Element of Eloquence: Parallelism

Parallelism is using similar structures or patterns in writing, like starting each item in a list with the same type of word or repeating a grammatical structure.

Why a writer would use it

Parallelism helps make your writing flow smoothly. It creates a pleasant rhythm and balance. Using parallel structures also makes your ideas easier to follow and emphasizes key points.

Use-case

When listing out steps in a process, parallelism keeps things clear and concise:

To bake a cake, you'll need to:

1. Preheat the oven

2. Mix the ingredients

3. Pour the batter into a pan

4. Bake for 30-40 minutes

Notice how each step starts with a verb. That's parallelism in action!

A couple more examples:

1. "I came, I saw, I conquered." - Julius Caesar

This famous quote repeats the structure "I + past tense verb" three times, giving it a powerful punch.

2. Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country." - John F. Kennedy

JFK's inaugural address uses parallelism to inspire citizens to contribute to the nation.

Effect on AI prompts

Using parallel structures in your prompts can help the AI better understand the type of response you want. For example:

"Describe a cat using 3 adjectives.

Describe a dog using 3 adjectives.

Describe a hamster using 3 adjectives."

By repeating the structure, the AI clearly sees the pattern you want it to follow, likely leading to more consistent results that match your expectations.