4.2 Sentence Structure: Parallelism, Modifiers & Punctuation

4.2 Sentence Structure: Parallelism, Modifiers & Punctuation

Core Principle: Masterful sentence structure ensures that investigative facts are communicated cleanly without syntactic confusion. Federal law enforcement officers must eliminate misplaced modifiers, broken parallel structures, comma splices, and faulty punctuation that obscure operational timelines and evidence logs.

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Mastering Structural Parallelism

Parallelism (or parallel construction) requires that two or more words, phrases, or clauses in a series share the same grammatical form. In official DSS communications—such as operational briefing slides, evidence inventories, and performance appraisals—parallel structure enhances readability and professional authority.

1. Parallelism in Lists and Series

When listing actions, duties, or items, every element in the series must match in structure (all gerunds, all infinitives, all noun phrases, or all active clauses).

• Faulty (Mixed Verb Forms): "Special Agent Rivera was assigned to monitoring embassy surveillance feeds, interviewing visa applicants, and to coordinate local police escorts."

  • Analysis: Monitors (gerund), interviewing (gerund), to coordinate (infinitive).

• Correct (All Gerunds): "Special Agent Rivera was assigned to monitoring embassy surveillance feeds, interviewing visa applicants, and coordinating local police escorts."

• Faulty (Mixed Noun & Verb Structures): "The search warrant authorized agents to seize counterfeit passports, financial ledgers, and inspecting electronic media."

• Correct (All Noun Phrases): "The search warrant authorized agents to seize counterfeit passports, financial ledgers, and electronic storage devices."

2. Parallelism with Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions operate in pairs: not only... but also, either... or, neither... nor, both... and, and whether... or. The grammatical structure following the first conjunction must mirror the structure following the second.

• Faulty: "The suspect not only falsified his passport application but also his employment documentation."
  • Analysis: Not only is followed by a verb phrase (falsified his passport application), whereas but also is followed by a noun phrase (his employment documentation).
• Correct: "The suspect falsified not only his passport application but also his employment documentation."
  • Analysis: Both conjunctions are now followed by matching noun phrases.

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Misplaced and Dangling Modifiers

Modifiers are words, phrases, or clauses that describe or limit other elements in a sentence. When modifiers are improperly placed, they distort the facts of an investigation.

1. Misplaced Modifiers

A misplaced modifier is separated from the word it is intended to modify, creating absurd, confusing, or unintended meanings.

• Misplaced: "Special Agent Gomez interviewed the suspect in the holding cell wearing a concealed wire."

  • Question: Was the holding cell wearing the wire, or was the agent wearing it?

• Correct Revision: "Special Agent Gomez, wearing a concealed wire, interviewed the suspect in the holding cell."

• Misplaced: "The team recovered three laptops from the suspect's residence that contained encrypted files."

  • Question: Did the residence contain the encrypted files, or did the laptops?

• Correct Revision: "From the suspect's residence, the team recovered three laptops that contained encrypted files."

2. Dangling Modifiers

A dangling modifier occurs when an introductory modifying phrase lacks a logical subject in the sentence to modify. Dangling modifiers frequently happen when agents write in passive voice.

• Dangling (Introductory Participial Phrase): "Upon reviewing the surveillance footage, the getaway vehicle was identified by the investigative team."

  • Analysis: The phrase Upon reviewing the surveillance footage logically describes an action taken by a person. However, the grammatical subject of the sentence is the getaway vehicle. A vehicle cannot review surveillance footage.

• Correct Revision (Active Voice): "Upon reviewing the surveillance footage, the investigative team identified the getaway vehicle."

• Dangling (Infinitive Phrase): "To secure the diplomatic compound, armed guards were posted at every entry control point."

• Correct Revision: "To secure the diplomatic compound, the Regional Security Officer posted armed guards at every entry control point."

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Punctuation Mechanics for Federal Reports

Precise punctuation controls the flow of information, establishes logical relationships between facts, and prevents syntactic ambiguity in legal documents.

1. Comma Usage between Independent Clauses

Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so—acronym FANBOYS) when joining two complete independent clauses.

• Correct: "Special Agent Miller reviewed the Form DS-160, and Analyst Chen verified the applicant's travel history."
• Rule: If the clause following the conjunction lacks its own subject, do not use a comma.
  • Correct: "Special Agent Miller reviewed the Form DS-160 and verified the applicant's travel history."

2. Eliminating Comma Splices and Fused Sentences

• Comma Splice: Joining two independent clauses with only a comma (without a coordinating conjunction).
  • Flawed: "The suspect attempted to exit the consulate, Special Agents intercepted him at the gate."
• Fused (Run-on) Sentence: Joining two independent clauses with no punctuation at all.
  • Flawed: "The suspect attempted to exit the consulate Special Agents intercepted him at the gate."

Three Valid Solutions for Clause Separation:

1. Separate into two sentences: "The suspect attempted to exit the consulate. Special Agents intercepted him at the gate."
2. Use a comma and coordinating conjunction: "The suspect attempted to exit the consulate, but Special Agents intercepted him at the gate."
3. Use a semicolon (with or without a conjunctive adverb): "The suspect attempted to exit the consulate**;** Special Agents intercepted him at the gate." OR "The suspect attempted to exit the consulate**; however,** Special Agents intercepted him at the gate."

3. Semicolons in Complex Lists

Use semicolons to separate items in a series when one or more of the items contain internal commas.

• Correct: "The operational briefing was attended by Special Agent Vance, Lead Detail**;** Inspector Gomez, Advance Team Leader**;** and Detective Chen, Local Police Liaison."

4. Colons for Formal Introduction

A colon introduces a list, a formal quotation, or an explanatory independent clause. A colon must follow a complete independent clause.

• Incorrect: "The evidence seized included: two passports, three phones, and a hard drive."
  • Analysis: "The evidence seized included" is an incomplete clause.
• Correct: "Special Agents seized three items of physical evidence: two counterfeit passports, three encrypted mobile phones, and an external hard drive."

5. Quotation Mark Rules in Federal Style (GPO Manual)

Under U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) standards and federal court conventions:

• Periods and commas are always placed inside quotation marks.
  • Example: "The suspect stated, 'I bought the passport in Lagos,' before requesting an attorney."
• Semicolons and colons are always placed outside quotation marks.
  • Example: The informant described the suspect as a "consular facilitator"; however, phone records indicated a broader role.
• Question marks and exclamation points go inside quotation marks only if they apply directly to the quoted material.

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Diagnostic Table: Sentence Structure & Punctuation Rules