Writing Strong Sentences: Apply It

  • Explain techniques for writing effective sentences
  • Identify and use active voice in your writing

Practicing Proper Parallels

Parallel structure means using the same grammatical pattern for elements in a list or series. It makes your writing easier to read and more polished. In this activity, you’ll practice spotting and correcting sentences that do—or don’t—follow this rule.

Select all of the following sentences that use parallel structure correctly.

  1. She likes hiking, biking, and to swim.
    ~feedback: Incorrect. This list breaks the pattern—“hiking” and “biking” are gerunds (-ing form), but “to swim” is an infinitive. It should be “swimming” for parallel structure.
  2. The new policy affects teachers, students, and administrators. *
    ~feedback: Correct. This sentence uses a consistent list of plural nouns. All elements follow the same grammatical structure.
  3. He wants to earn a degree, find a job, and traveling the world.
    ~feedback: Incorrect. “Earn” and “find” are infinitives (with “to” implied), but “traveling” is a gerund. It should be “travel the world” to maintain parallel structure.
  4. The manager was responsible for hiring employees, managing schedules, and handling customer complaints. *
    ~feedback: Correct. All items are gerund phrases (“hiring,” “managing,” “handling”), which creates clear and consistent parallel structure.
  5. We visited the museum, took photos at the park, and we went out to eat.
    ~feedback: Incorrect. The first two verbs (“visited,” “took”) are consistent, but “we went out to eat” introduces a new subject and verb phrase, breaking the parallel structure.
  6. My roommate is friendly, organized, and always remembers to lock the door.
    ~feedback: Incorrect. The first two items are adjectives (“friendly,” “organized”), but the third is a full clause with a verb. For parallel structure, the third item should be another adjective, like “thoughtful.”
  7. The plan includes reducing waste, increasing recycling, and to improve air quality.
    ~feedback: Incorrect. The first two items are gerunds, but “to improve” is an infinitive. It should be “improving air quality” to match the pattern.
  8. To lead effectively, you must communicate clearly, act with integrity, and inspire others. *
    ~feedback: Correct. All items are base verbs following “must,” and the sentence maintains a clean, consistent structure.

Now that you’ve practiced identifying parallel structure, let’s take it a step further. In the questions below, choose the word or phrase that completes each sentence using correct parallel structure.

When writing a list or series, check that each item follows the same grammatical pattern by reading it out loud to catch anything that sounds off or out of sync.

Using parallel structure helps your writing sound smoother, clearer, and more professional—especially when listing ideas or actions. Even small changes in structure can affect how easy your message is to follow.