The Rhythm of Rhetoric: Mastering Parallelism

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Clarity and style

What is parallelism?

Parallelism is the repetition of similar grammatical structures in a sentence or paragraph. It is a powerful tool that can be used to make your writing more concise, clear, and emphatic.

Parallelism can occur in a variety of ways: – Using the same verb tense for all items in a series. For example: – I like to swim, run, and bike. – Using the same pronoun case for all items in a series. For example: – The cat, dog, and bird are all my pets. – Using the same adjective form for all items in a series. For example: – The sky is blue, the grass is green, and the flowers are red. – Using the same adverb form for all items in a series. For example: – I quickly ran to the store, bought the milk, and returned home. – To avoid parallelism, it is important to make sure that all items in a series have the same grammatical structure. You can also check your writing for parallelism by reading it aloud. If you come across a series of items that do not have the same grammatical structure, you may need to revise your sentence.

## Tips for avoiding parallelism

– Make sure all items in a series have the same grammatical structure.
– Read your writing aloud to check for parallelism.
– Use a grammar checker to help you identify parallelism.

  • Parallelism can make your writing sound choppy and unprofessional. By following these tips, you can avoid parallelism and write clear, concise sentences.

Examples of parallelism

  • I like to read, write, and sing.
  • The dog ran quickly, the cat jumped high, and the bird flew far.
  • The sky is blue, the grass is green, and the flowers are red.
  • I quickly ran to the store, bought the milk, and returned home.

Examples of non-parallelism

  • I like to read, write, and sing songs.
  • The dog ran quickly, the cat jumped high, and the bird flew.
  • The sky is blue, the grass is green, and the flowers are beautiful.
  • I quickly ran to the store, bought the milk, and then went home.

As you can see, parallelism can make your writing more concise, clear, and emphatic. By using parallelism in your writing, you can improve your communication skills and make your writing more effective.