1. Parallelism with that, which, and who
Mini-Lesson #73
From the
UWF Writing Lab’s 101 Grammar
Mini-Lessons Series

2. What is parallelism?
The principle of parallelism requires that writers add or repeat words needed to complete compound structures.
That is, words like that, which, and who often need to be repeated in the second half of a compound element, especially if there is any danger of misreading without the repetition of these words.
Using and which, and who, and and that (or but which or but who) where there is no preceding who or which clause is a mistake many writers make.

3. The secret to the parallelism test:
Make sure everything is the same!

4. Parallelism with and that
Incorrect:
Aunt Rosie said that she would fix her famous lasagna for my birthday dinner and she will also bake my favorite cake.
Correct:
Aunt Rosie said that she would fix her famous lasagna for my birthday dinner and that she would also bake my favorite cake.

5. Parallelism with and which and but which
Incorrect:
We finally replaced our old TV set, which we had bought secondhand and suffered from every known television ailment.
Correct:
We finally replaced our old TV set, which we had bought secondhand and which suffered from every known television ailment.

6. Parallelism with and who and but who
Incorrect:
She is a person who has true compassion for animals, and she tries to find their owners.
Correct:
She is a person who has true compassion or animals and who tries to find their owners.

7. Practice
Child psychologists believe that spanking children is not an effective discipline tool and “time-outs” allow the children and the parents a chance to think.
Child psychologists believe that spanking children is not an effective discipline tool and that “time-outs” allow the children and the parents a chance to think.
Some of the regulars are acquaintances whom we see at work and live in our community.
Some of the regulars are acquaintances whom we see at work and who live in our community.