There are two broad categories of parallel structure: literal repetition and grammatical repetition. Literal repetition is simply repeating the exact word or phrase to create an echo, a trancelike refrain. In the “Tell-Tale Heart,” Edgar Allan Poe repeats a clause to create tension as a murderer describes the haunting beat of his dead victim’s heart:
I talked more quickly—more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key with gesticulations, but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observation of the men—but the noise steadily increased. (306)
Authors create grammatical repetitions using structures such as participial phrases, absolutes, prepositional phrases, appositives, and so on. Almost any grammatical element can be used as long as the sound patter is consistent. Take the classic phrase from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Or Julius Caesar’s famous quote, “I came; I saw; I conquered.” The sentence structure in each clause is identical and the syllables nearly identical (they build), creating a rhythm behind the writer’s words.
Parallel structures can enhance images but the lack of parallel structure can disrupt them. Choppy rhythms distort perceptions and interrupt the consistent flow of ideas. In a sentence like “Melvin enjoys rock music, football, and to collect stamps” the uneven rhythm of “to collect stamps” acts like abrasive, static noise in the middle of a quiet song. To flow smoothly, the sentence requires a steady rhythm: “Melvin enjoys music, sports, and stamp collecting.”
If you would like further explanation please see the OWL's explanation: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/623/1/
How are the following examples disjointed in their parallel structure? Can you fix them? In a comment to this post, please attempt to fix the unparallel part of each sentence.
1) Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and the volleyball was served.
2) Bubba was tall, muscle-bound, and often acted mean.
3) Stealthily, cautiously, and moving at a slow pace, the cat crawled through the weeds
4) The City Room was immense, reporters rushing down the aisles, shoving copy at each other, bustled back again, flinging gestures, shouting into telephones.
5) Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, as he fell to earth, the boy thought to himself, “This is gonna hurt.”
Now create three sentences of your own practicing parallel structure:, please look over your own essay-- pick any sentences you'd like and create parallel grammatical structures out of them.
1) Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped her forehead, and served the volleyball.
ReplyDelete2) Bubba was tall, muscle-bound, and acted mean.
3)The cat crawled Stealthily, cautiously, and moving at a slow pace through the weeds
4) The City Room was immense in, reporters rushing down the aisles, shoving copy at each other, and bustled again with, flinging gestures, and shouting into telephones.
5) “This is gonna hurt.” the boy thought flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, as he fell back to the earth.
Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and served the volleyball.
ReplyDeleteBubba was tall, muscle-bound, and mean.
Stealthily, cautiously, and slowly, the cat crawled through the weeds.
The City Room was immense, the reporters were: rushing down the aisles, shoving copy at each other, bustled back again, flinging gestures, and shouting into telephones.
Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, falling to the earth, the boy thought to himself, “This is gonna hurt.”
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rushing down the halls, caring for patients, and providing companionship, are all parts of being a CNA.
Immunizations provide prevention, protection, and safety to the public.
Immunizations are critical for workers, patients, and the community.
1) Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and served the volleyball.
ReplyDelete2) Bubba was tall, muscle-bound, and acted mean.
3) Stealthily, cautiously, and at a slow pace, the cat crawled through the weeds
4) The City Room was immense, reporters were: rushing down the aisles, shoving copy at each other, bustled back again, flinging gestures, shouting into telephones.
5) Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, falling towards earth, the boy thought to himself, “This is gonna hurt.”
Speeding through traffic lights, hoping to make it on time to class, I was risking my life.
1. Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and served the volleyball.
ReplyDelete2. Bubba was tall, muscle-bound, and mean.
3. Stealthily, cautiously, and slowly, the cat crawled through the weeds.
4. The City Room was immense in, reporters rushing down the aisles, shoving copy at each other, and bustling again with, flinging gestures, and shouting into telephones.
5. Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, falling to the earth, the boy thought to himself, “This is gonna hurt.”
My Own:
1. Moving the blankets, shifting the pillows, changing the music, the boy could not fall asleep.
2. The debate team argued, defended, and won.
3. The bird perched on the branch, flew in the sky, and swam in the water.
ReplyDelete1) Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and served the vollyball.
2) Bubba was tall, muscle-bound, and mean.
3) Stealthily, cautiously, and slowly, the cat crawled through the weeds
4) The City Room was immense, reporters rushing down the aisles, shoving copy at each other, bustling back again, flinging gestures, shouting into telephones.
5) Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, falling to earth, the boy thought to himself, “This is gonna hurt.”
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Resourceful, hungry, and poor: These are all traits of a successful college student.
Adventure seeking, wonder lusting, sky bound warriors flee for Narnia's seventh realm.
Heart thumping, gravity falling, blood draining adrenaline faces the demigods in their battle against the gorgons.
1) Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped her forehead, and served the volleyball.
ReplyDelete2) Bubba was tall, mean, and muscle-bound.
3) Stealthily, cautiously, and slowly, the cat crawled through the weeds.
4) The City Room was immense, reporters rushing down the aisles, shoving copy at each other, bustling back again, flinging gestures, shouting into telephones.
5) Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, and falling to the earth, the boy thought to himself, “This is gonna hurt.”
Mark Pulled over, unstrapped his seat belt, and dashed into the woods.
Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and served the volleyball.
ReplyDeleteBubba was very tall, muscle-bound, and acted mean.
The cat crawled through the weeds, Stealthily, cautiously, and moving at a slow pace.
The City Room was immense, reporters rushing down the aisles, shoving copy at each other, bustled back again, flinging gestures, and shouting into telephones.
Flying through the air, as he fell to earth, the boy thought to himself, “This is gonna hurt.”,
screaming bloody murder.
The trees branches swayed—violently, quickly, forcefully— giving no indication of a destination.
Street lamps are important to the public’s safety, they provide light, more sight, and less severe accidents.
Street lamps ensure brighter streets and street lamps ensure less unruly activities.
1) Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and served the volleyball.
ReplyDelete2) Bubba was tall, muscle-bound, and acted mean.
3) Stealthily, cautiously, and slowly, the cat crawled through the weeds.
4) The City Room was immense,shouting into telephones reporters rushed down the aisles-- shoving copy at each other-- bustled back again, flinging gestures.
5)As he fell to earth, flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, the boy thought to himself, “This is gonna hurt.”
Mine:
-The plane trembled, shook, and swayed; people cried in fear, wishing they had never stepped inside it.
- I ran home, threw my bag, and started eating.
- I couldn't read, sleep, or concentrate.
1) Lulu pushing the hair from her eyes, wiping the sweat from her forehead, serving the volleyball.
ReplyDelete2) Bubba tall; muscle-bound; mean.
3) Stealthily, cautiously, moving at a slow pace, the cat crawled through the weeds.
4) The City Room, immense, reporters rushing,shoving, down the aisles, bustled back again, flinging gestures, shouting into telephones.
5) Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, falling to earth, thinking to himself, “This is gonna hurt.”
My own sentences:
1) There was a time when murder was normal, killing was required, killing was good, killing was the only way to live.
2) I sat there thinking to myself “how did I survive?”; a loud knock on my door. I thought “what’s the point though… I’m going to die anyways”; a loud knock on my door. “Why does this world only kill?”; the final knock.
3) There was breach of my apartment it wasn’t the men looking for me, it was the men who were saving me, fighting to free us from the society of murder and destruction.
1. Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and served the volleyball.
ReplyDelete2. Bubba was tall, muscle-bound, and mean.
3. Stealthily, cautiously, and slowly, the cat crawled through the weeds.
4. The City Room was immense in, reporters rushing down the aisles, shoving copy at each other, and bustling again with, flinging gestures, and shouting into telephones.
5. Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, falling to the earth, the boy thought to himself, “This is gonna hurt.”
My Own:
1. The dog ran, ears flailing in the air, paws scrapping the pavement.
2. The car rushed, flew, and glided through the air.
3. Tapping, jittering, and pacing, the boy panicked.
1. Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and served the volleyball.
ReplyDelete2. Bubba was tall, muscle-bound, and acted mean.
3.Stealthily, cautiously, and slowly, the cat crawled through the weeds
4.The City Room was immense, the reporters were: rushing down the aisles, shoving copy at each other, bustled back again, flinging gestures, and shouting into telephones.
5.Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, falling to the earth, the boy thought to himself, “This is gonna hurt.”
Mine: I ate an apple, I choked on a piece, and I drank water.
I jumped off a boat, I swam to shore, and laid on the sand.
I ran to school, made to class, and went to my desk.
1.The man followed behind, ears perked, and weapon raised.
ReplyDelete2. She was running ahead the of the group, leading the pack, winning the race.
3.The wild cat sent climbed the hill, took a stand, took an immense roar and silence ensued.
4.The girl laughed sinisterly, loudly, and unctollably.
5. The man curled up, cackled, and died.
ReplyDelete1) Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped the sweat from her forehead, served the volleyball.
2) Bubba was tall, muscle-bound, and acted mean.
3) Stealthily, and cautiously, the cat crawled through the weeds moving at a slow pace.
4) The City Room was immense: reporters rushing down the aisles, shoving each other, bustling back again, flinging gestures, and shouting into telephones.
5) Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, the boy thought to himself, “this is gonna hurt,” as he fell to earth.
My Own:
1.Marissa plugged her nose, took a deep breath, and jumped off the cliff.
2.The football team fought, struggled, and won.
3.My dog waited, whined, and barked for me to return.
1) Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped sweat from her forehead, and served the volleyball.
ReplyDelete2)Bubba was tall, muscle-bound, and mean.
3)Stealthily, cautiously, slowly, the cat crawled through the weeds.
4)The City Room is immense, reporters rushing down the aisles, shoving copy at each other, bustling back again, flinging gestures, shouting into telephones.
5) Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, falling to his death the body screamed "This is gonna hurt".
1) Lulu pushed the hair from her eyes, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and the volleyball was served.
ReplyDeleteLee wake up, put blanket on the side, and jump out of the bed.
2) Bubba was tall, muscle-bound, and often acted mean.
3) Stealthily, cautiously, and moving at a slow pace, the cat crawled through the weeds
4) The City Room was immense, reporters rushing down the aisles, shoving copy at each other, bustled back again, flinging gestures, shouting into telephones.
5) Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, as he fell to earth, the boy thought to himself, “This is gonna hurt.”
1) Lulu wiped the sweat from her forehead, pushed the hair from her eyes and served the volleyball.
ReplyDelete2) Bubba was tall, muscle-bound, and acted mean.
3) Stealthily, and cautiously, the weeds moving at a slow pace as the cat crawled through.
4) The City Room was immense: reporters rushing down the aisles, shoving each other, bustling back again, flinging gestures, and shouting into telephones.
5) Flying through the air, screaming bloody murder, the boy thought to himself, “this is gonna hurt,” as he fell to earth.
My Sentences:
1. Matt charged his phone, ran to the poke stop, and battled at the gym.
2. Matt ran across campus, tripped, and still lost the battle.
3. Matt cried, begged, got on his knees for me to let him borrow my non-existing iphone charger.