Parallelism in Academic Writing: Explained with Examples 

“In academic writing, sentences must be written in a formal way, an effective manner, and be meaningful.” Did reading that sentence make you feel an ick? Many times, when reading research papers, we come across sections of text that appear correct, yet something feels off. That’s what stands out as non-native writing.

Scientific communication relies heavily on effective writing. And one of the best practices for effective writing is using parallel sentence structures. In this blog, let’s learn about using parallel structures in academic writing with examples.  

What is Parallelism? 
Why is Parallelism Important in Academic Writing? 
Parallelism Examples 

• Parallel Structure in Verbs 
• Parallel Structure in Nouns and Adjectives 
• Parallel Structure in Phrases 
• Parallel Structure in Pairs 
• Parallel Structure When Using Correlated Conjunctions 

FAQs on Parallel Sentence Structures 

What is Parallelism? 

Parallel structure, or parallelism, is using a consistent word pattern or grammatical form in a sentence to make it clear and balanced. Parallel structure is typically used in lists, series of activities, paired ideas, comparisons, and headings. Here’s a simple example: 

Not parallel: I like to sing, dance, and painting. 

Parallel: I like singing, dancing, and painting. 

OR 
Parallel: I like to sing, dance, and paint. 

In the above example, you will see that the verb form (-ing) has been consistently used to maintain a parallel structure. So, going back to the very first sentence of this blog—here’s how it can be phrased better: “Sentences in academic writing must be meaningful, formal, and effective.” 

Why is Parallelism Important in Academic Writing? 

Is parallelism truly important in academic writing?  

Well, think of it this way. Research papers, theses, dissertations, case reports, or any academic document are often lengthy, trying to convey complex information to readers unfamiliar with your work. Regardless of the target audience—be it fellow researchers, subject matter experts, policymakers, or simply laypeople interested in a scientific topic—consuming a lengthy piece of document is no easy task. So, as authors, you must make the reading experience as smooth as possible. 

Using parallel sentence structures is one of the effective ways of communicating through writing: 

• It improves readability in text, adding balance and creating the right impact 
• It ensures coherence and consistency in writing 
• Parallelism ensures the flow of reading remains uninterpreted 
• It shows professionalism and gives a native touch to your writing 
• It creates a rhythmic flow in your paper 
• Parallel construction helps strengthen your argument 
• It can help show emphasis on the correct ideas in a sentence 

To know how to correctly use parallel sentence structures in your writing, you first need to understand what faulty parallelism is. Let’s understand this through examples. 

Parallelism Examples 

Parallel Structure in Verbs 

When you are linking a series of verbs, avoid mixing infinitive verbs (verbs beginning with ‘to’) and gerunds (-ing forms of verbs). 

Faulty parallelism: It takes time to learn how to draw, color, painting, and framing a portrait. 

Correct parallelism: It takes to learn how to draw, color, paint, and frame a portrait.  

Parallel Structure in Nouns and Adjectives 

Group words of the same parts of speech (nouns, adjectives, etc.) together. Here’s an example of grouping two nouns and an adjective together, which makes for a non-parallel sentence structure. 

Faulty parallelism: The intervention was assessed considering cost, accessibility, and how effective it was.  

Correct parallelism: The intervention was assessed considering cost, accessibility, and effectiveness. 

Parallel Structure in Phrases 

When using a series of phrases too, there must be parallel forms. Take the following example of mixing phrases with ‘-ing’ verb forms with infinitive verbs.  

Faulty parallelism: The objective of our research is to examine patient behavior, analyze treatment outcomes, and determining the effectiveness of intervention. 

Correct parallelism: The objective of our research is to examine patient behavior, analyze treatment outcomes, and determine the effectiveness of intervention. 

Parallel Structure in Pairs 

Parallel structure is preferred when you want to connect two related ideas in pairs. This is typically used with coordinated conjunctions (e.g., ‘and,’ ‘but,’ ‘or,’ ‘yet,’ etc.) 

Faulty parallelism: The researchers collected data from four different hospitals, yet the study population was limited to a single region. 

Correct parallelism: The researchers collected data from four different hospitals yet limited the study population to a single region. 

Parallel Structure When Using Correlated Conjunctions 

Correlated conjunctions are often used to link two ideas through phrases like “not only…but also,” “either…or,” “both X…and Y,” “whether…or not,” etc. Such sentences also warrant the use of correct parallelism.  

Faulty parallelism: Scientists are not only investigating the major causes of climate change but also plan to find suitable solutions. 

Correct parallelism: Scientists are not only investigating the major causes of climate change but are also finding suitable solutions.

FAQs on Parallel Sentence Structures 

1. What are the rules of parallelism? 

Parallel sentences are mainly about ensuring consistency in writing. The key rule is to “match” things.  

• Match same parts of speech like nouns and adjectives 
• Match verb tenses (e.g., ‘-ing’ forms with other ‘-ing’ forms) 
• Match phrases and clauses 
• Match pairs of connected ideas 

2. What is a parallel sentence structure? 

A parallel sentence structure is using the same pattern of writing in text to ensure accuracy in grammar, especially when writing lists, pairing ideas, and making comparisons. Parallel sentence structures are important to make the write-up smooth, clear, balanced, consistent, and easy to read.  

3. What are some examples of parallel sentences in academic writing? 

In academic writing, different sections tend to use parallel sentences in different contexts. For example, here are sentences commonly used in  

Introduction section: We aim to analyze patient behavior and evaluate treatment outcomes. 

Methods section: The survey was conducted across three regions and the data collected was analyzed… 

Results section: The findings confirmed that the proposed evaluation technique was not only cost-effective but also sustainable.