To see how well you have learned the elements of parallel sentence construction, complete the POST TEST below.  There is no answer key for the POST TEST.  Instead, you are to have your response checked by the Writing Support Program office.

If the results of your POST TEST indicate that you need more work in some area of this chapter, the Writing Support Program office will direct you to additional material.  If you do well on the POST TEST, the Writing Support Program office will tell you that you have satisfactorily completed the unit.

POST TEST DIRECTIONS: The sentences below contain parallelism errors.  Repair all parallelism errors.  To make your corrections, you may add words, delete words, or revise grammatical constructions. Retain the original format of parallelism with coordinate elements, series, comparisons, linking elements, or correlative conjunctions.

You must print out a copy of this original page to complete the Post Test. Make your corrections right on the text; then bring your completed Post Test to the Writing Support Program office for evaluation and review so that you can take the final test in the office.

Link to Printable Post Test

Post Test

1.  The understudy had bright green eyes, a great mass of blonde hair, and her face was red.

2.  When winter comes the Joneses will have to find either a warmer house or they will have to find a wood stove.

3.  When Moe was in high school, his parents spent a good deal of time not only helping him with his homework assignments but also they participated with him in school activities.

4.  It is better to be happy than being sad.

5.  The word for left means "deceitful" in Italian, "awkward " in German, "malicious" in Spanish, and Russians define its meaning as "sneaky."

6.The contract was illegible, lengthy, and it is awkward.

7. To think that you can do anything is deceiving yourself..

8.  Aspiring actors go to Hollywood to become stars and because they want to make money.

9.  The tourists amused themselves by playing shuffleboard, watching plays, and they went to trendy restaurants in the center of the city.

10.Before you order anything, you should not only check with the purchasing agent but also the comptroller.

11.  The radiologist examined the MRI both carefully and with competence.

12.  Please return the medical records either to Dr. Jones or Dr. MacIntyre.

13. This sofa is better for beauty, for appearance, and it is comfortable.

14.  Succeeding at something is not necessarily  the same as to get what you need.

15.  The process seemed to Beth both a bore and annoying.

To reach the Writing Support Program, contact

Margaret L. Benner
Director, Writing Support Program
English Department
Towson University
benner@towson.edu 

410-704-2857

Copyright © 2006  2004  Margaret L. Benner  . All rights reserved.