[Grammar] not through the air, but through the water

[Oceanlike]

I’m wondering which of the sentences below is correct grammatically. Can or should ‘through the’ be repeated or omitted? (a) sounds more natural to me but I’m inclined to think that (b) is also correct.

a) Penguins are experts at flying, not through the air but through the water.
b) Penguins are experts at flying, not through the air but water.


Thank you for teaching me! :-D

 

[MikeNewYork]

I find a to be correct, but not b.

 

[GoesStation]

Only a) is correct.

 

[tzfujimino]

It has to do with "parallelism" or "the principle of parallel construction".

http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/parallelism.htm

I hope you'll find the link helpful.

 

[Tarheel]

The first sentence is eloquent. I can picture penguins "flying" through the water, doing what they do best.

 

[Matthew Wai]

How about 'Penguins are experts at flying through the water but not the air'?

 

[Oceanlike]

errm sorry if i'm breaking a rule here because this message is not a query on English language :-D

I just want to say that I appreciate this platform very much. I'm so grateful to everyone who, through this platform, has contributed to help me improve my grasp of this sometimes painfully crazy lol yet stimulating and beautiful language :-D You don't have to teach me anything but you have chosen to take time to help me understand many things...Thank you so much! :angel:

Love, peace and joy to all....

 

[Tarheel]

How about 'Penguins are experts at flying through the water but not the air'?

That one is good, but the focus is changed. It focuses on what they can't do (fly) instead of what they can do (swim).

 

[Tarheel]

Say:

You don't have to teach me anything, but you have taken the time to help me understand much.

I have to disagree with you. I do have to. That's what obsessive-compulsive means.
;-)

 

[Oceanlike]

lol obsessed to teach?

okie! so glad that you are 'infected' with this type of obsessive-compulsion :-D keep it up! you're helping many ;-)

 

[emsr2d2]

[STRIKE]lol[/STRIKE] LOL. Obsessed [STRIKE]to[/STRIKE] with teaching?

[STRIKE]okie[/STRIKE] OK! I'm so glad that you are 'infected' with this type of obsessive-compulsion. :-D Keep it up! You're helping many. ;-)

I suggest that you develop an obsession/compulsion with using capital letters at the start of every sentence and a single, appropriate punctuation mark at the end of every sentence. ;-)