Parallel Structure | English for ACT PDF Download

Introduction

When it comes to parallelism on the ACT, there are two important points to keep in mind: it arises in relation to parts of speech and lists. Parts of speech encompass adjectives, nouns, verbs, and so on. If a list is presented, the items on the list should be in the same form, meaning they should use the same parts of speech. For instance, in the sentence below, the list comprises three activities: reading magazines, watching television, and playing video games.

• George likes to read magazines, watch television, and he plays video games.
• George likes to read magazines, watch television, and plays video games.
• George likes to read magazines, watch television, and play video games.

The first two examples demonstrate parallelism between two verbs, namely "read" and "watch". By parallelism, I mean that these verbs share the same form, which is not "reads" and "watch," or "read" and "watches," or "watching." It is worth noting that while we can use different verb forms, the three components of the list must be in the same form for parallelism to be maintained.

• During his leisure time, George enjoys engaging in activities such as reading magazines, watching television, and playing video games.

The Role of Correlative Conjunctions in Achieving Parallelism

When it comes to conjunctions, there is a type that is specifically called correlative conjunctions. Although their name may not be crucial, their function is essential in achieving parallelism in sentences. It's crucial to remember that when encountering these conjunctions, one should aim for parallelism.
Examples of correlative conjunctions include "Not only A but also B," "Both A and B," "Either A or B," and "Neither A nor B." In these examples, "A" and "B" represent words or phrases that must be parallel, meaning they should have the same parts of speech.

• Not only is he funny, but he is also clever

In this case A and B are adjectives.

ACT-Level Example

• Not only has he squandered an important opportunity, but he is also upsetting many people close to him.
• Not only has he squandered an important opportunity, but he has also upset many people close to him.

Since "squandered" is in the simple past tense, we need to use the simple past tense of "upset," which is "upset." It's essential to note that in the incorrect example, "squandered" doesn't match "upsetting." In more advanced parallelism questions, it's not just two words that need to be parallel, but entire phrases. At times, the SAT makes questions challenging by burying the verbs in a tangled mess of words, as demonstrated in the example below.

Solved Examples

Playing video games, unlike watching television, is not a passive activity, because doing so requires that the video game player react to what’s happening onscreen, strategizes to overcome obstacles, and that she persevere to advance through the most difficult stages of the game.
Ex.1
(a) NO CHANGE
(b) that she strategizes
(c) that she strategize
(d) strategize

Ex.2 
(a) NO CHANGE
(b) she persevere
(c) she perseveres
(d) persevere

The video game player has to do three things: react, strategize, and persevere. The verb form is something called the subjunctive, which often pops up in words that indicate a command, request, or a requirement. You don’t actually have to know that this is called the subjunctive, but you do have to notice that the correct sentence does not say, “the video game player reacts”; a verb usually takes an ‘s’ on the end when it refers to a third person subject (“he walks,” “she dances,” etc.), but not here!. In this case, the correct verb is "react," not "reacts" because of the presence of the phrase "require that," which eliminates the -s from the end of a verb when referring to the third person. Consequently, the other two verbs in the sentence must also be in this form, resulting in "strategize" and "persevere." Therefore, the answer to both 1) and 2) is D).