Style: parallel structure

Worksheet: Style: parallel structure

Name:Class:

Answer the questions.

1. Which sentence has a parallel list?
   a) She likes swimming, hiking, and reading.b) She likes swimming, hiking, and to read.c) She likes swimming, to hike, and reading.d) She likes to swim, hiking, and reading.
2. "We need pens, paper, and to bring rulers" has a parallel list.
   a) Trueb) False
3. Make the last item parallel: "The team was fast, strong, and had skill."
4. Which sentence uses parallel verb phrases?
   a) The coach told us stretching, to drink water, and rest.b) The coach told us to stretch, drinking water, and to rest.c) The coach told us to stretch, to drink water, and resting.d) The coach told us to stretch, to drink water, and to rest.
5. Which completes the sentence in parallel form? "She wants either to study music or ___."
   a) a painterb) paintingc) she paintsd) to paint
6. Best fix: "He liked the park for its quiet, its shade, and because it was free."
   a) for its quiet, its shade, and because it cost littleb) for its quiet, its shade, and being not expensivec) for its quiet, its shade, and it was cheapd) for its quiet, its shade, and its low cost
7. Which sentence contains an absolute phrase?
   a) After packing her bag, Mia left for the station.b) Her bag packed, Mia left for the station.c) Mia packed her bag and left for the station.d) Mia, who had packed her bag, left for the station.
8. An absolute phrase usually has a noun and a participle and modifies a whole sentence.
   a) Trueb) False
9. Rewrite with an absolute phrase: "Because the rain had stopped, we left." Start: The rain...
10. Why might a writer put a very short sentence after several long ones?
    a) To emphasise an important pointb) To fix a spelling errorc) To hide the main idead) To make the text longer
11. Which sentence is periodic, saving its main idea for the end?
    a) After six hours of steady climbing, the hikers reached the summit.b) The hikers climbed for six hours and reached the summit.c) The hikers reached the summit after six hours of steady climbing.d) The hikers reached the summit, tired but very happy.
12. Starting every sentence with the same word makes writing more varied.
    a) Trueb) False
13. Which is the best fix for "I enjoy cooking, to dance, and singing"?
    a) I enjoy cook, dance, and singing.b) I enjoy cooking, dancing, and singing.c) I enjoy cooking, to dance, and to sing.d) I enjoy to cook, to dance, and singing.
14. Best fix: "The park is quiet, clean, and it is safe."
    a) quiet, being clean, and safeb) quiet, clean, and it is a safe placec) quiet, clean, and safed) quiet, clean, and safety
15. Fix the end: "Reading is as good as to watch films." What replaces "to watch films"?
16. Which fixes: "The manager praised Sam for being punctual and because he worked hard"?
    a) for being punctual and because he works hardb) for being punctual and hardworkingc) for being punctual and he worked hardd) for punctuality and because he worked hard