Parallelism Problem Set
1. Researchers have found a correlation between exercise and earning good grades
Parallel Marker: Between/and
Parallel Element:
- Exercise - Noun
- Earning good grades - Participle phrase
Change both to participles
2. Although we were sitting in the bleachers, the baseball game was as exciting to us as the people sitting behind the homeplate.
Parallel Marker: As, as
Parallel Element:
3. Many teachers choose to seek employment in the suburbs
rather than facing low salaries in the city
Parallel Element: Verbs
- seek employment
- facing low salaries = face low salaries
4. A good night's sleep not only gives your body a chance to rest, but also energizing you for the following day.
Parallel Element: Verbs
- Gives your
- Energizing you = Energizes
5. The joint business venture will increase employee satisfaction and be improving relations between the upper management and staff.
- increase
- be improving = improve
6. The museum displays the work of a wide variety of artists, from those who are world-renowned to who are virtually unknown.
Parallel Element: Subordinate Clause (Relative pronoun)
- From those who are world-renowned
- To those who are virtually unknown
7. We were dismayed to learn that our neighbors were untidy, disagreeable, and they were uninterested to make new friends.
Parallel Element: Nouns, Clause
- Untidy
- Disagreeable
- Uninterested in making new friends (change to noun phrase)
8. The students did poorly on the test more because they had not studied than the material was difficult.
Parallel Marker: More/Than
Parallel Element: Because
- Because they had not studied
- The material was difficult --> Because the material was difficult
9. The blizzard deposited more than a foot of snow on the train tracks, prompted the transit authority to shut down service temporarily and causing discontent among commuters who were left stranded for hours.
Logically parallel? (actual parallelism)
Structurally parallel? (superficial parallelism)
Parallel Elements: Participle clauses
- prompted = prompting
- causing
10. The experiences we have when children influence our behavior in adulthood.
No parallel markers
Parallel Elements: Preposition
- When Children = In Childhood
- In Adulthood
11. The band chosen for the annual spring concert appealed to both the student body as well as to the administrator.
Parallel Elements: Collective Nouns
- Student Body
- Administrator = The Administration
12. Tabacco companies, shaken by a string of legal setbacks in the United States, but which retain strong growth prospects in the developing world, face an uncertain future.
Parallel Marker: But
Parallel Elements: Relative Pronoun
- Shaken by -> Which have been shaken by
- Which retain strong growth
13. Voters want to elect a president who genuinely cares about health care, the environment, and the travails of ordinary men and women and has the experience, wisdom, and strength of character required for the job.
Parallel Marker: Lists & and -> must add a comma in front of "and"
Parallel Elements: Relative Pronoun/Subordinate Clause (Should start with same word)
- Who genuinely cares about health care, environment, and the travails
- Who has the experience, wisdom, and strength of character
*Take note of the two different subordinate clauses and repeat the relative pronoun or subordinate conjunction
*Two different list of nouns
14. The consultant is looking for a cafe where there are comfortable chairs and that provides free internet access.
Parallel Elements: Subordinate Clause (need to repeat word)
- Where = Subordinate Conjunction
- That = Subordinate Conjunction
- That has (linking "to be" verb) comfortable chairs
- That provides (verb) free internet access
15. Dr. Crock's claims have not been corroborated by other scientists or published in a prestigious journal but have nonetheless garnered a great deal of attention from the public.
