Here is a sentence with what appears to be parallelism of two complete phrases:

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

Someone learning English may try to make sense of this on the assumption that these phrases are parallel in construction — similar in meaning.

If that were really true, it could help the student learn new verbs or nouns.

Unfortunately, the verbs are not the same in the two phrases, and the subjects are not either!

phrase:

/ subject (noun or noun phrase)

// action (verb or verb phrase)

/// object :

first:

/ time

// flies like an arrow

second:

/ fruit flies

// like

/// a banana