What is parallel structure?

According to the book of Foundations First by,Laurie G. Kirszner&Stephen R.Mandell Suggests that parallel structure as repeating the same grammatical structure for example, all nouns, and verbs, and so on to express comparable or equuvalent ideas.

Example: Paul Robeson was an (actor) and a (singer). (two nouns) Example: When my brother comes home from college, he eats, sleeps, and watches televison. (three verbs)

Parallel structuer is especially important in paired items, comparisons, and items in a series.

Example: Jemera takes Alex to daycare and then goes to work. [ The sentence uses coordinating conjunction ] A coordinating conjuction is and, but, for, nor, or, so, or yet are use for paired items.

A Writer's Reference by, Diana Hacker writes  parallel as two or more ideas, that are easier to grasp when expressed in parallel grammatical form.

Example: Paired ideas are usually connected in one of these ways

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with a coordinating conjuction such as and, but, or or

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with a pair of correlative conjuction such as either...or or not only... but also

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with a word introducing a comparion, usually than or as

In the book of The New Century HandBook by, Christine A. Hult and Thomas N.Huckin suggests that parallelism is the words and phrases that are linked by the coordinating conjunctions and, but, or, or nor often are parallel in content. [In such cases they should be parallel in form.]

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_parallel.html will give you definition of parallelism, accompanied by examples and proofreding strategies.

In addiction a comparison or contrast involves two statements or terms that are seen as somehow equivent; indeed, it is this equivalence that allows them to be compared.