What if a student fixes the list a different way?

The key changes only the item that breaks the pattern, because that is the smallest repair and the one the other two items point to. A student who rewrites all three items into some new matching form has a parallel sentence, but did more than the item asked. Talk it over with them; it doesn't need to cost a point.

Why is this on an eighth grade page?

The Common Core names parallel structure at ninth and tenth grade (L.9-10.1.a). Eighth grade essays are full of lists, though, so the habit starts here. Eighth grade is also where most people look for it.

Does every list have to be parallel?

In an essay, yes, whenever the items do the same job in the sentence. Spoken lists drift all the time and nobody minds. On the page, a broken list makes the reader stop and work out what the items have in common.

8th grade parallel structure

8th grade parallel structure worksheets

Parallel structure means the items in a list share one grammatical form: three -ing words, three to-verbs, three past tense verbs, or three describing words. Eighth graders find the one item that breaks the pattern and rewrite it to match the other two.

Free printable PDF worksheet.

Each print is a different sheet with its own answer key. You don't need to sign up.

The kind of sentences you'll fix

Each list has one item that does not match the others. Rewrite the sentence so every item has the same form.

Our captain earned respect by listening to everyone, encouraging the rookies, and she worked harder than anyone.
Fixed: Our captain earned respect by listening to everyone, encouraging the rookies, and working harder than anyone.
My cousin is funny, generous, and she is loyal to her friends.
The student handbook explains how to join a club, where to find the nurse, and the process for reporting a lost locker key.

Every print pulls a new set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on an 8th grade sheet

8th grade sheets draw from 50 sentences, 7 to a page.

A few of the sentences, as the answer key corrects them:

The coach told us to hydrate, to stretch, and to rest on Sundays.
Pony Express riders were young, skilled, and brave.
The new park has a playground, a pond, and walking trails.

Fix it. Each list has one item that does not match the others. Rewrite the sentence so every item has the same form. 7 sentences to fix per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Before anyone writes, have students underline the first word of each item in the list. Once the first words are lined up (reviewed, reread, was quizzing), the odd one is easy to spot. Two items set the pattern and the third changes to match, so no one has to argue about which form is best. The harder items break the pattern with a whole clause (and that we ask questions) or a passive (the temperature was recorded by us). Read those out loud. The break is easier to hear than to see.

Watch for: Fix the item that breaks the pattern, not the ones that set it. When two items are -ing words and one is a to-verb, change the to-verb. A sentence can follow every grammar rule and still not be parallel. We measured the water and the temperature was recorded by us is grammatical, but the switch to passive breaks the list. Parallel does not mean the same length. Hiking, swimming in the lake, and riding a bike on the trail is parallel, because every item starts with an -ing word.

Common questions about 8th grade parallel structure

What if a student fixes the list a different way?: The key changes only the item that breaks the pattern, because that is the smallest repair and the one the other two items point to. A student who rewrites all three items into some new matching form has a parallel sentence, but did more than the item asked. Talk it over with them; it doesn't need to cost a point.
Why is this on an eighth grade page?: The Common Core names parallel structure at ninth and tenth grade (L.9-10.1.a). Eighth grade essays are full of lists, though, so the habit starts here. Eighth grade is also where most people look for it.
Does every list have to be parallel?: In an essay, yes, whenever the items do the same job in the sentence. Spoken lists drift all the time and nobody minds. On the page, a broken list makes the reader stop and work out what the items have in common.

Related worksheets

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Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated September 2026.

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