What describes the use of similar grammatical forms in a series of words or phrases?

Study for the GED Language Arts Writing Test. Enhance your writing skills with multiple choice and essay questions, each with helpful hints and explanations. Prepare for success on your exam!

The use of similar grammatical forms in a series of words or phrases is known as parallelism. This technique enhances writing by creating rhythm and clarity, making it more engaging and easier for the reader to follow. For example, when you say, "I enjoy reading, painting, and swimming," the parallel structure helps convey the three activities uniformly, emphasizing each one equally.

Parallelism is often used in speeches and literature to reinforce ideas and create memorable phrases. Good examples include the famous line from the Declaration of Independence: "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Here, the consistent grammatical structure emphasizes the crucial concepts, making them resonate more with the audience.

The other options do not represent this grammatical construction. Paraphrase involves rephrasing text while maintaining the original meaning; personification attributes human characteristics to non-human entities; and metaphor makes direct comparisons without using "like" or "as." Each of these serves different purposes in writing and language.

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