Parallel Structure Tangles

Editor Mark LaFlaur recently shared some examples of poor parallel structure (false comparison). Here are two that clearly illustrate the confusion when "than" is used incorrectly:



"Both candidates spent as much time in recent days competing there (Washington state) than in Virginia."



This sentence appeared in an article by Richard L. Berke entitled "Party Faithful Give Bush a Win in Virginia Primary." New York Times on the Web, February 29, 2000. The use of THAN does not fit with AS in this sentence. It should read as follows:



Both candidates spent as much time in recent days competing there (Washington state) as they did in Virginia.





And then there is this sentence written by Josh Marshall in his TalkingPointsMemo.com as he explained Stephen Colbert's 13% ranking in polls of young voters in the South Carolina primary:



"Americans in their twenties would prefer a normal person pretending to be a Republican buffoon than the real thing."



The use of THAN does not work with PREFER in this sentence. It should read as follows:



Americans in their twenties would prefer a normal person pretending to be a Republican buffoon to the real thing.



Or, even clearer:



Americans in their twenties would prefer a normal person pretending to be a Republican buffoon to a real Republican.

Or:

Americans in their twenties would rather listen to a normal person pretending to be a Republican buffoon than to a real Republican.