Parallel structure: rules and examples

With both ... and, either ... or, neither ... nor and not only ... but also, the word after each half must be the same type. "She is not only clever but also kind" pairs two adjectives.

A common slip is putting the first word too early: "She not only speaks French but also Spanish." Move it so both halves match: "She speaks not only French but also Spanish."

You can write "to read, write and speak" with one to, or "to read, to write and to speak" with a to before every item. Both are fine. Mixing them ("to read, write and to speak") is not.

The same goes for prepositions and articles: "in the morning and in the evening" or "in the morning and evening".

• Wrong: The course teaches grammar, vocabulary and how to pronounce.

  Right: The course teaches grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation.

  The first two items are nouns, so the third should be a noun too.

• Wrong: Either you can call me or send an email.

  Right: You can either call me or send an email.

  Either and or should be followed by the same form: call and send.

• Wrong: Governments should invest in schools, hospitals and improving roads.

  Right: Governments should invest in schools, hospitals and roads.

  Keep all three items as plain nouns.

Parallel lists make IELTS Task 2 and PTE essays easier to read: "Cities can reduce traffic by expanding public transport, charging drivers and building cycle lanes." Broken parallelism is a grammar error and also a clarity problem, so check every list of three when you review your writing. In IELTS Task 1, keep comparisons parallel: "Sales in May were higher than those in June."

Try each one, then open it to check your answer.

1. 1. Correct this: "I like to dance, singing and to paint."

   I like dancing, singing and painting. (or: I like to dance, sing and paint.)

   Use one form for all three items.

2. 2. Correct this: "The hotel was clean, comfortable and had a good location."

   The hotel was clean, comfortable and well located.

   Three adjectives after was keep the list parallel.

3. 3. Correct this: "He is not only a teacher but also writes books."

   He is not only a teacher but also a writer.

   Both halves should be nouns.

4. 4. Parallel or not? "She runs fast, jumps high and throws far."

   Parallel.

   Three present simple verbs, each with an adverb.

5. 5. Correct this: "Living in a city is more exciting than the countryside."

   Living in a city is more exciting than living in the countryside.

   Compare an activity with an activity.

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