esson Plan: Parallel Structures
Level: Upper-Intermediate
Time: 80 minutes
Topic: Parallel Structures (Parallelism)
Skill Focus: Grammar, Speaking, Writing
Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
Recognize and use parallel structures in sentences
Edit sentences for correct parallelism
Apply parallel structures in writing and speaking tasks
1. Warm-Up / Lead-In (10 minutes)
Purpose: Activate background knowledge; introduce topic
Procedure:
Ask students:
o "What do you think makes a sentence sound 'balanced' or 'smooth' in English?"
o Write a few sentences on the board (some with parallel structure, some without):
I like reading, to swim, and going for walks.
I like reading, swimming, and walking.
o Ask: Which one sounds better? Why?
Introduce the term “Parallel Structures”
2. Presentation: Rules of Parallel Structures (15 minutes)
Purpose: Teach the grammar rule
Procedure:
Use slides or board to present the rule:
In a sentence, words or phrases in a list or series should follow the same
grammatical pattern.
Provide examples for:
o Nouns: She likes hiking, biking, and swimming.
o Verbs: He wanted to learn, to grow, and to succeed.
o Infinitives vs. gerunds: be consistent.
o Clauses: What you see is what you get.
Contrast with incorrect examples
3. Guided Practice (15 minutes)
Purpose: Controlled grammar practice
Procedure:
Distribute a worksheet or display 10 sentences (some correct, some incorrect)
Task: Students decide if the sentence has correct parallel structure. If incorrect, they
rewrite it.
Example:
o ❌ She is talented, smart, and has creativity.
o ✅ She is talented, smart, and creative.
Check answers in pairs, then as a class
4. Listening/Speaking Activity: Parallel Structure in Context (10 minutes)
Purpose: Identify parallelism in authentic English
Procedure:
Play a short excerpt from a speech (e.g., Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I Have a Dream")
Ask students to listen for repeated structures
Discuss: How does parallelism affect the style or rhythm of the speech?
Small group discussion: “Why do you think parallel structures are common in speeches
and formal writing?”
5. Freer Practice: Sentence Building (10 minutes)
Purpose: Create own examples
Procedure:
In pairs, students receive prompts and must write parallel sentences.
Prompts:
o "Describe your hobbies"
o "Talk about your future goals"
o "Describe a good teacher"
Example output:
o “A good teacher is patient, understanding, and inspiring.”
Share a few examples with the class
6. Writing Activity (10 minutes)
Purpose: Apply the structure in paragraph writing
Procedure:
Students write a short paragraph (5–6 sentences) using at least 3 examples of parallel
structure
Topics:
o My Dream Job
o An Ideal Holiday
Peer-check: Swap and identify parallel structures in each other’s writing
7. Error Correction Game (5 minutes)
Purpose: Review and reinforce
Procedure:
Teacher reads out incorrect sentences
Students shout “STOP!” when they hear an error and correct it
Fun, competitive review
8. Wrap-Up & Homework (5 minutes)
Review:
What is parallel structure? Why is it useful?
Elicit a few examples from students
Homework:
Find a short paragraph or speech online (news, TED Talk, etc.) and highlight at least 3
parallel structures.
Write your own short motivational speech (5 sentences) using parallelism.
✅ Materials Needed:
Whiteboard or slides
Worksheet with sentences (guided practice)
Audio clip (speech)
Handouts for writing activities (optional)