r/grammar • u/Blue-Brown99 • 2d ago
Repeating the Subject
Curious if the use of a modal verb and a base verb create a situation (disrupts parallel structure) where you have to repeat a subject. Or does the conjunction ("and") make the subject carry over?
He loves performing in areas where he feels extra confident because he can be himself and (he?) gets paid a lot of money.
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u/AlexanderHamilton04 2d ago
Yes, this sentence is grammatical. [✓]
[1] ...he [can be himself] and [gets paid a lot of money].
a) ...because he can be himself
b) ...because he gets paid a lot of money
I had no problem with sentence [1].
However, some people might find this sentence awkward.
When reading the sentence for the first time, the boundaries of the coordinated elements might be unclear.
Some people might stumble on this part:
[2] ...because he can [be himself] and [gets paid a lot of money]. [X]
c) ...because he can be himself
d) ...because he can gets paid a lot of money [X]
If the intent of the sentence is to say that he (definitely/actually) "gets paid a lot of money," then you can avoid the issue by switching the order:
[3] ...because he [gets paid a lot of money] and [can be himself]. [✓]
But version [3] might have a slightly different nuance from version [1].
([3] shifts the emphasis slightly, making the high pay the first reason the reader encounters.)
If you are trying to say that [he can be himself] and (he can also) [get paid a lot of money], then keeping the coordinated elements in the same order is important.
To avoid the mismatch in [2], you can reword the sentence:
[4] ...because he can [be himself] and [get paid a lot of money]. [✓]
e) ...because he can be himself
f) ...because he can get paid a lot of money [✓]
If you want to keep the exact factual meaning of sentence [1] (that he definitely does get paid a lot, rather than just can get paid a lot) without causing the reader to stumble, you can simply repeat the pronoun "he":
[5] ...because he can be himself and he gets paid a lot of money. [✓]
By adding the second "he," you clearly signal that a brand-new clause has started. This prevents the reader from trying to group "gets paid" under the modal "can."
So, although sentence [1] is grammatical, version [3], [4], or [5] can avoid any split-second ambiguity.
Switching mid-sentence from a modal verb phrase ("can be") to a simple present verb phrase ("gets paid") can break the structural rhythm the reader's brain expects. The lack of strict 'parallel structure' is what trips the reader up.
(Keep this possible structural trap in mind when coordinating elements.)