Sentence Parallelism “

and Sentence Problems

Prepared by: CIE

∂
 Change to parallel
Not Parallel Parallel
My English class is made up of
Chinese, Kurds and Bosnian
students.

It is important to exercise every

day and eating organic food.
 Parallelism and connectors
• With Coordinators: and, or, but
• Parallelism with Paired Conjunctions:
both ____ and ____
either ____ or ____
neither ____ nor ____
not only ____ but also ____
 PRACTICE 1: Identifying and Creating
Parallelism (page 192)

A
1. The best environment for studying contains good lightening, a big desk and
a comfortable chair.
2. You know you are truly fluent in another language when you can calculate in
it and when you begin to dream in it.
3. People often spend as much time worrying
about the future as planning for it.
4. You can learn a second language in the classroom, at home, or in a country
where the language is spoken.
5. My new personal computer is both fast and reliable.
6. My mother’s old typewriter is neither fast nor reliable.
7. Ann is growing older but unfortunately not wiser.
8. Young people buy computers not only to do schoolwork but also to play
games.
Try it out!
Sentence Fragments
What is a sentence fragment?
Problem A: No independent-clause
Fragment

Because some students work part-time while taking full load of

classes.

Correct
Because Some students work part-time while taking full load of
classes.

Correct
Because some students work part-time while taking full load of
classes, they have very little time.
 Problem B: No verb (no complement)

Fragment
To save up money for college studies.
Studying mathematics in a prestigious university.

Correct
To save up money for college studies is challenging.
Studying mathematics in a prestigious university
has been my dream.
Problem C: Incomplete Independent clause

Fragment
Teachers who give too much homework.

Correct
Teachers who give too much homework are
unlikable.
 Review
• Parallelism
• Sentence fragment
• Choppy sentences
• Run-on sentences
• Comma splice
• Stringy sentences
 Notice!
• Always check the subordinators: although,
since, because, as soon as, etc. to see if they
are connected to an independent clause.
 How to fix a sentence fragment?
• Attach the fragment to a nearby complete
sentence.
• Revise the fragment by adding whatever is
missing – subject, verb, complete thought.
• Rewrite the fragment or the entire passage
that contains the fragment.
 PRACTICE 2: Rewriting Sentence
Fragments (page 195)

A Complete sentences: 4, 5, 7, 10, Fragments: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9

Answers will vary. Possible answers include:
1. The desire of all humankind is to live in peace and freedom, for
example.
2. Second, it is a fact that men are physically stronger than women.
3. The best movie that I saw last year was Beasts of the Southern
Wild.
6. Although people want to believe that all men are created equal,
it is not true.
8. Many of my friends who did not have the opportunity to go to
college are unhappy.
9. A tsunami that occurred in the Indian Ocean in December 2004
killed more than 200,000 people.
 B Fragments:

Paragraph 1: [Believing that they are far better

drivers than they are.]

Corrected fragment:
Paragraph 1: Believing that they are far better
drivers than they are, teenagers can be
incompetent, inattentive, and even dangerous
behind the wheel.
Paragraph 3: [On the one hand, the frontal cortex, or decision-
making area, of a teenager’s brain which is still developing.] So
they take risks because they literally do not understand the
danger.
On the other hand, teenagers want to be treated like adults.[Using
cars to show their maturity. Or using them as status symbols to
gain popularity.]

Corrected fragment:
Paragraph 3: On the one hand, the frontal cortex, or decision-
making area, of a teenager’s brain, is still developing, so they take
risks because they literally do not understand the danger.

On the other hand, teenagers want to be treated like adults, using

cars to show their maturity or using them as status symbols to gain
popularity.
Paragraph 4: All in all, teenagers are not safe drivers. [Because of
their attitude.] Teenagers will learn to become safe drivers.
[As they get older and their brains, and decision-making
capacities, mature.]

Corrected fragment
Paragraph 4: All in all, teenagers are not safe
drivers because of their attitude. Teenagers will
learn to become safe drivers as they get older
and their brains, and decision-making capacities,
mature.
Choppy Sentences
 Choppy Sentences (p. 196)
Despite the doctors’ warnings, news stories, and
magazine articles about the importance of
eating a healthy, balanced diet, many people
resist developing useful eating habits. Some
people just like junk food.
 An Example of Sentence Combining
Let's consider an example. Start by looking at this list of
eight short (and repetitive) sentences:
• She was our Latin teacher.
• We were in high school.
• She was tiny.
• She was a birdlike woman.
• She was swarthy.
• She had dark eyes.
• Her eyes were sparkling.
• Her hair was graying.
An Example of Sentence Combining (cont…)
She was our Latin teacher. We were in high
school. She was tiny. She was a birdlike woman.
She was swarthy. She had dark eyes. Her eyes
were sparkling. Her hair was graying.

When we were in high school, our Latin teacher

was a tiny woman. She was swarthy and birdlike,
with dark, sparkling eyes and graying hair.
 Exercise:
• The man handed me a photograph
of a child.
• He did this silently.
• The man was old.
• The child was beautiful.

• The photograph of the child brought

back memories.
• The memories were brought back
instantly.
• The child was beautiful.
• The child was little.
 Academic Writing and Choppy Sentences

Choppy sentences
Wind is an enduring source of power. Water is an unlimited source
of power. Dams produce hydraulic power. They have existed a long
time. Windmills are relatively new.

Correct
Both wind and water are unlimited sources of power. Dams have
produced hydraulic power for a long time, but Windmills are
relatively new.