A. Combine the given sentences into one concise sentence that contains parallel structure.
Punctuate carefully.
1. Mary opened the door. Mary greeted her guests.
Mary opened the door and greeted the guests.
2. Alice is kind. Alice is generous. Alice is trustworthy.
3. Please try to speak more loudly. Please try to speak more clearly.
4. He gave her flowers on Sunday. He gave her candy on Monday. He gave her a ring on Tuesday.
5. While we were in New York, we attended an opera. While we were in New York, we at
marvelous restaurants. While we were in New York, we visited some old friends.
6. I am looking forward to going to Italy. I am looking forward to eating wonderful pasta every day.
7. I should have finished my homework. I should have cleared up my room.
8. The boy was old enough to work. The boy was old enough to earn some money.
9. He preferred to play baseball. Or he preferred to spend his time in the streets with other boys.
10. I like coffee. I do not like tea.
11. I have met his father. I havent met his father.
12. Jake would like to live in Puerto Rico. He would not like to live in Iceland.
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B. In each group, complete the unfinished sentence. Then combine the sentences into one
concise sentence that contains parallel structure. Punctuate carefully.
1. The country lane was narrow.
The country lane was steep.
The country lane was .
muddy
. The country lane was narrow, steep, and muddy.
2. I like to become acquainted with the people of other countries.
I like to become acquainted with the customs of other countries.
I like to become acquainted with . Of other countries.
..
3. I dislike living in a city because of the air pollution.
I dislike living in a city because of the crime.
I dislike living in a city because of
..
4. We discussed some of the social problems of the United States.
We discussed some of the political problems of the United Sates.
We discussed some of the .. problems of the United States.
..
5. Hawaii has
Hawaii has many interesting tropical flowers.
Hawaii has beautiful beaches.
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..
6. Mary Hart would make a good president because she
Mary Hart would make a good president because she works effectively.
Mary Hart would make a good president because she has a reputation for integrity.
Mary Hart would make a good president because she has a reputation for independent thinking.
..
C. Write C if the parallel structure is correct. Write I if the parallel structure is incorrect,
make any necessary corrections. Underline the parallel elements of the sentences.
1. . I
honesty
I admire him for his intelligence, cheerful disposition, and he is honest.
2. . C
Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer and a politician.
3. ..............
The boat sailed across the lake smoothly and quiet.
4. ..............
Barb studies each problem carefully and works out a solution.
5. ..............
Aluminum is plentiful and relatively inexpensive.
6. ..............
Many visitors to Los Angeles enjoy visiting Disneyland and to tour movie studios.
7. ..............
Children are usually interested in but a little frightened by snakes.
8. ..............
Either fainting can result from a lack of oxygen or a loss of blood.
9. ..............
So far this term, the students in the writing class have learned how to write thesis
statements, organize their material, and summarizing their conclusions.
10. ..............
When I looked more closely, I saw that it was not coffee but chocolate on my necktie.
11. ..............
Not only universities support medical research but also many government agencies.
12. ..............
Physics explains why water freezes and how the sun produces heat.
13. ..............
All plants need light, a sustainable climate, and an ample supply of water and minerals
from the soil.
With their keen sight, fine hearing, and refined sense of smell, wolves hunt day or night
in quest of elk, deer, moose, or caribou.
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14. ..............
D. Supply the correct present tense form of the verb in parentheses.
1.
(know)
Neither the teacher nor the student . knows . the answer.
2.
(know)
Neither the teacher nor the students . know . the answer.
3.
(know)
Not only the students but also the teacher the answer.
4.
(know)
Not only the teacher but also the students the answer.
5.
(know)
Both the teacher and the students .. the answer.
6.
(want)
Neither Alan nor Carol .. to go skiing this weekend.
7.
(like)
Both John and Ted to go cross-country skiing.
8.
(have)
Either Jack or Alice .. the information you need.
9.
(agree)
Neither my parents nor my brother with my decision.
10. (be)
Both intelligence and skill .. essential to good teaching.
11. (realize) Neither my classmates nor my teacher that I have no idea
whats going on in class.
12. (think)
Not only Lauras husband but also her children .. she should
return to school and finish her graduate degree.
E. Combine the following into sentences containing parallel structure.
1. Many people dont drink coffee. Many people dont drink alcohol. (neither nor)
Many people drink neither coffee nor alcohol.
2. Barbara is fluent in Chinese. She is also fluent in Japanese. (not only ... but also)
3. I am sorry to say that Paul has no patience. He has no sensitivity to others. (neither nor)
4. If you want to change your class schedule, you should talk to your teacher, or you should talk to
your academic counselor. (either or)
5. Diana is intelligent. She is very creative. (both and)
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6. You may begin working tomorrow or you may begin next week. (either or)
7. Michael didnt tell his mother about the trouble he had gotten into. He didnt tell his father
about the trouble he had gotten into. (neither nor)
8. Success in karate requires balance and skill. Success in karate requires concentration and mental
alertness. (not only but also)
F. In each of the following sentences, fill in the blanks with an appropriate coordinating
conjunction. There may be more than one correct answer for some sentences.
1. Companies want workers with diverse skills, .
but
. parents may find that child-rearing
experience does not always impress potential employers.
2. Parents who quit work to care for children may worry about making enough money,
they may fear that small children will be hard to deal with all day long.
3. Those problems can cause people to think twice about leaving their jobs, .. the real
problem for many people may come when they want to go back to work.
4. Finding a job can be difficult in any circumstances, a job-seekers resume needs
to be impressive.
5. Resume experts say that every gap in employment should be explained, ..
employers want to know what a person did during that time.
6. Many parents fear that employers will see that the job-seekers have spent a few years raising
children, .. they worry that their resume wont receive consideration.
7. Employers may not realize that parenting requires all kinds of skills, .. a person
returning to work after raising young children must make employers see that experience was
valuable.
8. The wrong description can make child care sound like dull, unimaginative work, .. a
good resume can demonstrate how challenging and diverse the job of raising children can be.
9. Some parents who want to return to careers find ways to fill gaps on their resumes,
others come up with ways to get around the problem of resume altogether.
10. Skills that a worker had before leaving a career can be used in a new business,
when they decide to return to work.
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11. Parents who leave careers have new challenges to consider, they can get jobs
a person who starts a business does not have to worry about creating a perfect resume.
G. Combine each pair of sentences into a single sentence by using a comma and a
coordinating conjunction. In some cases, there may be more than one correct answer.
1. E-mail has become common in business communication. People should mind their e-mail
manners.
Email has become common in business communication, so people should mind their e-mail
manners
2. Many professionals use e-mail to keep in touch with clients and contacts. They must be
especially careful not to offend anyone with their e-mail messages.
3. However, anyone who uses e-mail should be cautious. It is dangerously easy to send messages
to the wrong person.
4. Employees may have time to send personal messages from work. They should remember that
employers often have the ability to read their workers messages.
5. R-rated language and jokes may be deleted automatically by a companys server. They may be
read by managers and cause problems for the employee sending or receiving them.
6. No message should be forwarded to everyone in a senders address book. Senders should ask
permission before adding someone to a mass-mailing list.
...
7. People should check the authenticity of mailings about lost children, dreadful diseases, and
terrorist threats before passing them on. Most such messages are hoaxes.
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...
8. Typographical errors and misspellings in e-mail make the message appear less professional.
Using all capital letters a practice known as shouting is usually considered even worse.
...
9. People who use e-mail for business want to be taken seriously. They should make their e-mails
as professional as possible.
H. Combine the two sentences in each item using the correlative conjunction given.
1. Physics is classified as a physical science. Chemistry is classified as a physical science. (both and)
..
2. We cannot classify mathematics as a biological science. We cannot classify psychology as a physical
science. (neither nor)
..
3. Botany and zoology are normally considered biological sciences. They are generally requirements for
a B.S. degree. (not only but also)
..
4. All liberal arts majors have to take two physical science courses. Instead, all liberal arts majors could
take two biological science courses. (either or)
5. In order to graduate, all students in college must take certain required courses. They have to take
some electives. (not only but also)
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..
I. Join each of the following pairs of sentences with one of the seven coordinating
conjunctions, preceded by a comma. Use each conjunction at least once.
Black Bart: Stagecoach Robber and Poet
1. It was August 3, 1877. A stagecoach was traveling across California.
It was August 3 1877, and a stagecoach was traveling across California.
2. A man with a flour sack over his head stopped the coach. He pointed a rifle at the drivers.
3. The man told them to throw down their cash box. He did not harm anyone.
4. Later, someone found the box. That person was surprised.
5. The box contained an angry poem signed by Black Bart. It also contained a note of apology saying,
Driver, give my respects to your friend, the other driver.
6. Black Bart continued robbing. He continued to leave humorous verses.
7. The stagecoach company was not amused. It offered a reward of $800 for his capture.
8. On Barts last holdup, someone shot and wounded him. He tried to stop the bleeding with a
handkerchief that he left behind.
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9. Detectives learned Black Barts real name by tracing the laundry mark on the handkerchief. The
robber might have gone free.
10. He was Charles E. Bolton, an elderly gentleman with a white mustache, gold-headed cane, and fine
clothes. He finally confessed to his crimes.
11. He also said, I never robbed a passenger. I never treated a human being badly. (Use nor, and
change the wording of the second clause.)
12. He was supposed to serve a long term in prison. His behavior was so gentlemanly that he was
released four years later.
J. Rewrite each of the following Pairs of sentences, joining them with a coordinating
conjunction, preceded by a comma. Use each conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) at
least once.
1. Soon after the killing of the tribal leader, Curly had a strange experience. He went on a vision quest
in which he dreamed about a horseback rider in a storm.
Soon after the killing of the tribal leader, Curly had a strange experience, for he went on a vision
quest in which he dreamed about a horseback rider in a storm
2. The rider had flowing long hair. Drawings of lightning and hail decorated his body.
..
..
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3. The rider was clearly a warrior. He didnt carry any scalps.
4. The storm faded. A red-backed hawk flew over the riders head.
...
5. Curlys father was a medicine man. He understood the meanings of dreams.
..
6. His father said that the dream predicted his sons future greatness in battle. The boy should now
take his fathers name, Crazy Horse.
..
7. Four years later, Crazy Horse must have been highly respected. He couldnt have fought with the
adults in a battle against the Crow Indians.
..
8. As in his dream, his long hair flowed freely. He wore a red hawk feather in his headdress.
..
9. His face was painted with a lightning bolt. Dots like hail decorated his body.
..
10. Crazy Horse fought bravely. He was wounded in the leg because, as his father said, he had ignored
the dream and taken two scalps.
11. Crazy Horse never again took a scalp. He never again was wounded in battle. (Use nor, and adjust
the word order of the second sentence.)
Ali Ghahreman
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