This question is incomplete, but I was able to find it online. We are supposed to analyze the following three sentences and decide whether each sentence is written in a parallel structure. If not, we must correct the sentence.
1. We were reviewing road signs and practiced turn signals before we started.
2. I turned on the engine while instructions were muttered by my father.
3. I stepped on the gas, checked my mirror, and crept through the parking lot.
Answer:
1. Change "were reviewing" to "reviewed".
2. Change to "my father muttered instructions".
3. Correct as is.
Step-by-step explanation:
For a structure to present parallelism, it has to repeat a certain grammatical form inside the sentence. Parallel structures are used to create consistency in a series of words and phrases and make thoughts and ideas easier to understand.
In number 1, we have two different verb tenses expressing actions performed by the same subject in just one sentence. While "were reviewing" is in the Past Continuous, "practiced" is in the Simple Past. The sentence lacks parallelism, but that can be solved if we change "were reviewing" to "reviewed", so that both structures will be in the Simple Past.
In number 2, the same sentence presents a structure in the active voice - I turned on the engine - and another int he passive voice - instructions were muttered by my father. We can make the structures parallel by simply changing the last part to "my father father muttered instructions," so that it can be in the active voice.
Number 3 is correct as is. All the verbs are in the Simple Past, and the structures separated by commas present an action and another piece of information that goes with that action.