COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

DEFINITION: Comparison = similarity / Contrast = difference

1. Focus on comparison
In a paragraph based on comparison, the information is rendered in order to show the
likeliness and similarities between the two elements of the comparison (as stated in the
topic sentence). Differences are omitted, the focus being on common points.
SAMPLE PARAGRAPH:
Are you aware of the striking similarities between of the two most popular U.S.
presidents, Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy? A minor point is that the names
Lincoln and Kennedy both have the same number of letters. Both men had their elections
legally challenged. Lincoln and Kennedy are both remembered by their sense of humor,
as well as for their interest in civil rights. Lincoln became president in 1860; Kennedy in
1960. Lincolns secretary was Mrs. Kennedy; Kennedys secretary was Mrs. Lincoln.
Neither man took the advice of his secretary not to make a public appearance on the day
on which he was assassinated. Lincoln and Kennedy were both killed on a Friday in the
presence of their wives. Both assassins, John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald have
fifteen letters in their names, and both were murdered before they could be brought to
trial. Just as Lincoln was succeeded by a Southern Democrat named Johnson, so was
Kennedy. And finally, the same caisson carried the bodies of both men in their funeral
procession.
TASK 1: Use the following table in order to analyze the sample paragraph:
ELEMENTS OF COMPARISON
- same number of letters in their names
- elections challenged

COMPARATIVE STRUCTURES
- both (their names both have the same)
- both (both men)

Isabela Dragomir and Oana Posa, DEVELOPING WRITING SKILLS,

1 Sibiu, 2007

Structures used for pointing similarities:

Adjectives and prepositions: exactly/ almost/ practically the sameas,
somewhat/rather very/quite similar to, like
Conjunctions: bothand, neithernor, not onlybut also
Predicative
structures:
to
closely/greatly
resemble,
to
have
things/features/aspects/characteristics/qualities/attitudes in common, there are
certainly many/several/two similarities
Connectives: similarly, correspondingly, likewise, in the same way

2. Focus on contrast
In a paragraph focused on contrast, the elements of the comparison are dealt with from
the point of view of their differences.
SAMPLE PARAGRAPH:
According to the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung, every persons personality can be
placed somewhere on a scale running from extreme extroversion (an outgoing
personality) to extreme introversion (a withdrawn personality). The typical extrovert is
particularly fond of people and people- oriented activities: he or she is sociable, likes
parties, has many friends, needs to have people to talk to, and does not like reading or
studying alone. The typical introvert, on the other hand, is a quiet, retiring sort of person,
introspective, fond of books rather than people. Unlike the extrovert, who craves
excitement, takes chances and is generally impulsive, the introvert shuns excitement,
takes matters of everyday life with proper seriousness, and likes a well-ordered mode of
life. Whereas the extrovert tends to be aggressive and loses his or her temper easily, the
introvert tends to keep his or her feelings under control, seldom behaves in a n
aggressive manner, and does not lose his or her temper easily. The introvert is more
reliable and less optimistic than the extrovert, the extrovert may often be subject to
criminal or psychopathic behavior, in contrast to the extrovert, who may exhibit neurotic
tendencies. A further difference between the two involves the ability to remember. Studies
have tended to show that the extrovert learns faster than the introvert, but, in the end,
remembers last.

Isabela Dragomir and Oana Posa, DEVELOPING WRITING SKILLS,

2 Sibiu, 2007

TASK 2: Use the following table in order to analyze the sample paragraph:
ELEMENTS OF CONTRAST
CONTRASTIVE STRUCTURES
Extrovert
Introvert
on the other hand
Sociability
Fond of people, likes Prefers books to
parties, sociable
people, is quiet and
retiring
Risk-taking

Expression of feelings, aggression

Reliability, optimism

Ability to remember

Structures of contrast:
Adjectives: comparative and superlative forms
Prepositions: unlike, contrary to, as opposed to
Adverbial clauses introduced by: whereas, while
Verbal structures: to contrast with, to differ from, to be different from
Connectives: however, on the other hand, nevertheless, although, but

Isabela Dragomir and Oana Posa, DEVELOPING WRITING SKILLS,

3 Sibiu, 2007

The comparison-contrast paragraph can be written according to two types of

organizational patterns: the block pattern and the point-by-point pattern.
A. In a block pattern, the writer first presents all topic A information, then gives
all topic B information. Generally, this is the easiest pattern to organize and write.
SAMPLE PARAGRAPH:
The two kinds of elephants the African and the Indian have similarities and
differences. The African elephant is large and dark. It has large ears and a sloping
forehead. Training the African elephant to de work is sometimes a difficult task. The
African elephant sleeps standing up. The Indian elephant, on the other hand, is not as
large or as dark. It has smaller ears and a less sloping forehead. Training the Indian
elephant to do work is relatively easy. The Indian elephant usually sleeps lying down.
B. Point-by-point comparisons first offer a topic A element compared and/or
contrasted with a topic B element, then a second topic A element is compared and/or
contrasted with a topic B element, and so on until all terms of comparison and/or contrast
have been eliminated.
SAMPLE PARAGRAPH:
The two kinds of elephants African and Indian have similarities and
differences. The African elephant is larger and darker than his Indian brother. The
African elephant also has larger ears and a more sloping forehead than the Indian
elephant. Both can be tamed, but the African elephant is not as easily trained as the
Indian one. When the African elephant sleeps, it usually stands up, but his Indian brother
usually sleeps lying down.
TASK 3: For each the following paragraphs identify:
- main idea
- paragraph type
- organizational pattern
- elements of comparison/contrast
- connectives
1. Although they are thousand of miles apart and on different continents, New York City,
USA and Cairo, Egypt, are remarkably similar. New York City is over populated with
people from all over the world and all walks of life. It has a fascinating mixture of
nationalities, cultures, religions, and beliefs. Because of a shortage of land to build
outward, most New Yorkers live in high-rise apartment buildings and condos. Because of
the large population, there is heavy traffic; this makes the public transportation system
indispensable. Besides the subway system, the streets are packed with cars, taxis and

Isabela Dragomir and Oana Posa, DEVELOPING WRITING SKILLS,

4 Sibiu, 2007

buses. New York City is the hub of the international-cultural scene in the entire US. It
offers Broadway plays, operas, international cuisine, museums, and many tourist sites,
such as the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and the United Nations. Just as
New York City is overpopulated, the same is true of Cairo, the most populated city in
Egypt. It also has a variety of nationalities, cultures, religions, and beliefs. The land area
is limited, as with New York City, so the Cairens live mainly in apartment buildings of
two to twenty stories high. There is heavy traffic in Cairo as well. Besides a small subway
system, you can see cars, taxis, buses, motorbikes and even carriages and wagons. Like
New York City, Cairo is the center of international-cultural activities in Egypt. It also
offers international entertainment, museums, cuisine, and many tourist sites, such as the
Nile River, and the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids in a neighboring town. These are two
of the worlds most exciting and captivating towns.
Main idea _____________________________________________________________
Paragraph type_________________________________________________________
Organizational pattern___________________________________________________
Elements of comparison/contrast___________________________________________
Connectives____________________________________________________________
2. Although they are thousand of miles apart and on different continents, New York City,
USA and Cairo, Egypt, are remarkably similar. Both cities are overpopulated with people
from all over the world and from all walks of life; ach city has a fascinating mixture of
nationalities, cultures, religions and beliefs. Since there is no more land to build outward
in either city, most New Yorkers live in high-rise apartment buildings and condos while
the Cairens live mostly on apartment buildings of two to twenty stories high. There is
heavy traffic in New York as well as in Cairo, so the public transportation system in each
of these metropolises is indispensable. Besides the subway system, the streets are packed
with cars, taxis, buses, motorbikes and, sometimes, even horse-drawn carriages. New
York City is the hub of the international-cultural scene in the entire US. It offers
Broadway plays, operas, international cuisine, museums, and many tourist sites, such as
the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and the United Nations. In the same way,
Cairo also offers international entertainment, museums, cuisine, and many tourist sites,
such as the Nile River, and the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids in a neighboring town.
These are two of the most exciting and captivating towns in the world.
Main idea ______________________________________________________________
Paragraph type__________________________________________________________
Organizational pattern____________________________________________________
Elements of comparison/contrast___________________________________________
Connectives_____________________________________________________________

Isabela Dragomir and Oana Posa, DEVELOPING WRITING SKILLS,

5 Sibiu, 2007

3.Even though both get you to the destination, traveling by car and traveling by plane are
altogether different. Traveling by car is one of the cheapest forms of motorized
transportation. With the cost of gasoline decreasing, car travel is very cost-efficient. The
only big expense connected with car travel might be a maintenance check (and possible
repairs), before one sets out on a long trip. Traveling by car takes longest to reach ones
destination; however, if the driver has plenty of vacation time, the length of time of the
trip probably doesnt matter. For the person who enjoys beautiful scenery and
sightseeing, travel by car is ideal. Because car travel is slower than some other types of
transportation, a person can take advantage of his/her surroundings. In fact, many
drivers will make frequent stops to take pictures or to take side trips to see places of
interest off the main highway. In contrast to car travel, airplane travel is the most
expensive form of transportation. Even though one can sometimes find bargains on plane
fares, ticket prices are still costlier than gasoline prices. Flying may be more expensive,
but a traveler can get to his/her destination quickly. To get to allocation by car could take
days or even weeks. If the traveler is not interested in sightseeing or taking in beautiful
scenery, plane travel is the way to go. Ten minutes into the flight, the only scenery one
can see is the blanket of clouds through which the plane is flying. Both modes of
transportation have their advantages and disadvantages, so neither is the better nor the
worse way to go. It is simply up to the individual traveler to weigh the pros and the cons,
and then make a decision.
Main idea ______________________________________________________________
Paragraph type__________________________________________________________
Organizational pattern____________________________________________________
Elements of comparison/contrast___________________________________________
Connectives_____________________________________________________________
4. My twin daughters Dora and Lora share a few common traits, yet they differ in several
important ways. Naturally, being identical twins, they are alike in appearance. They both
have blonde hair, green eyes, and fair complexions. They are approximately the same
height and weight, as well. As far as school is concerned, they are equally motivated and
always come home with good grades. Thats where the similarities end. Personality-wise,
Lora is somewhat shy and quiet, and she has only a few close friends. On the other hand,
Dora is extremely outgoing, has joined several school clubs, and has quite a few friends.
The girls taste in clothing varies, too. Lora seems to prefer conservative, inconspicuous
clothing, apparently to match her personality. In contrast, Dora likes to keep up with the
latest fads and fashions, no matter how eccentric they are. Probably the biggest
difference between the two girls is their interests. Lora is very artistic, so she can always
be found drawing, writing poetry, or playing her guitar. Unlike Lora, Dora is the scientist
in the family. She loves to take things apart, much to my dismay, in order to see how they
work. In addition, she can always be found helping her father whenever hes working on
the car. This all goes to prove that you cant judge a book by its cover. Even though Lora
and Dora look the same on the surface, they are two distinct individuals.

Isabela Dragomir and Oana Posa, DEVELOPING WRITING SKILLS,

6 Sibiu, 2007

Main idea ______________________________________________________________

Paragraph type__________________________________________________________
Organizational pattern____________________________________________________
Elements of comparison/contrast___________________________________________
Connectives_____________________________________________________________

TASK 4: Now write you own compare and contrast paragraph, on one of the following
topics:
Differences and similarities between your town and another town you have
visited;
Differences and similarities between two military bases;
Differences and similarities between you and a colleague of yours who is a
civilian;
Differences and similarities between two members in your family;
Differences and similarities between your life as a teenager and your life as an
adult.
Use any of the two organizational patterns, at least 5 elements of comparison and contrast
and relevant connectives to make your ideas coherent and logically linked.

Isabela Dragomir and Oana Posa, DEVELOPING WRITING SKILLS,

7 Sibiu, 2007