Parallelism errors

Here are some sentences with errors in parallelism along with their corrected versions and explanations:

1.    Error: She enjoys swimming, hiking, and to bike.

Correction: She enjoys swimming, hiking, and biking.

Explanation: In a list of activities, the elements should be parallel in structure. In this case, "swimming" and "hiking" are gerunds (verbs functioning as nouns), so "biking" should also be a gerund for parallelism.

2.    Error: He likes reading books more than going to the movies.

Correction: He likes reading books more than he likes going to the movies.

Explanation: When comparing two actions, both parts of the comparison should be structured in a parallel manner. In this case, "reading books" and "going to the movies" should both have the same verb structure.

3.    Error: She not only studies history but also enjoys to write about it.

Correction: She not only studies history but also enjoys writing about it.

Explanation: When using "not only...but also," the verbs that follow should be parallel in form. In this case, "studies" and "enjoys writing" should both be in the same verb form.

4.    Error: The conference focused on improving teamwork, communication, and how to solve problems.

Correction: The conference focused on improving teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.

Explanation: In a list, the items should be parallel in structure. The original sentence mixes noun phrases ("teamwork" and "communication") with a full clause ("how to solve problems"). To make it parallel, the last element should be changed to a noun or a gerund, such as "problem-solving."

5.    Error: His hobbies include playing tennis, jogging, and to cook.

Correction: His hobbies include playing tennis, jogging, and cooking.

Explanation: Similar to the first example, when listing activities, the elements should be parallel. "Playing tennis" and "jogging" are gerunds, so "cooking" should also be a gerund.

6.    Error: She not only likes to dance, but she also enjoys writing poems.

Correction: She not only likes dancing, but she also enjoys writing poems.

Explanation: This error is similar to example 3. When using "not only...but also," the verbs should be parallel. "Likes" and "enjoys writing" should have the same structure.

7.    Error: John wants to visit Paris, to explore Tokyo, and see London.

Correction: John wants to visit Paris, explore Tokyo, and see London.

Explanation: In a series of actions, the verbs should be in the same form. "Visit," "explore," and "see" should all be infinitive verbs to maintain parallelism.

8.    Error: She is not only studying for her exams but also working part-time.

Correction: She is not only studying for her exams but also working part-time.

Explanation: This sentence is correct and does not have a parallelism error.

9.    Error: The workshop will cover topics like time management, effective communication, and how to write a resume.

Correction: The workshop will cover topics like time management, effective communication, and resume writing.

Explanation: Similar to example 4, the last element in the list should match the form of the other elements. Changing "how to write a resume" to "resume writing" maintains parallelism.

10.  Error: The team needs to focus on teamwork, collaboration, and to increase productivity.

Correction: The team needs to focus on teamwork, collaboration, and increasing productivity.

Explanation: In a list, the items should have consistent structure. "Teamwork" and "collaboration" are nouns, so "increasing productivity" should also be a noun phrase for parallelism.

11.  Error: We can either go for a hike, have a picnic, or swimming in the lake.

Correction: We can either go for a hike, have a picnic, or swim in the lake.

Explanation: When listing options, the verbs should be in the same form. "Go," "have," and "swimming" should be changed to "go," "have," and "swim" for parallelism.

12.  Error: She not only speaks Spanish fluently but also French.

Correction: She speaks not only Spanish fluently but also French.

Explanation: This error is a placement mistake. "Not only...but also" should be placed before "Spanish fluently" for proper parallelism.

13.  Error: His hobbies include reading, playing the guitar, and to paint.

Correction: His hobbies include reading, playing the guitar, and painting.

Explanation: Similar to the earlier examples, the elements in a list should have consistent structure. "Reading" and "playing the guitar" are gerunds, so "painting" should also be a gerund.

14.  Error: The new policy affected both the employees' working hours and a decrease in benefits.

Correction: The new policy affected both the employees' working hours and their benefits.

Explanation: When comparing two things, both parts of the comparison should be parallel. "Working hours" and "a decrease in benefits" should both be possessive noun phrases for proper parallelism.

15.  Error: She wanted to not only travel to Europe but also to learn about its history.

Correction: She wanted not only to travel to Europe but also to learn about its history.

Explanation: When using "not only...but also," the parallel elements should have the same structure. In this case, both parts should start with "to" for proper parallelism.