Which technique can best address issues with students mixing verb tenses and erratic sentence structures in their writing?

Parallelism is the technique that can best address issues with students mixing verb tenses and exhibiting erratic sentence structures in their writing. This rhetorical device involves using the same grammatical structure for similar elements within a sentence or across multiple sentences, which fosters clarity and coherence. By teaching students to structure their sentences in a parallel manner, they learn to maintain consistency in verb tense and format, which helps prevent confusion and improves the overall flow of their writing.

For instance, if students learn to use similarly structured phrases like "running, swimming, and biking" instead of "I like to run, swimming, and bike," they understand the importance of maintaining the same grammatical form throughout their sentences. This approach enables them to enhance their writing style and clarity, greatly reducing the chances of mixing tenses or creating erratic structures.

In essence, parallelism serves as a foundational tool that strengthens students’ writing by encouraging them to adopt a systematic and structured approach to their thoughts, making their writing more organized and easier to follow.