SAT Writing

Master the skills needed to ace the SAT Writing section, focusing on grammar, clarity, and effective communication.

Advanced Topics

Parallelism and Sentence Patterns

Keeping Sentences Balanced

Parallelism means using the same grammatical structure for related ideas. This makes writing smoother and easier to read.

How to Spot Parallelism

  • Items in a list should be in the same form (all nouns, all verbs, etc.)
  • Paired ideas should use similar structures

Why It Matters

Parallel structure improves readability and makes your writing sound more polished—a skill valued in academic and professional settings.

Examples

  • She likes reading, to swim, and biking. (Not parallel) → She likes reading, swimming, and biking.

  • The coach told the players to get plenty of sleep, to eat well, and to practice daily.

In a Nutshell

Parallel structure makes writing clearer and more professional.

Parallelism and Sentence Patterns - SAT Writing Content | Practice Hub