Universitas Pamulang Teknik Informatika S-1

MEETING 10
PARALLEL STRUCTURE

A. Learning Objective
At the end of the lesson, the students are able to analyze the parallel structure
within sentences with coordinate conjunctions and correlative conjunctions.

B. Material Description
1. Understanding Parallel Structure
Read the following paragraphs and identify the underlined words.

In the pedagogical context, teachers need to share the significance of over wordings
to convince other people to trust the argument. Accordingly, the use of a thesaurus is
important not only to enlarge the students’ vocabulary but also to show gradable
meaning empowerment to produce powerful propositions.

Taken from Nasution, (2020)

Accordingly, Colley suggests all language teachers to avoid habit of talking too much
in lessons by repeating instructions; saying much more than the students when
receiving a contribution; asking lengthy questions; echoing what students have just
said in answer to a question; and summing up. This circumstance may drive
teachers to be wildering context to the extent of suiting talks to their students. One of
the ways to solve this confusing matter is to take into account the students’ level of
linguistic mastery. In short, teachers must see this phenomenon a big challenge
which must be taken into account. They have to initiate, adapt, and adjust the way
they teach to younglearners’ characters.

Taken from Sukmawati, (2018)

Let’s identify and analyze the structure of the underlined words.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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The underlined words have the same pattern of words or phrases within a
sentence or passage with the equal structure repetition.

1. Accordingly, the use of a thesaurus is important not only to enlarge

the students’ vocabulary but also to show gradable meaning
empowerment to produce powerful propositions.
- to enlarge the students’ vocabulary
- to show gradable meaning empowerment

2. Accordingly, Colley suggests all language teachers to avoid habit of

talking too muchin lessons by repeating instructions; saying much
more than the students when receiving a contribution; asking lengthy
questions; echoing what students have just said in answer to a
question; and summing up.
- repeating instructions
- saying much more than students
- asking lengthy questions
- echoing what students have just said in answer to a queation
- summing up

3. They have to initiate, adapt, and adjust the way they teach to young
learners’ characters.
- initiate
- adapt
- adjust

*Note
Sentence elements that are alike in function should also be alike in
construction. These elements should be in the same grammatical form so
that they are parallel.

Parallel structure (parallelism) means a same grammatical structure of

words, phrases, clauses within a sentence in writing. It emphasizes on the same
level of importance of multiple ideas or information given in the same sentence.
The application of parallelism improves wiritng style and maintains coherency. It
helps to organize ideas and make a text or speech easier to understand. The
usual way to join parallel structures is with the use of coordinate conjunction and
correlative conjunction.

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initiate to enlarge at this time when we wrote

adapt to show in the campus because they finished

adjust to write from the paragraph after she studied

These elements, on the ther hand, are not parallel.

adapting to enlarge at this time when we wrote

initiate
words shower
infinitves in the campusphrases because
prepositional they finishedclauses
subordinating

adjust to write after she studied from the paragraph

These are the strategis in analyzing and revising parallel structure

1. Idenitfy the conjunction The students are aksed to make
presentation effectively, persuasively,
and creative.
*and =coordinate conjunction
2. Figure out what parts of the The students are aksed to make
presentation effectively,
sentence are being compared and
persuasively, and creative.
identify the functional of the words
*Effectively = adverb
(parallel elements)
Persuasively = adverb
Creative = adjective
3. Alter the words in the list to create The students are aksed to make
proper parallel structure presentation effectively,
persuasively, and creatively.
*Effectively = adverb
Persuasively = adverb
Creativelh = adverb

Whatever grammatical structure follows one must be parallel to the

grammatical structure that follows the other.

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2. Parallel structure in pairs with Coordinate Conjunction

Use parallel structure when a sentence contains a pair of connected
ideas. Pairs can be connected by coordinate conjunction, which include and,
nor, but, or, and yet.
a. Parallel Words
The words should be matched each other. These can be nouns,
adjectives, adverbs, etc)

parallel elements

The lecturer asked the students to speak in English class clearly and loudly.
(adverb) (adverb)

coordinate conjunction

b. Parallel Phrases
The group of words (phrases) should be matched each other. These can
be noun phrases, gerund phrases, prepositional phrases, infinitive
phrases, etc)

parallel elements

Reading books and singing songs are my current favourite hobbies.

(gerund phrase) (gerund phrase)

coordinate conjunction

c. Parallel Clauses
The clauses should be matched each other. These can be independent
clauses, noun clause, adjective clause, and other dependent clauses)

parallel elements

I wondered who she was or what she was doing here.

(noun clause) (noun clause)

coordinate conjunction

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d. The functional words in parallel structure

Directions: Underline the paralel structure iin each sentence and give
the pattern that is used, as shown in the examples.

1) The computer programmer in this office is humble and smart.

_____adjective + and + adjective______________________________
2) In the afternoon, I need to finish and submit the homework.
_____ + and + _____________________________________
3) The computer laboratory is complete but not clean.
_____ + but+ _____________________________________
4) We must decide to buy laptop or hard disk.
_____ + or + _____________________________________

3. Parallel structure in pairs with Correlative Conjunction

Use parallel structure with elements joined by a correlative conjunction.
It is also called as a paired conjunction. These are the major correlative
conjunctions:
either / or neither / nor both / and not only / but also
The rules of correlative conjunction
Two subjects connected by both .... (a) Both Danny and Roy are
and take a plural verb, as in (a) students of Informatics
Engineering.
When two subjects are connected by (b) Not only Danny but also Roy is
not only .... but also, either .... or, or student of Informatic Engineering.
neither .... nor, the subject that is (c) Not only Danny but also his
closer to the verb determines whether friends are students of Informatic
the verb is singular or plural. Engineering.
(d) Neither Danny nor his friends are
students of Informatic
Engineering.
(e) Neither Danny nor Roy is student
of Informatic Engineering.
(f) Either Danny or Roy is student of
Informatic Engineering.
Notice the parallel structure in the (g) The computer project will take
examples. The same grammatical form both time and money.
should follow each part of the (h) Last Sunday, we not only
correlative conjunction. watched but also played game.
In (g) : both + noun + and + noun (i) I will buy either fiction novel or
In (h) : not only + verb + but also + English dictionary.

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verb (j) The movie was neither funny nor

In (i) : either + noun phrase + or + interesting.
noun phrase
In (j) : neither + adjective+ nor +
adjective

a. Parallel structure with either / or and neither / nor

parallel elements

The assignment tasks need to be either submitted electronically or posted

to the university assesment centre.
correlative conjunction

The students were neither installing the software nor doing the
assignments.

parallel elements

b. Parallel structure with not only / but also and both / and

parallel elements

My brother would like both to repair the CPU and to purchase a new
computer.
correlative conjunction

The students of this campus were not only hard-working but also
community-mided.
parallel elements

c. Error analysis: correlative conjunction.

Directions: Identify and revise the error in the following sentences.
1) Both students protested about the changes in assessment policy and
lecturers.
 Both students and lecturers protested about the changes in
assessment policy. (parallel)
2) Nowadays, the computer animation not only could create cartoons but
also video games.
__________________________________________________________
3) Bobby needs to either restore the data or to create the new one.

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__________________________________________________________
4) Neither optical storage device or magnetic storage device is part of main
memory.
__________________________________________________________

4. Parallel structure in a series

Parallel structure is also applicable to a series of clauses in a sentence
when items in a series have an equal structure repetition. A series is a group of
three or more elements in a row. The last element in the series is connected to
the others with one of these conjunctions.Commas or semicolons should be
placed between each element in the series. The final comma that precedes the
conjunction is optional.
a. Parallel words in a series
On the word level, a noun should be grouped with other nouns, an
adjective with other adjectives, and so on.

parallel elements

She enjoys reading, snacking, and chatting at the same time.

(gerund) (gerund) (gerund)

coordinate conjunction

when a series is composed of verbs, do not mix forms. For example,

mixing an infinitive ( a verb beginning with to) with a gerund (a verb form
ending in –ing) breaks parallel structure.
 The participants in the workshop learned how to communicate,
negotiate, and working collaboratively for the most effective outcome.
(not parallel)
 The participants in the workshop learned how to communicate,
negotiate, and work collaboratively for the most effective outcome.
(parallel)
or
 The participants in the workshop learned about communicating,
negotiating, and working collaboratively for the most effective
outcome. (parallel)

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b. Parallel phrases in a series

Parallel structure should be used to balance a series of phrases with
the same grammatical sructure.

coordinate conjunction

(infinitve phrase) (infinitve phrase)

There was no opportunity to do my taxes, to request an extension, or
to explain my situation.)
(infinitve phrase)

parallel elements

 She found the candies on the floor, under the desk, but not pencil
case.
 She found the candies on the floor, under the desk, but not in the
pencil case.

c. Parallel clauses in a series

Parallelism is also aplicable to a series of clauses with the equal structure
repetition.

coordinate conjunction

(noun clause) (noun clause)

The company doesn’t care about who you are, how you got here, or
why you have come.
(noun clause)
parallel elements

 The report card stated that the students often talked in his class,
that he bullied other students, and rarely finished his homework.
(not parallel)
 The report card stated that the students often talked in his class,
that he bullied other students, and that he rarely finished his
homework. (parallel)
or
 The report card stated that the students often talked in his class,
bullied other students, and rarely finished his homework. (parallel)

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5. Error in Paralel Structure

These are some example of error in paralel structure. The examples
below show how to repair faulty parallelism.

Example 1
FAULTY : Susi and Ratna likes watching movie and to visit museums.
CORRECT : Susi and Ratna likes watching movie and visiting
museums.(gerunds)
CORRECT : Susi and Ratna likes to watch movie and to visit museums.
(infinitives)

Example 2
FAULTY : My parents never judge me by what I said or my actions.
CORRECT : My parents never judge me by what I said or (by) what I did.
(noun clauses)
CORRECT : My parents never judge me by my words or my actions.
(noun phrases)

Example 3
FAULTY : She planned to collect data by either using an online survey
or phone interviews.
CORRECT : She planned to collect data by either using an online survey
or conducting phone interviews. (gerund phrases)
CORRECT : She planned to collect data through by either online surveys
or phone interviews. (noun phrases)

Example 4
FAULTY : The student wanted to confirm the assignment, to complain
the exam grade, or he wanted to retake the class.
CORRECT : The student wanted to confirm the assignment, to complain
the exam grade, or to retake the class. (infinitive phrases)
CORRECT : The student wanted to confirm the assignment, complain
the
exam grade, or retake the class. (verb phrases)

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Example 5
FAULTY : Students were asked to do their assignments quickly,
accurately, and in detailed manner.
CORRECT : Students were asked to do their assignments quickly,
accurately, and thoroughly. (adverbs)

Example 6
FAULTY : My mother suggested my sister that she should finish the
homework on time, that she should not eat fast food, and
to maintain a strict routine before the exam.
CORRECT : My mother suggested my sister that she should finish the
homework on time, that she should not eat fast food, and
that she should maintain a strict routine before the exam.
(dependent clauses)
CORRECT : My mother suggested my sister that she should finish the
homework on time, not eat fast food, and maintain a strict
routine before the exam. (verb phrases)

Example 7
FAULTY : Rafli expexted that he would present his ideas at the
meeting, that there would be time for him to show his slide
presentation, and that he would be agreed by his partners.
CORRECT : Rafli expexted that he would present his ideas at the
meeting, that there would be time for him to show his slide
presentation, and that his partners would agree with him.
(active)
Example 8
FAULTY : This book contains the procedure of installing the laptop which
are readable, simply, but complete.
CORRECT : This book contains the procedure of installing the laptop which
are readable, simple, but complete. (adjectives)

Example 9
FAULTY : The lecturer expected that the students would present the

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seminar, be using PowerPoint presentation and they would

answer questions from the audience.
CORRECT : The lecturer expected that the students would present the
seminar, use PowerPoint presentation and answer
questions from the audience. (verb phrases)

Example 10
FAULTY : The thief climbed the rock, up the wall, and onto the roof.
CORRECT : The thief climbed over the rock, up the wall, and onto the
roof.

C. EXERCISES
1. Exercise 1. Coordinate Conjunction
Directions: Combine the given sentences into one concise sentence that
contains parallel structure by using coordinate conjunctions. Punctuate
carefully.
a. Sammy joined the office. Sammy worked hard. Sammy got a pay raise.
 Sammy joined the office, worked hard, and got a pay raise.
b. They updated the windows of the computer. They also didn’t have back up
data.
c. Your oral presentation should use PowerPoint slides. Your oral presentation
should refer to handouts.
d. The students have to join the practical class. The students have to join
English course. The students have to join the Engineering training.
e. Clara wrote a letter. She didn’t mail it to the school.

2. Exercise 2. Correlative Conjunctions

Directions: Combine the following into sentences that contain parallel structure
by using correlative conjunctions.
a. The contract of this project was not only elligible. The contract of this project
was lenghty.
 The contract of this project was not only elligible but also lengthy.
b. Reyna is happy about the achievement. She is nervous about the extra
responsibility.
c. You will finish the assigment today. You will take recourse class.

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d. The lecturer needs the students’ participation for the final grade. The
lecturer needs grading the exam for the final grade.
e. The students of Informatics Engineering were hard-working. The students
of Informatics Engineering were community-minded.

3. Exercise 3: Error Analysis

Directions: Each sentence below contains parallelism errors with correlative
conjunctions. Revise each sentence so that the elements are parallel to one
another. Give the functional words of parallel elements.
1. Thetering can be functioned as private hotspot for both wire or wireless.
 Thetering can be functioned as private hotspot for both wire or and
wireless. (nouns)
2. Not only the software but the hardware of computer are the parts that are
usually affected by virus.
____________________________________________________________
3. Either buying a new flash disk or use the current hard disk is the solution to
bake up the data in my computer.
____________________________________________________________
4. The programmer must have not only compatible computer, updated
windows, but also his full capacity main memory.
____________________________________________________________
5. Recently, both in a computer and a mobile phone have full capacity for not
only ROM but also RAM.
____________________________________________________________
6. When the computer infected by virus, we not only backed up the data in
Google drive but also using the software of anti-virus.
____________________________________________________________
7. The computer programmer repaired the program both carefully and with
competence.
____________________________________________________________
8. The doctor promised neither to cause pain during the procedure nor leave a
scar.
____________________________________________________________
9. The captain will discuss the big project either at the restaurant or he will be
at the bus station.

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____________________________________________________________
10. At my training session, I was not only taught how to convert the movie file
but also to create cartoon animation.
___________________________________________________________
11. Imaginative, fantastic and originality describe the techniques of this painting
software.
____________________________________________________________
12. Keenan was considered to be a good employee because he was always on
time, he was very motivated and led the team well.
____________________________________________________________
13. The movie is both educational and engineer.
____________________________________________________________
14. Their oral presentation were good, yet their essay are poor.
____________________________________________________________
15. The dictionary can be used to find these: word meanings, pronounciations,
correct spellings, and looking up irregular verbs.
____________________________________________________________
16. Yesterday, we watched a movie, play video games, and made pizza.
____________________________________________________________
17. At the office, my duties are to print documents, typing data of shelves
stocked , and to design some advertising flyer.
___________________________________________________________
18. Gardening in the afternoon, exercising in the morning and rides bicycle
every weekend are a good occupy a good deal of my father’s retirement
time.
_________________________________________________________
19. The lecturer said that Pablo was a poor student because he waited until the
last minute to study for the exam, completed his lab problems in a careless
manner, and his motivation was low.
___________________________________________________________
20. The coach told to the players that they should get a lot of sleep, that they
should not eat too much, and to do some warm-up exercises before the
game.
____________________________________________________________

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4. Exercise 4: Writing
Directions: Create three sentences by using parallel structure in a word, in a
phrase, and a clause based on the topic below. Pay attention to punctuation
and be sure all of your commas and periods are used correctly.
Topic: computer, main memory, secondary memory, software, hardware.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
5. Exercise 5: Speaking
Directions: Make a conversation by using parallel structure sentences that
you made in the previous activity. Then, practice it with your partner.

A : …………………………………………………………………………………………………........

B : …………………………………………………………………………………………………………

D. References
Azar, Betty Schrampfer. 2002. Understanding and Using English Grammar, Third
Edition with Answer Key. New York: Longman.
Frank, Marcella. 1972. Modern English.New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

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Nasution, S. S. (2020). Using Critical Discourse Analysis to Explore an Authentic

Teaching Material: A Focus on Language and Power. SIELE Journal,
7(2),527-543.
Philips, Deborah. 2004. Introductory course for the TOEFL test. New York: Pearson
Education.
Sukmawati, N. N. (2018). Teacher Talk in Teaching English for Young Learners.
Jurnal Varidika, 30(1), 62-72.
Sukmawati, Nur najibah & Nasution, Sukma Septian. 2019. English for Informatics
Engineering. Banyumas: Pena Persada.
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/parallel_structure.html
https://webapps.towson.edu/ows/moduleparallel.htm
https://www.evergreen.edu/sites/default/files/writingcenter/handouts/grammar/parall
el.pdf
https://writingcommons.org/article/use-parallel-structure/
https://aso-resources.une.edu.au/academic-writing/grammar/parallel-structure/

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