Parallel Construction

Parallel construction (parallelism) helps to show the connections between ideas. It creates a smooth, readable document. Just like correct punctuation, correct parallel construction fades into the background and allows the reader to focus on your meaning.

The basic principle of parallelism is easy to state: elements that are similar in function should be similar in form.

You may have had the experience of reading a list where proper parallelism was not maintained. For instance, look at this example:

This description is awkward because the list does not use proper parallelism. The writer has used three different verb forms instead of choosing one form and using it throughout.