because, frankly, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say. I decided to go one
by one, getting each bullet point into parallel construction and making
sure the points were clear. There were a lot of verbs close to the beginning,
so I decided to stay with that construction. I ended up with this.
My goals include:
• to attract more volunteers
• to analyze whether an increase in member dues is appropriate
• to consider adding exhibitions
• to receive more grants
• to conduct and publish interviews with new artists
“I was very pleased with the outcome. Once I got into the rhythm of
it, the list wrote itself.”
Watch Either and Neither
In sentences that use either/or and neither/nor, keep two-word verbs
together and be certain that the verb comes before either or neither.
For example:
We have neither reviewed the report nor the videotape.
You need to keep the verb have reviewed together and write:
We have reviewed neither the report nor the videotape.
Similarly, “You may either select Mary or Jason” should be written
as “You may select either Mary or Jason.”
Be Certain Titles and Names Are Consistent
Be vigilant in maintaining parallel construction in your use of titles and
names. For instance, if you refer to the chairman of the board as “Mr.
Jones,” you should refer to everyone by their title and last name, from