Parallel Sentences in Business Writing
Parallel sentences make business writing clearer and more professional. When ideas are parallel, each part follows the same grammatical pattern.
What does “parallel” mean?
In mathematics, two lines are parallel if they never meet, like these:
In business writing, a parallel sentence is one where each part follows the same structure. Let’s see an example.
Example 1: using -ing forms
Jane’s skillset includes organising large events, dealing with suppliers and ensuring customer satisfaction.
The main verb in the sentence is includes. Three things are matched to this verb. If we express the sentence in bullet points, the structure becomes clearer.
Jane’s skillset includes:
- organising large events
- dealing with suppliers
- ensuring customer satisfaction
Notice how each of these three points is written in the same way, using an -ing form. This is called parallel structure.
Example 2: using base verbs
What about if we write the sentence in another way?
Jane is able to organise large events, deal with suppliers and ensure customer satisfaction.
Notice that the three points are now written using the base form of the verb. This matches the phrase is able to.
Jane is able to:
- organise large events
- deal with suppliers
- ensure customer satisfaction
This is also a parallel structure.
When the structures are mixed
Now, what if we mix the two structures together?
Jane is able to organise large events, dealing with suppliers and ensuring customer satisfaction.
This sentence is not parallel. As a result, it does not flow smoothly. It is also not grammatically correct.
Example 3: adjectives and nouns
Let’s look at another example.
We seek a candidate who is honest, capable and integrity.
This sentence is not parallel because honest and capable are adjectives, but integrity is a noun. It is also not grammatically correct because we cannot say a candidate who is integrity. We need to say a candidate who has integrity.
We seek a candidate who is honest, capable and has integrity.
The sentence above is grammatically correct, but it is still not very parallel. A smoother version is:
We seek an honest and capable candidate who has integrity.
More examples
Less smooth
Would you prefer to go to the beach or shopping?
More parallel
Would you prefer to go to the beach or go shopping?
The first sentence is grammatically correct, but the second sentence sounds better because it is parallel.
Finishing assignments late and a negative attitude are the two main reasons that we gave him a poor rating.
Late submission of assignments and a negative attitude are the two main reasons that we gave him a poor rating.
Finishing assignments late and displaying a negative attitude are the two main reasons that we gave him a poor rating.
In the first sentence, the two parts of the subject are not parallel. We can fix this in two ways: by using two noun phrases, as in sentence 2, or by using two -ing phrases, as in sentence 3.
A note about AND and OR
Make sure that you use or for negative parallel expressions.
Recommended
He didn’t smoke or eat meat.
This means: he didn’t smoke, and he didn’t eat meat.
Possible confusion
He didn’t smoke and eat meat.
Technically, this could mean that he didn’t eat meat while smoking.