Read this sentence:
To become certified, you must take a written exam, have taken a physical activity test, and submit to a background check.Which revision of the sentence uses parallel structure?
A.To become certified, you must be taking a written exam, take a physical activity test, and submit to a background check
. B.To become certified, you must take a written exam, take a physical activity test, and submit to a background check.
C.To become certified, you must take a written exam, taking a physical activity test, and submit to a background check.
D.To become certified, you must take a written exam, take a physical activity test, and to submit to a background check.
The correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is B: “To become certified, you must take a written exam, take a physical activity test, and submit to a background check.”
Explanation:
The sentence in option B follows parallel structure, which refers to the consistent use of grammatical forms or structures within a sentence. When constructing a list of actions, it is important to ensure that all elements of the list follow the same grammatical pattern for clarity, balance, and readability. In this case, the actions are all presented using the simple infinitive form (“to + verb”) of the verbs:
- “take a written exam”
- “take a physical activity test”
- “submit to a background check”
Each of these elements follows the same structure, making the sentence clear and grammatically consistent.
Now, let’s look at the other options and why they are incorrect:
- Option A: “To become certified, you must be taking a written exam, take a physical activity test, and submit to a background check.”
- This option mixes verb tenses. “Be taking” is in the progressive tense, while “take” and “submit” are in the simple present tense. This inconsistency breaks the parallel structure.
- Option C: “To become certified, you must take a written exam, taking a physical activity test, and submit to a background check.”
- Here, “take a written exam” and “submit to a background check” use the simple infinitive form, but “taking a physical activity test” uses the present participle (“taking”), which disrupts the parallelism.
- Option D: “To become certified, you must take a written exam, take a physical activity test, and to submit to a background check.”
- In this option, the first two actions use the infinitive form (“take”), but the last action is incorrectly presented with “to submit,” which is redundant and disrupts the parallel structure.
In summary, option B maintains consistent parallelism by using the same verb form across all items in the list, which is essential for creating a grammatically sound and clear sentence.