Parallel structure — Digital SAT Reading & Writing practice
Items in a series or comparison share a form.
Key ideas to know
Parallel Lists Rule
Choose the correct form: "The course covers reading, writing, and ___." A) to speak B) speaking C) spoken D) speaks
B) speaking. Items in a series must share the same grammatical form. Since reading and writing are gerunds, the third item must also be a gerund.
Watch out: Writers often mix verb forms in lists, like "to read, write, and speaking," which breaks the pattern and sounds awkward.
Parallel Comparisons
Which sentence correctly compares two actions? A) Walking is healthier than to drive. B) Walking is healthier than driving. C) Walking is healthier than you drive. D) Walking is healthier than drove.
B) Walking is healthier than driving. When comparing items, they must match in grammatical form. Both sides of the comparison use the gerund "walking" and "driving."
Watch out: Comparing a noun to a verb or a clause to a phrase creates a faulty comparison that confuses the reader.
Correlative Pair Parallelism
Identify the error and fix it: "The manager will not only approve the budget, but also implementing the new policy." What is wrong and how should it be corrected?
The verb after "not only" is "approve," so the verb after "but also" must match. Change "implementing" to "implement." Correct sentence uses parallel verbs.
Watch out: Placing a noun phrase after one correlative and a verb phrase after the other breaks parallel structure and weakens the sentence.
Repeating Prepositions in Series
When should you repeat a preposition or article in a list? A) Never, to save words B) Only if the first item needs it C) When each item requires its own preposition for clarity D) Only in formal writing
C) Repeat the preposition or article when each item in the series logically requires it. This prevents ambiguity and keeps the meaning precise.
Watch out: Omitting necessary prepositions can make a list confusing or grammatically incorrect when items do not share the same governing word.