The concept of parallel structure (or parallelism) refers to the use of the same grammatical structure when writing equal components of a sentence, especially in lists and comparisons. The sentence “She enjoys reading, writing, and to run” is an example of a violation of parallelism; it should be written as follows: “She enjoys reading, writing, and running.”
Parallel structure applies to a variety of elements, including verbs, nouns, adjectives, clauses, etc. The absence of parallelism can make sentences difficult to understand, even for expert readers. The example mentioned is of utmost importance in academic and business writing, where clarity and consistency are crucial factors when determining the credibility of the text. For related grammar tips, read our guide on passive voice vs. active voice. Quetext’s Grammar Checker flags parallelism errors alongside other structural issues.