Parallel Structure — Balance and Rhythm in Writing
Imagine Ravi is preparing a high-stakes presentation for a client at TCS. He writes on his slide: "Our software helps in reducing costs, it improves efficiency, and better security." While the client understands the meaning, the sentence feels clunky and unprofessional. Now imagine Neha writing her UPSC Mains essay; she uses phrases that flow like a song, making her complex arguments easy to digest. The difference between Ravi’s awkward slide and Neha’s elegant essay is often just one thing: Parallel Structure. In our daily professional lives in India—whether we are drafting emails, writing board exam answers, or preparing for the IELTS—parallelism is the secret to sounding polished and authoritative.
Parallel structure (also called parallelism) means using the same grammatical pattern for two or more similar ideas in a sentence. If you start with a gerund (-ing), an infinitive (to + verb), or a noun, the rest of the list must follow the same form.
1. What Is Parallel Structure?
At its heart, parallelism is about balance. When we connect ideas using coordinating conjunctions like and, but, or, nor, our brain expects a consistent pattern. If that pattern is broken, the reader "stumbles" over the sentence. It is very much like a musical rhythm; if one beat is off, the whole song sounds wrong.
To check for parallelism, use the "Ear Test." Read your sentence aloud. If you find yourself pausing or feeling that a list is "tripping" you up, you likely have a parallelism error.
| Word Type | ❌ Non-Parallel | ✅ Parallel (Correct) |
|---|---|---|
| Gerunds (-ing) | She likes cooking, jogging, and to read. | She likes cooking, jogging, and reading. |
| Infinitives (to) | He promised to study, to work, and helping at home. | He promised to study, to work, and to help at home. |
| Adjectives | The movie was long, boring, and a disappointment. | The movie was long, boring, and disappointing. |
✏️ Quick Practice — The Ear Test
Rewrite these sentences to make them parallel:
- Arjun is responsible for stocking the shelves, checking the inventory, and he has to answer the phone.
- The job requires a high level of skill, a lot of patience, and being dedicated.
- During the Diwali break, Meera plans to sleep, to eat, and visiting her cousins.
Answers: 1. ...and answering the phone. | 2. ...and a lot of dedication. | 3. ...and to visit her cousins.
2. Parallelism in Lists and Bullet Points
In the Indian corporate world, we rely heavily on bullet points for reports and PowerPoint presentations. However, this is where parallelism often breaks down. If your first bullet point starts with a verb, every subsequent bullet point must also start with a verb in the same tense.
| ❌ Faulty List (Mixed Forms) | ✅ Parallel List (Consistent Forms) | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| • Market research • Designing the UI • We will test the app | • Conduct market research • Design the UI • Test the app | Consistent use of imperative verbs. |
When writing a resume, if you describe your previous role at Infosys as "Managed a team of five" (Past Tense), the next point should be "Developed new protocols" (Past Tense), not "Developing new protocols" (Present Participle — the -ing form used as an adjective or to form continuous tenses).
3. Parallelism with Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions come in pairs: not only... but also, both... and, either... or, neither... nor, and whether... or. The rule here is strict: the grammatical structure that follows the first part of the pair must match the structure that follows the second part.
✅ Correct: Rajesh is not only talented but also hardworking. (Adjective + Adjective)
❌ Incorrect: Rajesh is not only talented but also he is hardworking. (Adjective + Clause)
| Conjunction Pair | ✅ Parallel Example |
|---|---|
| Both... and | The lecture was both informative and entertaining. |
| Either... or | You can either send an email or make a phone call. |
| Neither... nor | Neither the students nor the teachers were present. |
| Whether... or | I don't know whether to stay or to go. |
When using "not only... but also," imagine a balance scale. If you put a verb after "not only," you must put a verb after "but also." If you put a prepositional phrase after one, do the same for the other.
4. Parallelism in Comparisons
When comparing two things using than, as, or the verb prefer, the items being compared must be in the same form. Indian learners often make the mistake of comparing an action to a noun, or an entire clause to a single word.
✅ Correct: I prefer swimming in the sea to swimming in a pool.
❌ Incorrect: I prefer swimming in the sea than to swim in a pool.
✅ Correct: The climate of Mumbai is more humid than that of Delhi.
❌ Incorrect: The climate of Mumbai is more humid than Delhi. (Compares "climate" to the city of "Delhi.")
✏️ Quick Practice — Comparison Check
- To learn is as important as (earning / to earn).
- Having a bad boss is worse than (to be unemployed / being unemployed).
- Her English is much better than (his / he).
Answers: 1. to earn | 2. being unemployed | 3. his (referring to his English)
5. Parallel Structure in Formal Writing (IELTS & UPSC)
In formal essays, parallelism isn’t just about grammar; it’s about rhetoric and persuasion. It gives your writing a sense of rhythm and "weight."
The Thesis Statement:
❌ Weak: "This essay will discuss why social media is addictive, how it creates division, and its commercial exploitation."
✅ Strong (Parallel): "This essay will argue that social media is addictive, divisive, and exploitative." (Three adjectives)
The Rule of Three:
Many great orators use parallel triplets to make an impact. Think of Abraham Lincoln’s "Government of the people, by the people, for the people." In your professional emails, you can use this for emphasis: "We are committed to quality, innovation, and integrity."
6. Common Errors in Indian Writing
Because Indian languages have different structures, we often mix tenses or parts of speech when translating thoughts into English. Here are some frequent mistakes:
| ❌ Incorrect | ✅ Correct | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| The plan involves cutting costs, increasing sales, and the improvement of service. | The plan involves cutting costs, increasing sales, and improving service. | Mixing -ing verbs with a noun phrase ("the improvement") breaks the flow. |
| He was told to report on time and that he should wear a tie. | He was told to report on time and to wear a tie. | Matches an infinitive with an infinitive. |
| The exam was challenging, exhausting, and of great length. | The exam was challenging, exhausting, and long. | Ends with a noun phrase ("of great length") instead of using all adjectives. |
Summary
Parallel structure is the backbone of clear, professional English. By ensuring that your lists, comparisons, and paired ideas follow the same grammatical pattern, you make your writing easier to read and more persuasive.
- Parallelism requires matching grammatical forms (nouns with nouns, verbs with verbs).
- Use the "Ear Test" to find errors in lists.
- Pay special attention to bullet points in reports and resumes.
- Correlative conjunctions (either/or) must link identical structures.
- In comparisons, ensure you are comparing like with like.
Key takeaway: Always look back at your conjunctions (and, but, or) and check if the words on both sides are "twins" in their grammatical form. Start practising this in your next WhatsApp message or work email!