Compare and Contrast

A Comparison or Contrast essay is an essay in which you either compare something or contrast something. A comparison essay is an essay in which you emphasize the similarities, and a contrast essay is an essay in which you emphasize the differences.

• Connectors that show comparison (similarities):

              ƒIn additon       ƒCorrespondingly        Compared to        Similarly        Just as        As well as 

              Likewise          Same as                  As...as                At the same time

• Connectors that show contrast (differences):

              However        On the contrary        On the other hand        Even though        In contrast
              Although        Unlike                     Conversely                  Meanwhile           Not as (so)... as
              Comparative adjectives

Some worksheets to practice the use of these transition words:

• Compare and Contrast Transitions
• Transitional words and phrases

How to write a comparison/contrast essay:
Paragraph 1: State what the topic is about and say the subjects have similarities and differences. Let the reader know your preference. There are several different ways to write the first paragraph of an essay. The thesis sentence will be the last in the paragraph and should be soecific (related to the topic). A couple of examples: Online and paper-based portfolios - What the World Eats
Paragraph 2: Mention some of the similarities. Use expressions like - One similarity - Another point they have in common - A further similarity - Also, or any of the ones previously mentioned.
Paragraph 3: Mention some of the differences. Use expressions like -One difference is - Another difference is - A further dissimilarity - Also... or any of hte ones previously mentioned
Paragraph 4:Decide if there were more similarities or differences between the 2. State which of the options you prefer and give at least 3 reasons to justify your choice. You need to write at least 3 sentences to explain your choice.

Compare and Contrast Structures:
Compare

Both	Both New York City and Boston are on the East coast of the USA.
Each	Each city has its own Universities.
Neither	Neither city has a soccer team.
Neither… nor	Neither NYC nor Boston has high mountains.

Contrast

Not as... as	Boston is not as cold as NYC
Comparative adjectives	NYC is bigger than Boston.

OVER TO YOU!!

Here is an example and a graphic organiser you can use, and some topics to practice:

1. Vacationing in the City or at the Beach
2. Big city or Small Cit
3. Eating Fresh Foods or Canned Foods
4. Backpacking or Staying in Hotels
5. Aerobic Training verses Anaerobic Training
6. Stick Shift or Automatic
7. Two Great European Cities, Paris and London
8. Mac or PC
9. Vacationing at the Beach or in the Mountains

And an answer sheet with a checklist.