Power through Syntax: Parallel Structure What kind of lines divide each row of black and white boxes?

Basic Parallelism Keeping items in a series while matching forms Required in any thesis Applied for style

Basic Parallelism Ruth McBride and Rip Van Winkle both escape oppressive families, wanting to experience personal freedom, but the characters had to either stay isolated or rejoin society. Ruth McBride and Rip Van Winkle both escape oppressive families, experience personal freedom, and either stay isolated or rejoin society.

PSAT: Identifying Sentence Errors Unlike the case with Andrea, who was A tired after working all weekend, I wanted to B C go to the state capitol building to hear the D governor’s speech. No error. E

Members of the debate team, determined to hone their skills in argumentation, A B have been practicing each day and C competing on every possible occasion. D No error E PSAT: Identifying Sentence Errors

If you had kept your experiences in mind, they will often help you to make better- informed decisions. A.had kept your experiences B.could have kept your experiences C.keep your experiences D.can keep what you experience E.could keep what you experience PSAT: Correcting Sentence Errors

The blue whale has a long, streamlined body and its head making up almost one-fourth of their total body length. A.its head making up almost one-fourth of their total body length B.almost one-fourth of their total body length being made up by their heads C.almost one-fourth of the total length of its body is its head D.a head that makes up almost one-fourth of its total body length E.a head making up almost one-fourth of the total length of their bodies. PSAT: Correcting Sentence Errors

Benefits of Parallel Structure Creates rhythm in prose Sense of importance, emphasis, profundity Conveys control, purpose –We pray that the special power of this season will make its way into your sad hearts and remind you of some old joys. Remind you of the joy it was to know these fine young men and women, the joy it was to witness the things they said and the jokes they played, the kindness they did and how they laughed … For love is never wasted, love is never lost; love lives on and sees us through sorrow. Ronald Reagan We pray that the special power of this season will make its way into your sad hearts and remind you of some old joys. Remind you of the joy it was to know these fine young men and women, the joy it was to witness the things they said and the jokes they played, the kindness they did and how they laughed … For love is never wasted, love is never lost; love lives on and sees us through sorrow. Ronald Reagan

Variations on Parallel Structure: Power of Threes But in a larger sense, we can not dedicate – we can not consecrate – we can not hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what we did here. Abraham Lincoln

Variations on Parallel Structure: Contrasting Pairs But in a larger sense, we can not dedicate – we can not consecrate – we can not hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what we did here. Abraham Lincoln

Variations on Parallel Structure: Periodic Sentence Let any nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and success of liberty. This much we pledge – and more. JFK

Variations on Parallel Structure: Antithetical Statements I was born in the slum, but the was not in me. Jesse Jackson bornslum

Student Stars! It takes a process to evolve and then the reward is freedom. As the symbolic tree grows, as individuals we learn from our past and our mistakes to obtain more maturity, wisdom, and more of our own identity. He couldn’t handle the townspeople’s wickedness at night and their innocence during the day

Student Syncopation Superstar! Once it becomes the white ball, it found its self and finally when the white seeds are blown around, the lessons learned throughout its life are spread around to the world. One of the things I love most about Derek Jeter is not his batting average (which is very good), not his error count (which is very low), and not the amount of money he makes, but I love his attitude toward the game and his fans. When a neighbor needed help with the chickens, he was there. When a neighbor needed help putting up a fence, he was there, but when it came to working on his own farm, he was missing