Parallel Structures

This applies to adjectives, nouns, clauses and verbs.

Expressions like the good, the bad and the ugly are made stronger by keeping the same syntactical structure. The good, bad and ugly doesn’t have the same conviction.

Similarly, group all adjective together when describing something and don’t add an extra one at the end: The impatient lecturer who was also kind, didn’t want to start the lesson without the latecomers. This would be much better written as the impatient but kind lecturer didn’t want to start the lesson without the latecomers.

Verb forms should be kept the same when giving multiple examples. For example:

X The things that make me most happy are giving presents, helping people and to make others smile.

The things that make me most happy are giving presents, helping people and making others smile.

If you start using one form, continue using it. (Not if you start using one form continue to use it!) If a sentence starts with one passive idea and another is to be connected to it, use the passive for the second idea as well.

This also applies to clauses.

X There are two reasons why young men married early in certain tribes; the first is that they were given a substantial dowry, and the second being the tribal elders would allow them to vote on tribal issues.

There are two reasons why young men married early in certain tribes; the first is that they were given a substantial dowry, and the second, that they were allowed to vote on tribal issues.