SKILL 25: USE PARALLEL STRUCTURE WITH PAIRED CONJUNCTIONS

STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION

SKILL 25: USE PARALLEL STRUCTURE WITH PAIRED CONJUNCTIONS

The paired conjunctions both … and, either …or, neither … nor, and not only … but also require parallel structures.

examples

ü I know both where you went and what you did. ü Either Mark or Sue has the book ü The tickets are neither in mu pocket nor in my purse. ü He is not only an excellent student but also an outstanding athlete.

 

EXERCISE 25: Each of the following sentences contains one of the words or groups of words that should be parallel. Circle the word that indicates that the sentence should have parallel parts. Underline the parts that should be parallel. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

 

_______	3	She would like neither to see a movie or to go bowling.
_______	4	Either the manager or her assistant can help you with your refund.
_______	5	She wants not only to take a trip to Europe but she also would like to travel to Asia.
_______	6	He could correct neither what you said nor you wrote.
_______	7	Both the tailor  and the laundress could fix the damage to the dress.
_______	8	He not only call the police department but also called the fire department.
_______	9	You can graduate either at the end of the fall semester or you can graduate at the end of the spring semester.
_______	10	The movie was neither amusing nor was it interesting.

ANSWER KEY

1	I	(you can take should be take)
2	C
3	I	(or  should be nor)
4	C
5	I	(but also would like to  should be but also to)
6	I	(you wrote  should be what you wrote)
7	I	(or  should be and)
8	C
9	I	(omit the second you can graduate)
10	I	(omit was it)