SAT Reading & Writing: Parallel Structure
38+ practice questions in Praczo
The concept, explained
- 1
Parallel structure means items in a list or comparison must share the same grammatical form: all nouns, all gerunds, all infinitives, all clauses.
- 2
Lists joined by "and" or "or" must be parallel: "She likes hiking, swimming, and to run" should be "hiking, swimming, and running" (all gerunds).
- 3
Correlative conjunctions (both...and, either...or, not only...but also) require the same form on both sides: "not only fast but also accurate" — both adjectives.
- 4
Comparisons must be parallel: "His score was higher than his classmates" compares a score to people. Correct: "higher than his classmates' scores."
- 5
Identify the "anchor" form (the clearest first item in the series) and ensure every other item matches it grammatically.
- ✗ Mixing infinitives and gerunds: "to study, reading, and writing notes" — should be all gerunds or all infinitives.
- ✗ Faulty comparisons: "Her salary is higher than doctors" compares salary to people, not to another salary.
SAT-style practice
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