| Parallel Construction in Lists |
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| Lists must use the same form throughout a sentence. If a list begins with a gerund (the -ing form of a verb), all items in the list must be gerunds; if a list begins with an infinitive (to + a verb), all items must be infinitives. Elliot has a number of hobbies: fishing, dancing, and gardening. Vilma made a list of things she wants to learn next month; she wants to know how to knit, to swim and to ride a bicycle. In lists using infinitives, only the first to is necessary. The second part of the sentence above could be rewritten this way: She wants to learn how to knit, swim and ride a bicycle. Lists that begin with an adjective must contain all adjectives, lists that begin with an adverb must contain all adverbs, and those that begin with nouns must contain all nouns. The sea was calm, warm, and blue. (adjectives) Working quickly, calmly, and efficiently, the Red Cross workers were able to care for all of the earthquake victims. (adverbs) Food, water, and shelter are essential to human life. (nouns) |
| Is this sentence correct? |
| The Gallo triplets like to bike, catch frogs, and eating cake. |
| The boys are smart, funny, and mostly truthful. |
| The boys are freckly, happily, and bubbly. |
| Remember! Word forms should be the same in a list. |
| Answers The sentence under the top left picture is incorrect: to bike and catch are infinitives, but eating cake is a gerund. The sentence below the top right picture is correct. There are three adjectives in the list; mostly is an adverb, but it modifies the adjective truthful. The sentence under the lower picture on the right is incorrect; all words in the list end in -ly, but freckly and bubbly are adjectives, and happily is an adverb. |
| What do you think about these sentences? |
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