Guest Post: Parallelism—A Useful Writing Technique

[This post is from AuthorAID mentor Parvathy Hariharan. Thank you, Parvathy! —Barbara]

In good writing, the words flow well and tell a clear and interesting story that is easy to read. One technique that can help in this regard is parallelism: the presentation of similar types of content in similar language structures.

Consider these two versions of a sentence: 

• The observable features of the plant are its phenotype, and its genotype is its genetic makeup.
• The observable features of the plant are its phenotype, and its genetic makeup is its genotype.

Because the second version has good parallelism, it is easier to understand.

Parallelism can help in describing multiple aspects of a topic. Compare these two versions of a sentence:

• Regular exercise is important to develop a fit body in addition to cultivating an active mind and leading a healthy life.
• Regular exercise is important for developing a fit body, cultivating an active mind, and leading a healthy life.  

The second version, which has good parallelism, is shorter, simpler, and clearer.

Parallelism can occur both within and among sentences. In the following example, breaking the first sentence into two parallel sentences aids readability.

• In a healthy tissue, the cells stop multiplying when they reach the required number, unlike the cells of a cancerous tissue, which do not stop.
• In a healthy tissue, the cells stop multiplying when they reach the required number. In a cancerous tissue, the cells never stop multiplying.

First drafts of writing often lack good parallelism. When revising, check for parallelism. Improving it can strengthen your writing and serve your readers.