Gerunds, Infinitives and Participles
 
Compounding and Coordination
 
Subordination
 
Subordinate Adverb Clauses
 
Subordinate Noun Clauses
 
Subordinate Adjective Clauses
 
Reduced Subordinate Clauses
 
Focus Structures
 
Logical Connectors

 

Sentence Complexity and Embedding

Compounding

Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions are a second subcategory of conjunctions that can form compound structures.  They generally share more than just function with the coordinating conjunctions, they also partially share forms and meanings with them; one of the parts of each correlative always includes one of the coordinating conjunctions.  

Looking back at Figure 18, we can see that the coordinating conjunctions consist of just one word each, but the correlative conjunctions are made up of word combinations.  That is, a complete correlative conjunction consists of at least two parts, and each part is separated from its partner part by one of the two constituents that is being connected to another constituent.  For example, both … and … consists of the two words both and and, and the series of three dots (ellipses) shows the placement of the two structures that the conjunction connects together.  A look at a few sentences will further clarify:

1. Both Don and Barbara are tall. (two subject nouns)
2. Oliver Stone both wrote and directed Platoon. (two main verbs)
3. Matthew Broderick has acted both on stage and in films. (two prepositional phrases)

Not surprisingly, as more complicated structures than the coordinating conjunctions, correlatives pose more problems for ELs than the coordinating conjunctions.  Parallel structure is again prescribed, but much more difficult to achieve, and even NSEs have difficulties with it.  It is also difficult for ELs to master some of the details, such as the limitations on individual correlatives.

SeaHorse

Activity 13.4: Seeing Parallel Structure

Study these sentences and note which ones are grammatical and which aren’t by putting an asterisk in front of the ungrammatical sentences.  Next circle the conjunctions in each and then underline the two constituents that the conjunctions connect.  Try to explain to yourself what is abnormal about the ungrammatical sentences.

1. He likes both coffee and tea.
2. He likes both coffee and likes tea.
3. We’ll go to either a movie or the concert.
4. We’ll go to either a movie, or we’ll go to the concert.
5. A large and slow turtle walked across the road.
6. A large and slowly turtle walked across the road.
7. Thunder boomed suddenly and loud while we were watching TV.

 

Answers

SeaHorse

So far I have described parallel structure as a feature of standardness, not of grammaticality.  Activity 13.5 shows, however, that it can be both, depending on the particular sentence.  Sentences 1, 3, and 5 all represent grammatical and standard sentences properly employing parallel structure.  Sentences 2, 4, and 6, however, display varying levels of acceptability.

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