comparison and contrast
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST
A comparison examines how two or more things are similar.
A contrast looks at how two or more things are different.
If you like Mexican food, you can go to either Café Mexicana or Juanita’s, but Juanita’s has lower prices.
My cousin Bill and my brother Karram are both so stubborn that they can’t get along.
HINTS FOR WRITING
Limit your topic
Avoid the obvious topic
Make your point in the topic sentence
Because he is so reliable and loyal, Michael is a much better friend to me than Stefan.
My two botany teachers share a love of the environment and a passion for protecting it.
Do not announce in the topic sentence
This paper will explain the similarities between my two botany teachers.
Let me tell you about why Michael is a different kind of friend than Stefan.
Make sure your topic sentence has a focus
Not focused: My old house and my new one are different.
Focused: My new home is bigger, brighter, and more comfortable than my old one.
In the topic sentence, cover both subjects
Only one: The beach at Santa Lucia was dirty and crowded.
Both: The beach at Santa Lucia was dirty and crowded, but the beach at Fisher Bay was clean and private.
A Comparison outline: subject-by-subject pattern
Topic sentence
Once I realized that my mother and my brother are very much alike in temperament, I realize why they do not get along.
Details
Subject 1-James
Temper
My brother James is a hot-tempered person.
It is easy for him to lose control of his temper.
Unkind words
When he does, he often says things he later regrets.
Stubbornness
James is also very stubborn.
In an argument, he will never admit he is wrong.
Once we were arguing about basketball scores.
Even when I showed him the right score printed in the paper, he would not admit he was wrong.
He said the newspaper had made a mistake.
James stubbornness overtakes his common sense.
James inherited many of his character traits from mother.
Subject 2-Mother
A comparison examines how two or more things are similar.
A contrast looks at how two or more things are different.
If you like Mexican food, you can go to either Café Mexicana or Juanita’s, but Juanita’s has lower prices.
My cousin Bill and my brother Karram are both so stubborn that they can’t get along.
HINTS FOR WRITING
Limit your topic
Avoid the obvious topic
Make your point in the topic sentence
Because he is so reliable and loyal, Michael is a much better friend to me than Stefan.
My two botany teachers share a love of the environment and a passion for protecting it.
Do not announce in the topic sentence
This paper will explain the similarities between my two botany teachers.
Let me tell you about why Michael is a different kind of friend than Stefan.
Make sure your topic sentence has a focus
Not focused: My old house and my new one are different.
Focused: My new home is bigger, brighter, and more comfortable than my old one.
In the topic sentence, cover both subjects
Only one: The beach at Santa Lucia was dirty and crowded.
Both: The beach at Santa Lucia was dirty and crowded, but the beach at Fisher Bay was clean and private.
A Comparison outline: subject-by-subject pattern
Topic sentence
Once I realized that my mother and my brother are very much alike in temperament, I realize why they do not get along.
Details
Subject 1-James
Temper
My brother James is a hot-tempered person.
It is easy for him to lose control of his temper.
Unkind words
When he does, he often says things he later regrets.
Stubbornness
James is also very stubborn.
In an argument, he will never admit he is wrong.
Once we were arguing about basketball scores.
Even when I showed him the right score printed in the paper, he would not admit he was wrong.
He said the newspaper had made a mistake.
James stubbornness overtakes his common sense.
James inherited many of his character traits from mother.
Subject 2-Mother