Are You from a Parallel Universe?

Are you from a parallel universe?  Do you already know how to express parallel ideas in the same grammatical form? 

If, in your writing world, "parallel ideas should be expressed in the same grammatical form" sounds alien to you, here are some tips for becoming a better writer by brushing up on some galactic and intergalactic grammar.  Good writing is not only clear to the reader but also correct in form.


Rule:  Express parallel ideas in the same grammatical form.

 1.  Coordinated ideas are of equal rank and are connected by coordinate conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, etc.).  For proper coordination, a noun is paired with another noun, a phrase with a phrase, a clause with a clause, an infinitive with an infinitive, a word ending in -ing with another word ending in -ing, etc.  In parallel construction, observe this principle of pairing one part of speech with another or one kind of construction with another.
 

POOR:           In the winter I usually like skiing and to skate.  (gerund paired with an infinitive)

BETTER:      In the winter I usually like skiing and skating.  (gerund paired with a gerund)

OR:                In the winter I usually like to ski and to skate.  (infinitive paired with an infinitive)



POOR:          Einstein liked mathematical research more than to supervise a large laboratory.
                     (noun contrasted with an infinitive)

BETTER:     Einstein liked mathematical research more than supervision of a large laboratory.
                     (noun contrasted with a noun)


2.  Correlative constructions are formed with the correlative conjunctions (both...and, either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also, etc.).  They should be expressed in parallel form also.

POOR:         With Ship of Fools Katherine Anne Porter proved she was talented
                       not only as a short-story writer but also in writing novels.
                       

BETTER:     With Ship of Fools Katherine Anne Porter proved she was talented
                      not only as a short-story writer but also as a novelist.
                      


I hope this grammar rule refresher will help you in your writing wherever in the galaxy you are.