Parallel Construction in Your Introduction (1)

There are two places in your country report where you need to worry about parallel construction: in your introduction and then again in your conclusion. Let's tackle your introduction first.

Parallel Construction in Your Introduction

If you followed the formula I gave you earlier, the third sentence of your introduction consists of three clauses, each clause a reason why your country is a wonderful place. Here is a simple example:

The food is delicious; the people are friendly, and the prices are cheap.

Perhaps you noticed that all three clauses are equative clauses. The result of this parallel construction is that the sentence is pleasing to the ear.

The problem is that some students don't pay enough attention to the structure of their clauses, and so they end up with awkward sentences like these in the left-hand column.

Not Parallel Better The people are friendly; you can eat delicious food, and there is a lot of beautiful scenery. The people are friendly; the food is delicious, and the scenery is beautiful. The cities are crowded; there is a lot of pollution in the rivers, and people will try to scam you. The cities are crowded; the rivers are polluted, and the people are dishonest.

Today, your job is to make sure that the third sentence of your introduction is in parallel form. The easiest way to do this is to force it into one of the following molds:

1. A series of equative clauses. (Each clause follows the pattern "subject = complement). Substitute your own words into the underlined positions.

The people are friendly; the food is delicious, and the scenery is beautiful.

 

2. A series of "dummy subject" clauses. (Each clause follows the pattern "There are [noun]" or "There are [adjective / noun]."

There are top-rated ski resorts; there are world-famous restaurants, and there are magnificent cathedrals.

 

1. A series of transitive clauses. (Each clause follows the pattern "You can [verb / object]."

You can see the Great Wall; you can visit Beijing, and you can eat authentic Chinese cuisine.

Putting your three main reasons in parallel construction is not always easy, but it's definitely worth the effort.

Quiz