Page 9 - ELA_CA_HighSchool_Sampler_Flipbook

Parallel Structure
ACTIVITY 1.4
Learning Targets
• Analyze syntax and identify parallel structure among words, phrases, and clauses.
• Use understanding of parallel structure to improve sentences.
• Use parallel structure for clarity in writing.
Syntax and Parallel Structure
In her book Artful Sentences, Virginia Tufte explains that, “Parallelism is saying like things in like ways.” A sentence has parallel structure when related ideas are expressed in the same grammatical form. By using parallel structure, writers can create sentences that communicate even complex ideas very clearly. Some writers use parallel structure deliberately, thinking about the syntax, or arrangement
of words and grammatical elements, in their sentences. Parallel structure can also occur naturally in sentences, when a writer puts words together in a way that sounds clear, balanced, and even powerful. As you will see in the examples that follow, the parallelism in a sentence can be found among words, phrases, or clauses. You will also see examples of parallelism among sentences.
Parallel Words: nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, gerunds
Nouns: On Fridays, the cafeteria serves roasted vegetables, turkey burgers, and
fruit salad.
Pronouns: Neither Sara nor her brother understood why people wanted them to
run for Student Council.
Adjectives: Hailey was not only creative and smart, but she was also
hardworking.
Adverbs: During group projects, they work together quickly and effectively. Gerunds: He enjoys playing soccer, reading comics, and lifting weights.
Parallel Phrases: prepositional phrases (prepositions followed by nouns) When I got home from school, my cat raced down the stairs, over the railing,
and into the front hall.
Parallel Clauses: parallel subject and verb
To prepare for opening night, we swept the stage floor, we dusted the props, and we fixed the lights.
Faulty Parallelism
To identify and correct faulty parallelism:
1. look for the parts of the sentence that are parallel 2. find any elements that are not parallel
3. revise them to match.
Identify and correct the faulty parallelism in each of these examples.
Faulty parallelism: The high school offers psychology and human geography, and you can take computer science, too.
Correct parallelism:
GRAMMAR USAGE
Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions are used in pairs to join sentence parts. Some common correlative conjunctions are either/or, both/and, whether/ or, and not only/ but also. The sentence parts joined
by correlative conjunctions should be grammatically parallel.
The following sentence is not parallel because the correlative conjunctions link an adjective (inspiring) with a noun phrase (source of information).
Not Parallel: The speech was not only inspiring, but also a source of information.
To make the sentence parallel, an adjective can
be substituted for the noun phrase. Alternatively, a noun phrase can be substituted for the adjective.
Parallel (adjectives): The speech was not only inspiring but also informative.
Parallel (noun phrases):
The speech was not only an inspiration, but also a source of information.
LEARNING STRATEGIES:
Marking the Text
Unit 1 • Coming of Age 13
ACTIVITY 1.4
PLAN
Materials: highlighters Suggested Pacing: 1 50-minute class period
TEACH
1 This activity introduces the language focus for this unit. You can reinforce students’ study of this rhetorical form by asking them to be on the lookout for parallel structure in their readings in the unit and in any other reading (or listening)
they are doing, including their Independent Reading assignments.
2 Have students read the paragraph on Syntax and Parallel Structure. Review the three different ways to create parallelism in a sentence.
3 Have students correct the examples of faulty parallelism in the My Notes section or on a separate sheet of paper. You may want to partner students for this activity.
4 Point out the Grammar & Usage feature, and highlight the use of correlative conjunctions in the parallel sentences. As students complete the exercise on faulty parallelism, consider asking them to note the correlative conjunctions
as well.
9781457304651_TCB_SE_G9_U1_B1.indd 13
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS
phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college
and career readiness level; demonstrate 10/6/15 independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Additional Standards Addressed: RI.9–10.4; L.9–10.1b; L.9–10.4a
Focus Standards:
12:37 PM
L.9–10.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L.9–10.1a: Use parallel structure.
L.9–10.6: Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and
Unit 1 • Coming of Age 13
© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.
© 2017 College Board. All rights reserved.