PARALLEL CONSTRUCTION WITH COORDINATE CONJUNCTIONS

The functions of the Coordinate Conjunctions (and, but, or) is to join together equal
expressions. In other words, what is on one side of these words must be parallel to what is on the
other side. These conjunctions can join nouns, or verbs, or adjectives, or phrases, or subordinate
clauses, or main clauses. They just must join together two or more of the same things.

And
Same structure But Same structure
Or

Examples:
 I need to talk to the manager or the assistant manager
 She is not a teacher but a lawyer
 You can choose from activities such as hiking and kayaking
 There are students in the classroom and in front of the building
 They are not interested in what you say or what you do.
 Mr. Brown likes to go home early, but his wife prefers to stay late.

PARALLEL STRUCTURE WITH PAIRED CONJUNCTIONS

The paired conjunctions both … and, either …or, neither …nor, and not only … but also
require parallel structure.

Examples:

 I know both where you went and what you did

 Either Mark or Sue has the book.
 The tickets are neither in my pocket nor in my purse
 He is not only an excellent student but also an outstanding athlete.


Parallel Structure with Paired Conjunctions

Both And

Either Or
Same structure Same structure
Neither Nor

Not only But also

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Samples from TOEFL:

1. The little girl is taking care of the puppy with …, affection, and kindness.
a. patient c. patiently
b. patience d. patients

2. The moon has _________ athmosphere nor liquid water.

a. None c. But
b. Neither d. Whether

3. The quality of water varies not only with local land use but also …
a. it varies with the geologic history of the earth
b. with the geologic history of the earth
c. varies with the geologic history of the earth
d. its geologic history of the earth

4. Rhymes result from sound rather than spelling, and words neither have to be spelled the same way
_______ look alike in order to rhyme.
a. not b. and
c. nor d. either

5. The students …
a. are intelligent, are active and are dilligents
b. are intelligence, active, and diligent
c. are intelligent, active, and diligent
d. are intelligent, active, and are diligence

6. Blood pressure is measured by feeling pulse and …

a. to apply pressure to arm
b. applying pressure to arm
c. a pressure to arm is applied
d application of pressure to the arm

7. A cloud is a dense mass of … water vapor or ice particles.

a. or c. both
b. whether d. either

8. Lions have proven themselves to be superior animal as a result of their stronger appearance
and …
a. they have an aggressive behavior
b. their behavior aggressively
c. their behavior which is aggressive
d. their more aggressive behavior

9. Most documentary filmmakers use neither actors … studio setting.

a. or else c. nor
b. but not d. and

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10. Pandas live in coniferous forests, eat bamboo shoots and leaves fast, and spending about 12
A B C
hours a day eating.
D

11. The novelist Shirley Hazzard is noted for the insight, poetic style, and sensitive she
A B C
demonstrates in her works.
D

12. After the Boston Tea Party in 1773, coffee house in the North America colonies became
A B
centers for gossip, gamble, and political criticism.
C D

13. Rapid eye movement sleep is sometimes called paradoxical sleep because it has
A B
characteristics of either the waking and sleeping state.
C D

14. Like triglycerides, cholesterol is a type of fat that is both consumed in the diet but
A B C D
manufactured by the body.

15. After flax is washed, dry, beaten and combed, fibers are obtained for use in making fabrics.
A B C D

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