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In this article you will learn:

  • Parallelism
  • Sentence Correction Using Parallelism
  • Sentence Correction Using Parallelism when it comes to noun number
  • Sentence Correction Using Parallelism when it comes to verbs
  • Sentence Correction Using Parallelism when it comes to mismatched parts of speech.

Exam Connect:

Parallelism sentence correction is one of the most important part of verbal ability questions of the section English for Entrance Exams. It is one of the tougher topics which, if you are not careful, can lose you marks. Questions appear in the forms of:

  • Fill in the blanks
  • Sentence correction questions

Parallelism

Parallelism is the balance between two or more similar words, phrases or clauses. It is also called parallel construction or parallel structure. It gives clarity to a sentence.

Eg: Consider the following sentence:

Arun likes playing football, rugby and play basketball.

The sentence here is complex. Even though Arun plays all the three sports, they are given separately in the sentence with the use of unwanted verbs. We can make the sentence simpler and clearer by using Parallelism sentence correction as follows:

Arun likes playing football, rugby and basketball.

Parallelism

Sentence Correction Using Parallelism

When it comes to Noun Number

Consider the following sentence:

Furniture items like desks or a chair can be made out of wood.

Here, even though the verb  applies to both the objects in the sentence, one of them remains plural and the other singular, with a separation between them with the usage of the word “or”. The sentence, using Parallelism sentence correction can be rewritten as:

Furniture items like desks and chairs can be made out of wood.

When it comes to Verbs

Consider the following sentence:

Arun likes painting, sketching, and to draw cartoons.

In this sentence, painting and sketching are gerunds (verbs functioning as nouns) and “to draw” is an infinitive. To combine both kinds of words and make the sentence meaningful, Parallelism sentence correction can be used in the following way:

Arun likes painting, sketching, and drawing cartoons.

or

Arun likes to paint, sketch, and to draw cartoons.

In the second case, you don’t need to repeat the “to” in each instance of the infinitive form of the verb. The goal is to make the form of the verb in all three cases the same.

When it comes to Mismatched Parts of Speech

Consider the following sentence:

Kajal perfectly and with confidence presented the paper.

Since “perfectly” is an adverb, we need to change “confidence” into an adverb too, since “with confidence” is a prepositional phrase. They need to be the same part of speech for this sentence to be properly parallel. The sentence can then be rewritten in the following way using Parallelism sentence correction:

Kajal presented the paper perfectly and confidently.

Or

Kajal presented the paper with perfection and confidence.

Parallelism

Parallelism Sentence Correction Practice Questions

  • Choose the right answer using parallelism:

1.Sarah has _________.

  1. A car, a bike, and a cycle.
  2. A car, a bike, and she has a cycle.
  3. A car and a bike, and she has a cycle.
  4. None of the above.

Answer: A

Explanation: It is a list of possessions of a single person. Hence the nouns can be connected together with a conjunction “and”, in the form of  a list.

2. Public transport such as ___________

  1. Buses and a train reduces air pollution.
  2. Buses or a train reduces air pollution.
  3. Buses and trains reduce air pollution.
  4. None of the above.

Answer: C

Explanation: Verb applies to both the nouns, hence they can be made into a list by using “and”.

3. Fathima likes  ______________.

  1. Cooking, cleaning and to knit.
  2. Cooking, cleaning and knitting.
  3. To cook, clean and knitting.
  4. None of the above.

Answer: B

Explanation:  The form of the verb should be the same in all three cases, either in gerund form or in infinite form.

4. For breakfast I would like _________________.

  1. Fried eggs and to bake potatoes.
  2. Baked potatoes and to fry eggs.
  3. To fry eggs and bake potatoes.
  4. None of the above.

Answer: C

Explanation: The form of the verb should be the same in all cases, either in gerund form or in infinite form.

5. I like to ______.

  1. Eat healthy food, sleep early and exercise regularly.
  2. Eat healthy food, sleep early and to exercise regularly.
  3. Eat healthy food, sleep early and I like to exercise regularly.
  4. None of the Above.

Answer: A

Explanation: The form of the verb should be the same in all cases, either in gerund form or in infinite form.

Parallelism

Hope this article was helpful to you in understanding the Parallelism Sentence Correction section of entrance exams. English for Entrance Exams is generally an easy section for any entrance examinations, but the grammar part of it has always confused exam takers. Questions of the section conduct tests about the in-depth knowledge of a student in using the English Language. Check out your proficiency in the concept of parallelism by attempting the parallelism quiz by clicking here.

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