Parallel Structure Worksheets - 15 Worksheets Library - Free Printable

Let's solve the worksheet step by step and explain each answer.

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Understanding Parallel Structure:

Parallel structure means using the same grammatical pattern in a sentence or series of sentences to create balance, rhythm, and clarity. It often involves repeating the same verb form, phrase structure, or clause type.

For example:
- Not parallel: She likes reading, writing, and to paint.
- Parallel: She likes reading, writing, and painting.

Now, let’s analyze each sentence from the worksheet.

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1. We will eat. We will sing. We will dance.

- Analysis: Each sentence follows the same structure: "We will [verb]."
- All three are independent clauses with the same subject ("We") and the same auxiliary verb ("will") followed by a base verb.
- This repetition creates a strong parallel structure.

✔ Answer: Yes – it uses parallel structure.

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2. We will eat dinner, then head out to dance.

- Analysis: This is one compound sentence.
- "We will eat dinner" → complete clause (subject + verb + object).
- "then head out to dance" → this part lacks a helping verb and is not a full clause. It's a fragment.
- The second part is not parallel in structure because it doesn’t follow the same pattern as the first.
- Corrected version might be: *"We will eat dinner, then we will head out to dance."* — now both parts are parallel.

✘ Answer: No – it does not use parallel structure.

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3. We ate, we sang, we danced.

- Analysis: Each clause follows the same pattern: "We [past tense verb]."
- All three are simple sentences joined by commas.
- The structure is consistent: subject + past-tense verb.

✔ Answer: Yes – it uses parallel structure.

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4. May got a valentine. Toby got one too.

- Analysis:
- First sentence: "May got a valentine" → has a grammar error. "Got" should be "got" only if informal; but correctly, it should be "May received" or "May got" is incorrect grammar.
- Actually, “got” is an informal past tense of “get.” But even so, the correct form would be: "May got" → incorrect. It should be "May got" or better: "May received" or "May got" is acceptable in casual speech.
- However, more importantly: the structure is not parallel because:
- "May got..." is awkward/incorrect.
- "Toby got one too" is correct.
- Even if we ignore the grammar issue, the two sentences are not in the same grammatical form due to the inconsistency in subject-verb agreement and usage.

But assuming we're focusing on structure, let's compare:

- Sentence 1: "May got a valentine."
- Sentence 2: "Toby got one too."

They both have the same pattern: subject + verb + object. So structurally, they are similar.

However, "May got" is not standard English. The correct form is "May got" or "May received" — but "got" is not formally correct here.

So, while the intended structure is parallel, the first sentence is grammatically incorrect, making the overall structure flawed.

But since the question asks whether it uses parallel structure, and if we assume "got" is used consistently, then yes — both use the same pattern.

But strictly speaking, "May got" is not correct. The correct form is "May got" (informal) or "May received" (formal).

Still, in terms of intended parallelism, the structure is meant to be parallel.

But since the first sentence is ungrammatical, the parallel structure is broken.

✘ Answer: No – it does not use parallel structure (due to grammatical inconsistency).

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✔ Final Answers:

1. Yes – Parallel structure is used.
2. No – Not parallel (fragment).
3. Yes – Parallel structure.
4. No – Grammatically inconsistent (use of "got" with "May" is incorrect), so not truly parallel.

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Summary of Answers:

1. Yes
2. No
3. Yes
4. No

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Let me know if you'd like a corrected version of any of these sentences!