Compare and Contrast Essay Writing

Comparison-Contrast Essay

About Compare and Contrast Essays

• To compare = to tell how two or more things, qualities, or events are alike.

• To contrast = to tell how two or more things are different.

Venn Diagram

Venn Diagrams help you organize the similarities and differences between stories, characters, settings, problems, etc.

Signal Words

Key words that you need in writing a compare/contrast essay are as follows.

Patterns of Organization

• BLOCK METHOD: The writer discusses the points of comparison of the first and second subject separately.

• POINT-BY-POINT (POINTS) METHOD: The writer discusses one point of comparison of both subjects together.

EXAMPLE

Suppose, for example, that you want to compare family life in two cultures. There are many different aspects of this topic that you could examine. Which point of comparison will be your focus?

Before deciding how to organize your essay, you can list the points of comparison that you want to examine in each culture. After listing these points, you can make a chart that shows how they are similar or different in each culture.

BLOCK ORGANIZATION

POINT-BY-POINT (POINTS) ORGANIZATION

When to choose the best organization for your compare/contrast essay?

• Point-by-point is often the best choice when the two things you are comparing have both similarities and differences in all of the areas you are discussing.

• Block is better if there are only similarities in one area or only differences in another area.

Comparison Signal Words (cont'd)

Comparison Signal Words 2

Using Comparison Signal Words

Write one new sentence to combine the information in each item below. Use a different comparison signal word in each sentence.

Example 1

• The United States has a democratic form of government. Great Britain has a democratic form of government.

• The United States has a democratic form of government, just as Great Britain does.

Open Ended

The United States operates under two-party systems. Great Britain operates under two-party systems.

(Remember to use different comparison signal word in each sentence.)

Open Ended

The British Parliament has two separates houses, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The United States Congress has two separate houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Open Ended

The members of the U. S. House of Representatives are elected by district. The members of the British House of Commons are elected by district.

Open Ended

Write 5 sentences of your own comparing two things you are familiar with. Use a different comparison signal word in each sentence, and remember to focus on the things that are the same. Some possible topics include:

* The culture of a local high school compared to that of a large university

* The culture of a small town compared to a big city

* Aspects of culture in two different societies