法则十五：用类似的模式表述并列的观点
平行结构法则的意思是内容与功能上相似的语句要在外型上相似。此种相似的模式更能使读者认识到平行部分内容与功能的相似。《圣经》中《十诫》、《山上宝训》和《主祷文》便是很好的例子。
新手常常为了使自己的表达多样化而违反此律。为了强调，可以对一句话进行重复，而且写作者也不得不变换其形式。例如法则十中引用的Stevenson的话。但除此之外，他应遵循平行结构法则。
Formerly, science was taught by the textbook method, while now the laboratory method is employed. | Formerly, science was taught by the textbook method; now it is taught by the laboratory method. |
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左面的句子给人以犹豫、胆怯的印象；写作者不能或害怕选择并坚持一种表述方式。而右边的模式至少表明作者选择了一种表述方式并愿意坚持。
依此律，冠词与介词要么用在第一个词或词组前，要么在每个词或词组前重复使用。
The French, the Italians, Spanish, and Portuguese | The French, the Italians, the Spanish, and the Portuguese | In spring, summer, or in winter | In spring, summer, or winter (In spring, in summer, or in winter) |
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关联词（both, and; not, but; not only, but also; either, or; first, second, third……）亦应遵循相同的语法结构。重新安排句子就能修改错句。如下：
It was both a long ceremony and very tedious. | The ceremony was both long and tedious. | A time not for words, but action | A time not for words, but for action | Either you must grant his request or incur his ill will. | You must either grant his request or incur his ill will. | My objections are, first, the injustice of the measure; second, that it is unconstitutional. | My objections are, first, that the measure is unjust; second, that it is unconstitutional. |
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亦可参见法则十二中第三例和法则十三中最后一例。
也许有人会问，如果要表述大量类似的想法，比如说20个，那又怎么办呢？那就非得写20个关联词吗？经过调查之后，写作者也许会发现这种难题仅是个假设，他可以把自己的20个想法分类成组。否则，最好通过目录的方式来避免上述难题。
【本文翻译仅为外语学习及阅读目的，原文作者个人观点与译者及译言网无关】
