Choose the sentence that uses parallel structure correctly.
A. She will either go to the party or stay home and rest.
B. He not only completed his homework but also his chores.
C. The team not only plays the Rangers, but also the Cougars.
D. Not only did Tom miss the practice neither did he make the game.
The correct Answer and Explanation is:
The sentence that uses parallel structure correctly is A. She will either go to the party or stay home and rest.
Explanation:
Parallel structure (also known as parallelism) refers to the repetition of a grammatical form within a sentence. This means that similar elements in a sentence should be grammatically consistent or balanced. When a sentence contains two or more parts, such as verbs, phrases, or clauses, each part should follow the same grammatical pattern to ensure clarity and readability.
Option A: “She will either go to the party or stay home and rest.”
This sentence uses parallel structure because the two actions “go to the party” and “stay home and rest” follow the same grammatical form: both are simple verb phrases (action verbs with objects). The structure is balanced, making the sentence easy to read and comprehend.
Option B: “He not only completed his homework but also his chores.”
This sentence lacks parallelism because “completed his homework” is a verb phrase, while “his chores” is just a noun phrase. To make the structure parallel, the second part of the sentence should include a verb, such as “but also completed his chores.”
Option C: “The team not only plays the Rangers, but also the Cougars.”
This sentence is not parallel because “plays the Rangers” is a verb phrase, but “the Cougars” is a noun phrase. To be parallel, the second part should be “but also plays the Cougars.”
Option D: “Not only did Tom miss the practice neither did he make the game.”
This sentence lacks parallel structure due to the improper use of “neither.” The structure is not only incorrect, but it also creates confusion. A parallel structure would be: “Not only did Tom miss the practice, but he also missed the game.”
Maintaining parallelism improves clarity and flow, making the sentence more cohesive.