Another parallel construction example
Last updated: 13 Oct 2008
Now for a slightly more difficult question for you to try.
To the ruling classes of early modern Europe, the poor were seen as a drain on the state's resources, a serious threat to property, and, in their abject desperation, a potentially violent element of society.
- a drain on the state's resources, a serious threat to property, and, in their abject desperation, a potentially violent element of society.
- draining the state's resources, threatening property seriously, and, in their abject desperation, as a potentially violent element of society.
- a draining on the state's resources, a serious threat to property, and, in their abject desperation, a potentially violent element of society.
- a drain on the state's resources, acting as a serious threat to property, and, in their abject desperation, a potentially violent element of society.
- draining the state's resources, seriously threatening property, and, in their abject desperation, a potentially violent element of society.
Try this question yourself before reading the explanation below
Explanation
This is a parallel construction problem, and we know that because we have a list, therefore everything in the list must be parallel.
A, the correct answer, does this best, by creating a list of three nouns (things): a drain, a serious threat, and a potentially violent element.
The other answer choices fail to make this parallel construction.
B creates two verbs with one noun: draining, threatening, and a potentially violent element.
In C, draining is inappropriate because the other two, a serious threat and a potentially violent element are nouns.
In D, the verb acting breaks the parallelism of the other two nouns.
E also has the verb threatening with two nouns, which is not parallel.
Contents
- Introduction
- Example of a sentence correction question
- General tips for sentence correction
- Main types of sentence correction problem
- Parallel construction problems
- Parallel construction example
- Another parallel construction example
- Subject/verb agreement problems
- Subject/verb agreement gotchas
- Subject/verb agreement example
- Another subject/verb agreement example
- Pronoun problems
- Pronoun example
- Another pronoun example
- Comparison problems
- Comparison example
- Another comparison example
- Sentence correction tutorial summary
Practice questions
hi can you provide more examples under each heading in sentence correction.
It sounds like it would be worthwhile, however I would like to put together a third tutorial on sentence correction which would cover the less common problem types first.
In the meantime try our sentence correction practice questions and then take a look at the explanations for those that you struggle with.
GOOD EXPLANATION