponsible prince but Hotspur was the traitor.(incorrect)

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 Grammar: Parallel
Construction
Hal seems to be an irresponsible prince but Hotspur is the traitor.(correct; seems its
parallel to is)
Hal seemed to be an irresponsible prince but Hotspur was the traitor.(correct; seemed
is parallel to was)

36) Ingrid prefers to fight criminal cases than preparing legal documents.(incorrect)
Ingrid prefers fighting criminal cases to preparing legal documents.(correct; fighting is
parallel to preparing)

37) The French, the Italians, Germans and Portuguese love to eat meat. (incorrect)
The French, the Italians, the Germans and the Portuguese love to eat meat. (correct;
the french, the Italian, the German and the Portuguese are used parallelly)

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