Parallelism

Parallelism is ensuring that elements of sentences that are similar in purpose are also similar in structure. Parallel structures emphasize the similarities of the parallel elements, and they enhance readability by making the content more predictable.

Parallelism in lists

Items in a list should be parallel. For example, if the first item in a list begins with an imperative verb, all the items in the list should begin with an imperative verb.

Microsoft style

There are several ways to open documents in Windows:

Open your document from within the program that you used to create it.

Use the Search command on the Start menu to locate the document, and then open it.

Double-click the document icon to open a document.

Not Microsoft style

There are several ways to open documents in Windows:

You can open your document from within the program that you used to create it.

The Search command on the Start menu locates the document, and you can then open it.

Double-clicking a document icon opens a document.

Parallelism in procedures

In procedures, steps should be written in parallel style, typically sentences with imperative verbs.

Microsoft style

To share your printer

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.

  2. In the Printers window, click the printer that you want to share.

  3. On the File menu, click Sharing.

Not Microsoft style

To share your printer

  1. Clicking Start, you point to Settings, and then click Printers.

  2. In the Printers window, the printer that you want to share should be selected.

  3. On the File menu, click Sharing.

Parallelism in sentences

For parallel structure, balance parts of a sentence with their correlating parts (nouns with nouns, prepositional phrases with prepositional phrases, and so on). Sometimes, to make the parallelism clear, you may need to repeat a preposition, an article (a, an, the), the to in an infinitive, or the introductory word in a clause or phrase.

Microsoft style

The User’s Guide contains common tasks, visual overviews, a catalog of features, and an illustrated glossary of terms. (Parallel objects, with the articles added.)

With this feature you can choose which components to install and which ones to file away for later use. (Parallel clauses.)

Other indicators can appear on the taskbar, such as a printer representing your print job or a battery representing power on your portable computer. (Parallel phrases.)

Not Microsoft style

The User’s Guide contains common tasks, visual overviews, a catalog of features, and illustrated glossary of terms.

With this feature you can choose which components to install and the ones you will file away for later use.

Other indicators can appear on the taskbar, such as a printer to represent your print job or a battery representing power on your portable computer.

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