This question is incomplete, but I was able to find it online. We are supposed to analyze the following three sentences and decide whether each sentence is written in a parallel structure. If not, we must correct the sentence.
1. We were reviewing road signs and practiced turn signals before we started.
2. I turned on the engine while instructions were muttered by my father.
3. I stepped on the gas, checked my mirror, and crept through the parking lot.
Answer:
1. Change "were reviewing" to "reviewed".
2. Change to "my father muttered instructions".
3. Correct as is.
Explanation:
<u>For a structure to present parallelism, it has to repeat a certain grammatical form inside the sentence. Parallel structures are used to create consistency in a series of words and phrases and make thoughts and ideas easier to understand.</u>
<u>In number 1, we have two different verb tenses expressing actions performed by the same subject in just one sentence.</u> While "were reviewing" is in the Past Continuous, "practiced" is in the Simple Past. The sentence lacks parallelism, but <u>that can be solved if we change "were reviewing" to "reviewed", so that both structures will be in the Simple Past.</u>
<u>In number 2, the same sentence presents a structure in the active voice - I turned on the engine - and another int he passive voice - instructions were muttered by my father.</u> We can make the structures parallel by simply <u>changing the last part to "my father father muttered instructions," so that it can be in the active voice.</u>
<u>Number 3 is correct as is.</u> All the verbs are in the Simple Past, and the structures separated by commas present an action and another piece of information that goes with that action.
