Study guide
5.2 Parallel Structure in Lists and Compound Elements
ACCUPLACER Writing Study Guide Exam
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1 Introduction & ACCUPLACER Writing Overview
1.1 About the ACCUPLACER Writing Test 1.2 Test-Taking Strategies & Passage-Based Revision
2 Expression of Ideas: Development
2.1 Proposition, Thesis Statements, and Topic Sentences 2.2 Supporting Details, Evidence, and Textual Relevance 2.3 Audience, Rhetorical Purpose, and Essay Focus
3 Expression of Ideas: Organization
3.1 Logical Sentence and Paragraph Sequence 3.2 Transitional Words and Cohesive Devices 3.3 Effective Introductions, Conclusions, and Summary Sentences
4 Expression of Ideas: Effective Language Use
4.1 Precision and Contextual Vocabulary 4.2 Concision and Eliminating Redundancy 4.3 Style, Tone, and Formal Academic Diction 4.4 Sentence Combination, Syntactic Variety, and Structure
5 Standard English Conventions: Sentence Structure
5.1 Sentence Fragments, Run-Ons, and Comma Splices 5.2 Parallel Structure in Lists and Compound Elements 5.3 Misplaced, Dangling, and Illogical Modifiers 5.4 Subordination, Coordination, and Clause Relationships
6 Standard English Conventions: Conventions of Usage
6.1 Subject-Verb Agreement 6.2 Pronoun Agreement, Antecedent Clarity, and Pronoun Case 6.3 Verb Tense, Sequence, and Aspect 6.4 Frequently Confused Words and Idiomatic Prepositions
7 Standard English Conventions: Conventions of Punctuation
7.1 End-of-Sentence Punctuation and Comma Rules 7.2 Semicolons, Colons, and Dashes 7.3 Apostrophes, Possessives, and Quotation Marks
5.2 Parallel Structure in Lists and Compound Elements
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
Parallel structure (or parallelism) requires that items in a list, series, or compound structure take the same grammatical form.
When joining elements with coordinating conjunctions, ensure the elements on both sides of the conjunction are balanced.
Correlative conjunctions (like either/or, neither/nor, not only/but also) must introduce parallel grammatical structures.
Comparisons linked by words like 'than' or 'as' must compare logically equivalent and grammatically parallel items.
A breakdown in parallel structure often sounds awkward and disrupts the logical flow of a sentence.
Last updated: July 2026
Understanding Parallel Structure
Parallel structure, also known as parallelism, is the principle that requires words, phrases, or clauses in a series or compound structure to follow the same grammatical pattern. In geometry, parallel lines run alongside each other in identical directions; in grammar, parallel elements function alongside each other in identical forms.
Maintaining parallel structure is crucial because it makes writing clearer, more rhythmic, and easier for the reader to process. On the ACCUPLACER, questions testing parallel structure often hide the error in long sentences, forcing you to carefully trace the grammatical elements back to their root.
Parallelism in Lists and Series
The most common place you will encounter parallel structure is in a list of three or more items. If the first item in the list is a noun, the subsequent items must also be nouns. If the first is an infinitive verb phrase, the rest must be infinitive verb phrases.
Example 1: Nouns vs. Verbs
Faulty: The new software is celebrated for its speed, its reliability, and it is easy to use.
Breakdown: The list contains "speed" (noun), "reliability" (noun), and "it is easy to use" (independent clause).
Correction: The new software is celebrated for its speed, its reliability, and its ease of use. (Now all three are noun phrases).
Example 2: Verb Tenses and Forms
Faulty: During the marathon, the runner was sweating heavily, breathed heavily, and felt a cramp in her leg.
Breakdown: The verbs are "sweating" (present participle), "breathed" (past tense), and "felt" (past tense).
Correction: During the marathon, the runner sweated heavily, breathed heavily, and felt a cramp in her leg. (Now all three are simple past tense verbs).
STUDENT TRAP: When dealing with prepositions or infinitive markers (like "to"), you can either state the marker before the entire list or repeat it before every single item. Mixing and matching is an error.
Faulty: She likes to hike, swim, and to ride her bike.
Correct: She likes to hike, swim, and ride her bike.
Correct: She likes to hike, to swim, and to ride her bike.
Parallelism with Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that work together to join equal grammatical elements. The most common pairs tested are:
- Either ... or
- Neither ... nor
- Not only ... but (also)
- Both ... and
- Whether ... or
The rule of parallel structure dictates that whatever grammatical form follows the first half of the pair must exactly match the grammatical form that follows the second half.
Example: Not only / But also
Faulty: The documentary was not only informative but it also entertained the audience.
Breakdown: "Not only" is followed by an adjective ("informative"). "But also" (split here as "but it also") is followed by an independent clause ("it... entertained the audience").
Correction: The documentary was not only informative but also entertaining.
Example: Either / Or
Faulty: The coach said the team must either improve their defense or they will lose the championship.
Breakdown: "Either" is followed by a verb phrase ("improve their defense"). "Or" is followed by an independent clause ("they will lose the championship").
Correction: The coach said the team must either improve their defense or face a loss in the championship. (Now both are verb phrases).
Parallelism in Comparisons
When you compare two things using words like than or as , the two items being compared must be grammatically parallel and logically equivalent. This overlap between parallelism and logical comparisons is a frequent ACCUPLACER target.
Example: Phrasal Parallelism in Comparisons
Faulty: Riding a bicycle is more physically demanding than to drive a car.
Breakdown: The sentence compares a gerund phrase ("Riding a bicycle") to an infinitive phrase ("to drive a car").
Correction: Riding a bicycle is more physically demanding than driving a car.
Example: Logical Equivalence in Comparisons
Faulty: The GDP of California is higher than Texas.
Breakdown: This sentence compares a measurement ("The GDP of California") to a piece of land ("Texas"). This is illogical and breaks structural balance.
Correction: The GDP of California is higher than that of Texas. (The pronoun "that" stands in for "the GDP").
Passage-Based Editing Breakdown
Let's examine how parallelism is tested in a paragraph context.
Original Text: (1) The principles of modern graphic design require artists to balance visual weight, to maintain color harmony, and avoiding cluttered layouts. (2) Effective designs not only capture the viewer's attention but also they communicate the underlying message clearly. (3) According to a recent survey, freelance designers prefer working independently rather than to report to a corporate manager.
Analysis & Correction:
Sentence 1 contains a faulty list. It lists "to balance" (infinitive), "to maintain" (infinitive), and "avoiding" (gerund/participle). We must change the last item to match the infinitives. Correction: "...require artists to balance visual weight, to maintain color harmony, and to avoid cluttered layouts."
Sentence 2 contains a faulty correlative conjunction setup. "Not only" is followed by a verb phrase ("capture the viewer's attention"). "But also" is followed by an independent clause ("they communicate..."). We must remove the pronoun "they" to make the second half a verb phrase. Correction: "Effective designs not only capture the viewer's attention but also communicate the underlying message clearly."
Sentence 3 features a faulty comparison. It compares "working independently" (gerund phrase) with "to report to a corporate manager" (infinitive phrase). Correction: "...freelance designers prefer working independently rather than reporting to a corporate manager."
Summary of Strategies
Whenever you spot a list (often indicated by commas and the word and or or ), immediately check the grammatical form of each item. When you see paired conjunctions like not only / but also , look at the exact word that immediately follows each part of the pair. If they don't match, the structure is flawed and must be corrected.