What is the difference between parallelism and repetition?

The main difference between parallelism and repetition is their focus and purpose.

  • Parallelism uses similar grammatical structures in phrases or clauses to create balance and clarity, making sentences easier to read. For example, “He likes swimming, hiking, and camping” illustrates parallelism.
  • Repetition is a broader term that includes figures of speech like anaphora and alliteration, emphasizing content and emotional impact. By repeating sounds, words, or phrases, it can highlight a point or create rhythm.

While all parallelism involves repetition, not all repetition follows a balanced structure. However, they can overlap, as seen in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, where the repeated phrase “I have a dream” provides both rhythmic emphasis and structural balance.