Parallelism Exercise 1 for University Admission Test, Job Application Test, BCS Exam and Any Competitive Examination

PARALLELISM & STRUCTURE AGREEMENT

Parallelism (সমান্তরাল গঠন/সামঞ্জস্য)

সংজ্ঞা: Parallelism অর্থ হলো বাক্যের বিভিন্ন অংশের মধ্যে ব্যাকরণগত সামঞ্জস্য বা সমতা বজায় রাখা। বাক্যে যখন দুই বা ততোধিক ধারণা (Ideas) একই গুরুত্ব বহন করে, তখন তাদের Grammatical Pattern বা গঠন একই হতে হয়।

সহজ কথায়:

বাক্যের একপাশে যদি Noun থাকে, অন্যপাশেও Noun হবে; একপাশে Verb-এর যে রূপ (Form) থাকবে, অন্যপাশেও সেই একই রূপ থাকতে হবে।

নিয়ম (Rules of Parallelism)

Parallelism সাধারণত তিনটি ক্ষেত্রে বেশি লক্ষ্য করা যায়:

১. সমজাতীয় শব্দ ব্যবহারের ক্ষেত্রে (Parts of Speech)

Conjunction (And, Or, But) দ্বারা যুক্ত শব্দগুলো একই Parts of Speech হতে হবে।

• Noun ↔ Noun:

  • Incorrect: I like reading and to swim.

  • Correct: I like reading (Gerund) and swimming (Gerund).

• Adjective ↔ Adjective:

  • Incorrect: The strict teacher was efficient and a cruelty.

  • Correct: The strict teacher was efficient (Adj) and cruel (Adj).

• Verb ↔ Verb:

  • Incorrect: He walked into the room, sat down, and was drinking water.

  • Correct: He walked (Past), sat (Past), and drank (Past) water.

২. Correlative Conjunctions-এর ক্ষেত্রে

Either...or, Neither...nor, Not only...but also, Both...and ব্যবহার করার সময় খুব সতর্ক থাকতে হবে। প্রথম অংশের পর যে ধরনের শব্দ বসে, দ্বিতীয় অংশের পরেও ঠিক একই ধরনের শব্দ বসাতে হবে।

সূত্র:

Notonly+[A]+butalso+[B]

(এখানে A এবং B অবশ্যই একই ফরম্যাটের হতে হবে)

• Incorrect: He not only plays football but also cricket. (এখানে plays-এর আগে not only বসালে ভুল হবে কারণ পরে কোনো verb নেই)।

• Correct: He plays not only football but also cricket. (Noun + Noun)

• Alternatively Correct: He not only plays football but also watches cricket. (Verb + Verb)

তুলনামূলক উদাহরণ (Correct vs Incorrect)

নিচের ছকটি দেখলে বিষয়টি একদম পরিষ্কার হয়ে যাবে:

Incorrect Sentence (অসামঞ্জস্যপূর্ণ)	Correct Sentence (সামঞ্জস্যপূর্ণ)	কারণ (Reason)
She likes cooking, jogging, and to read.	She likes cooking, jogging, and reading.	সবগুলোকে Gerund (-ing) করা হয়েছে।
He is young, smart, and has power.	He is young, smart, and powerful.	সবগুলো Adjective হতে হবে।
I wanted to learn French and speaking Spanish.	I wanted to learn French and (to) speak Spanish.	উভয় পাশে Infinitive (to + verb) ব্যবহার করা হয়েছে।
He is either mad or a fool.	He is either a madman or a fool.	Noun-এর সাথে Noun-এর তুলনা।

Questions

1. In many ways, dancing to music is similar to —. [JKKNIU (AL) 18-19]

A. work out

B. when one works out

C. working out

D. the working out

Answer: C Explanation: 'Dancing' is a gerund, so it must be parallel with another gerund 'working out'.

2. Seeing is —. [DU (A) 11-12, SESIP সহকারী থানা মাধ্যমিক শিক্ষা কর্মকর্তা-১৫]

A. to believe

B. believed

C. believing

D. how to believe

Answer: C Explanation: Parallelism: Gerund = Gerund. Seeing = Believing.

3. I missed — my friends and — fun with them, but strangely I missed the lessons and the teachers as well. [CU (E-Law) 15-16]

A. to see - having

B. seeing - to have

C. see - have

D. seeing - having

Answer: D Explanation: Miss + V-ing. Both verbs must be gerunds.

4. The lady will wash the clothes, iron the shirts and — the furniture. [CU (B2,8) 15-16]

A. dusting

B. dusted

C. dust

D. have dust

Answer: C Explanation: Will wash, (will) iron, and (will) dust. All base forms.

5. Zerin is a scholar, an athlete and — [CU (B7) 14-15]

A. art

B. artistic

C. an artist

D. artist

Answer: C Explanation: Scholar (noun), Athlete (noun), Artist (noun). Parallel nouns.

6. Mr. Jaman is young, enthusiastic, and —. [HSTU (C) 11-12]

A. he has talent

B. talentful

C. talented

D. talent

Answer: C Explanation: Young (adj), enthusiastic (adj), so 'talented' (adj) is required.

7. The man — down silently and — his food. [DU (B) 11-12]

A. sits, took

B. sat, take

C. sat, took

D. sat, had taken

Answer: C Explanation: Past tense 'sat' needs parallel past tense 'took'.

8. Sabuj entered the room, sat, and — his book. [CU (D, B1) 11-12]

A. has opened

B. had opened

C. opened

D. opens

Answer: C Explanation: Entered (past), sat (past), opened (past).

9. Our host greeted us and — to our seats. [COU (B) 07-08]

A. led

B. leads

C. leading

D. lead

Answer: A Explanation: Greeted (past) -> Led (past).

10. The rain ceased and the birds — its song. [DU (A) 04-05]

A. have begun

B. began

C. are beginning

D. begin

Answer: B Explanation: Ceased (past) -> Began (past).

11. Taking the time to eat a good breakfast is a simple way to make the morning — and the day —. [DU (C) 13-14]

A. best, easiest

B. well, at ease

C. better, easier

D. easy, easier

Answer: C Explanation: Parallel comparative adjectives.

12. For better or —, the mobile phone is a very useful device of people's lives. [CU (C) 09-10]

A. by sad

B. bad

C. case, easy

D. worse

Answer: D Explanation: Phrase 'For better or worse'.

13. — on this bench is much more pleasant than — in the office. [BRUR (C) 12-13]

A. Lying, sitting

B. Lieing, sitting

C. To lie, to sit

D. To lie, sitting

Answer: A Explanation: Comparison between two gerunds.

14. On Sundays I usually go fishing or — something else interesting. [CU (C) 07-08]

A. do

B. doing

C. have done

D. shall do

Answer: A Explanation: 'Go fishing' or 'do something'. 'Do' is parallel to 'go'.

15. At the weekend I usually go — or — something in order to derive pleasure. [CU (D3) 15-16]

A. shopping; doing

B. shopping; did

C. to shop; do

D. shopping, do

Answer: D Explanation: Go shopping or do something. Similar to Q14.

16. Identify the correct sentence. [বাংলাদেশ ডেভেলপমেন্ট ব্যাংক অফিসার (ক্যাশ)-১৬]

A. Robin enjoys hunting rabbits, socializing with friends, and to read comics.

B. Robin enjoys to hunt rabbits, socializing with friends, and to read comics.

C. Robin enjoys hunting rabbits, socializing with friends, and reading comics

D. Robin enjoys hunting rabbits, socializing with friends, and reading comics.

Answer: C Explanation: Parallel gerunds: hunting, socializing, reading.

17. I use my TV remote control to change channels, — [JU (D) 13-14]

A. to adjust the volume, and turning the set on and off

B. to adjust the volume, and to turn the set on and off

C. adjusting the volume, and to turn the set on and off

D. adjusting the volume, and turning the set on and off

Answer: B Explanation: To change, to adjust, and to turn. Parallel infinitives.

18. Which of the following sentence is correct? [DU (D) 10-11]

A. It is more better to stay healthy than to have get healthy.

B. It is better to stay healthy than to have to get healthy.

C. It is more better to stay healthy than to have health.

D. It is better to stay healthy than to have health.

Answer: D Explanation: To stay healthy... than to have health.

19. Which one is correct? [DU (D) 11-12]

A. It is more better to be safe than sorry.

B. It is better to be safer than sorry.

C. It is better to be safe than more sorry.

D. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Answer: D Explanation: Better to be [adj] than [adj].

20. Mr. Robert is a noted chemist — [DU (D) 05-06]

A. and to a very efficient teacher

B. but he teaches very good in addition

C. however he teaches very good also

D. as well as an effective teacher

Answer: D Explanation: Noted chemist (noun phrase) ... as well as an effective teacher (noun phrase).

21. Choose the correct sentence. [DU (B) 12-13]

A. I like to swim, playing tennis, and ride

B. I like to swimming, play tennis, and ride

C. I like to swim, play tennis, and riding.

D. I like to swim, play tennis, and ride

Answer: D Explanation: To swim, (to) play, and (to) ride. Parallel infinitives.

22. Find the correct sentence. [DU (C) 15-16]

A. She was interested in both plants and animals

B. She was interested both in plants and animals

C. She was interested both in plants but also in animals

D. She was interesting in both plants and animals

Answer: A Explanation: 'Both' should precede the first item of the parallel pair 'plants and animals'.

23. Halim will wash the clothes, — the furniture. [CU (B2) 15-16]

A. iron the shirts, prepare the meal, and dust

B. iron the shirts, prepare the meal, and dusting

C. ironing the shirts, preparing the meal, and dusting

D. to iron the shirts, prepare the meal, and dust

Answer: A Explanation: Wash, iron, prepare, and dust. All parallel verbs.

24. Many people share the same three intense fears: — [CU (B-1) 13-14]

A. being in high places, working with numbers, and making speeches

B. being in high places, working with numbers, and speeches

C. high places, working with numbers, and making speeches

D. being in high places, numbering, and speeches

Answer: A Explanation: Being, working, making. Parallel gerund phrases.

25. Which of the following sentences is correct? [DU (D) 13-14]

A. He chose well and prospered.

B. He choose well and prospered.

C. He choiced well and prospered.

D. He choiced well and prospered.

Answer: A Explanation: Chose (past) and Prospered (past).

26. Eli's hobbies include jogging, swimming, and —. [জনতা ব্যাংক-১২]

A. to climb mountains

B. climb mountains

C. to climb

D. climbing mountains

Answer: D Explanation: Jogging, swimming, climbing. Parallel gerunds.

27. In many ways, riding a bicycle is similar to — [Exim Bank-04]

A. driving a car

B. the driving of a car

C. when you drive a car

D. when driving a car

Answer: A Explanation: Riding is similar to driving. Gerund to Gerund.

28. In an admission test, to answer correctly/accurately is more important than — [NCC Bank-11]

A. you finish quickly

B. quick finish

C. finishing quickly

D. to finish quickly

Answer: D Explanation: To answer... than to finish. Parallel infinitives.

29. The boys used to like — and — model aeroplanes. [DU (B) 12-13]

A. making, flying

B. to making, to flying

C. make, fly

D. to make, to flying

Answer: A Explanation: Like making and flying.

30. She cooks, washes dishes, does her homework and then relaxing. (Correct the sentence) [রূপালী ব্যাংক-১৯]

A. relaxing then

B. then relaxing

C. relaxing is then

D. then relaxes

Answer: D Explanation: Cooks, washes, does, and relaxes. Parallel present tense verbs.

31. Which of the following is correct? [সাব-রেজিস্ট্রার-১৬]

A. He neither speaks English nor French.

B. He speaks nor English nor French.

C. He speaks neither English nor French.

D. Neither he speak English nor French.

Answer: C Explanation: 'Neither' should precede 'English' to parallel 'nor French'.

32. Find the incorrect part. [RU (D) 14-15]

A. The faculty Dean never

B. has and ever will take

C. such

D. strong measures.

Answer: B Explanation: Should be "has taken and ever will take" to maintain parallel structure of verb forms with auxiliaries.

33. She never has and she never will do any work. [Pubali Bank-11]

A. She never has and she never will do any work.

B. She never has and she will do no work.

C. She never has and she will never do any work.

D. She never has done and she will never do any work.

Answer: D Explanation: 'Has' requires V3 (done). 'Will' requires base form (do). Cannot share 'do'.

34. Which one is correct? [JnU (C) 10-11]

A. She is not and does not intend to run for political office.

B. She is not running and does not intend to run for political office.

C. She has not and does not intend to run for political office.

D. She is not running and do not intend to run for political office.

Answer: B Explanation: 'Is not running' and 'does not intend'. Complete verb phrases.

Answers With Explanation: