Parallel Structure
This is rather a style, not a common mistake. We should maintain the same pattern in a list or series so that it creates a vocal harmony as we read through the whole sentence.
Things to Watch Out
Things to Watch Out
- Active vs. passive
- Infinitive vs. other verb form
- List of individual terms vs. longer phrases.
CASE #1 - Infinitive vs. Other Verb Form
CASE #1 - Infinitive vs. Other Verb Form
I love fishing, skiing and to climb rocks.
- fishing, skiing exhibits progressive pronouns; but to climb rocks exhibits infinite pattern.
- A better version would be:
I love fishing, skiing, and rock-climbing.
CASE #2 - Active vs. Passive
CASE #2 - Active vs. Passive
The cake was baked, frost, and sprinkled.
- baked and sprinkled are passive (was baked, was sprinkled); but frost is active.
- A better version would be:
The cake was baked, frosted, and sprinkled.
Case #3 - Listing Individual Terms vs. Longer Phrases
Case #3 - Listing Individual Terms vs. Longer Phrases
Sharks are large, damp, and dangerous.
- Nothing wrong with the above. If you want to emphasize one out of all the list. You can apply longer phrases to describe the last one.
- Another version would be:
Sharks are large, damp, and not to be trifled with.