How To Compare and Contrast PDF

Writing in English
How to Compare
& Contrast
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will practice comparing (expressing similarities)
and contrasting (expressing differences) in written English.
Let’s start with a brainstorming activity.
Warm-Up
A. Brainstorming
1. T
hink of two people (friends, family members, celebrities) who have
some similarities (e.g., gender and age) and some differences
(e.g., personality and nationality).
2. Label the Venn diagram on page 2 by placing one name in each circle.
3. T
ake notes in point form to describe character traits of the two people
you chose. If both people share a characteristic, put it in the middle
where the circles overlap.
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( I N T – A DV / V E R S I O N 3 . 0) 1
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
A. Brainstorming cont.
Venn Diagram
Different Different
Similar
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
B. Discussion
Discuss these questions with a partner.
1. Who did you choose to write about, and why?
2. In what ways are these people similar?
3. In what ways are these people different?
4. H
ow are your two people different from the two
people your partner chose? Are there any similarities?
C. Vocabulary Preview
Match these words to their correct definitions.
1. overlap a) to share the same space at some point
2. point form b) a connection that both things or people share
3. relevant c) a change from one thing to another
4. strike a balance d) a short written format, not full sentences
5. transition e) to find a way to show or represent both sides
6. resemble f) to not be nearly as good or high in quality as something else
7. whereas g) to look similar to
8. scrutiny h) in contrast (a conjunction)
9. pale in comparison i) important, mattering to someone
10. correlation j) a careful or detailed investigation
Writing in English
Comparing & Contrasting in English

You will compare and contrast when you:
• write a compare-contrast essay

• respond to a compare-contrast text Did You Know?
• review products The expression there is no comparison means
• review books and movies that it’s not worth comparing two things. In other
• compare theories or ideas words, A is so much better than B that B is not
worth mentioning.
• describe personal experiences
• describe characteristics A: How was the cruise?
• explain pros and cons Was it better than your last trip?
B: There is no comparison.
There are two main reasons for comparing We will never use any other cruise line.
and contrasting in written English.
A. To Describe or Define
Comparing and contrasting can be used to describe certain qualities of

two people, places, or things. For example, in a literary essay you may
compare and contrast two characters. When deciding what to compare,
think about the following questions.
• What’s interesting?
• What’s relevant?
Task 1
Imagine that you are going to compare two characters from your favorite movie.
Think of three points about them to compare and contrast.
1.
2.
3.
Writing in English
Comparing & Contrasting in English cont.

B. To Evaluate
Comparing and contrasting helps you make a choice or decision between

two different options. For example, you could compare and contrast a
book and movie to decide which one was better. You could also compare
and contrast two vacation destinations to decide on a better option.
Task 2
Think of two vacation spots that you could evaluate. What aspects would
you compare and contrast in order to decide which place is the best
destination? Make sure that your points are interesting and relevant.
My Vacation Choices
1.
2.
Points to Compare
1.
2.
3.
Writing in English
Compare & Contrast Thesis

A. Writing a Thesis Statement
In every essay, it is important to include a thesis statement in your

introduction. Your thesis tells your reader your basic argument. In a
compare-contrast essay, writing a thesis statement is quite simple.
You can use one of the methods below.
Make sure that your choice is obvious in your thesis.

Later you will learn about evaluating the similarities and differences.
Methods
1. strike a balance between the similarities and differences
2. focus mainly on the similarities
3. focus mainly on the differences
Example Thesis
The plot differences in The Hunger Games book and movie are minor;
however, it is the different points of view that really set the book and
movie apart.
Writing in English
Compare & Contrast Thesis cont.

B. Compare-Contrast Adjectives
Here are some adjectives used for describing differences and similarities.
Major Minor
• pronounced • subtle
• striking • insignificant
• clear • minimal
• notable • not obvious
• evident
• significant
Task 3
Fill in the blanks to create thesis statements for

compare-contrast essays. Use the topics you wrote
about in Task 1 and 2 or choose other possible topics.
1. The similarities between and are .

(adjective)
2. The differences between and are .

(adjective)
3. and have many similarities, but
.
4. and have a few differences; however,
.
Writing in English
Compare & Contrast Patterns

There are a few different patterns
you can choose from when writing Example
compare and contrast essays. It is
Imagine that you are going to write an essay comparing New York
a good idea to choose one before
City and Los Angeles. You are going to evaluate these cities to decide
starting an outline and writing
which is a better destination for a honeymoon. Here are three
an introduction.
possible ways to organize this compare-contrast essay.
A. Block Pattern A B. Block Pattern B C. Point-By-Point Pattern
COMPARE THEN CONTR AST COMPARE & CONTR AST COMPARE & CONTR AST
IN CONCLUSION BY ITEM
Start with all of the similarities
of New York and L.A. These Describe New York as a travel In this type of essay, you compare
go in paragraph 2 (after destination in paragraph 2. and contrast one point at a time.
your introduction).
Describe L.A. as a travel For example, compare and
Write all of the differences destination in paragraph 3. contrast weather for both
between New York and L.A. places in paragraph 2.
These go in paragraph 3. Compare and contrast New York
and L.A. in paragraph 4 and decide Compare and contrast
Decide which is the the best destination cost in paragraph 3.
best destination for the for the newlyweds.
newlyweds and explain why. Compare and contrast sites
This is your final paragraph. to see in paragraph 4.
Identify the best destination

based on a summary of these
items in paragraph 5.
Writing in English
Compare & Contrast Patterns cont.

Task 4
Note:
In the introduction of a compare and contrast essay, identify your Your road map statement
organizational pattern for your reader. This is a road map statement. may or may not be combined
You will not write, I’m going to write an essay in block pattern style A. with your thesis. In your
What could you write? introduction, you must tell
the reader your main point(s)
and include a brief road map
Write a road map sentence to go with patterns B and C on the
so that your teacher knows
previous page. Road map A has been completed for you as a model. what to expect.
Road Map Sentences
A. By examining all of the similarities of New York and L.A., and then reviewing the differences,
it will be possible to see why honeymooning in the east is a better option for newlyweds.
B.
C.
Writing in English
Showing Relationships
You probably already know a few different transition words to use for
comparing and contrasting. Here is a reference page with examples to
help you add variety to your writing. Look at the examples to see how
these words and phrases are used in different sentence positions.
A. Words & Phrases for Comparing B. Words & Phrases for Contrasting
• just as • just like • unlike • differ from

• likewise • in a related way • but • more than
• also • by the same token • in a different way • less than
• similarly • in a similar fashion • in contrast • on the contrary
• x resembles y in that • at the same rate • whereas • however
• x is similar • in the same • while • although
to y because manner/way • as opposed to • despite
• no relation between • conversely
Examples • there’s no comparison • nevertheless
• in comparison
1. Just as Wendy fell in love unexpectedly, her sister
found the man of her dreams in a surprising way.
Examples
2. T
he Beatles are popular in Japan in the
same way as they are in the UK and America. 1. However,
Toronto can be
very smoggy in the summertime.
3. T
he book has a sad ending. Likewise,
people were sobbing at the end of the movie. 2. O
n the contrary, the book
went into too much detail.
4. M
y mother wanted what was best for me.
Similarly, my father always made sure 3. The preschool offers free lunches. In comparison,
I went to the best schools. the early years center offers an affordable meal plan.
5. A
ustralia resembles New Zealand in 4. U
nlike the outdoor rink, the
that they both have tropical coastlines. indoor rink gets cleared every hour.
5. E
verything is within walking distance here, whereas
we had to take public transit at our old place.
Task 5
Read through the examples in Parts A and B. Circle all of the

words and phrases that are used for comparing and contrasting.
Writing in English
Evaluating & Concluding

Note:
The most important thing about a compare‑contrast essay is that Be careful not to
you make meaningful (not obvious) comparisons. In your concluding overuse transition words.
paragraph, you summarize and evaluate these comparisons for This can be tricky in a
compare-contrast essay.
your reader.
A. Words & Phrases for Evaluating
• set side by side, X and Y are • both X and Y

• in comparison with X, Y is • X and Y are equal in terms of
• Z distinguishes X from Y • X pales in comparison to Y
• there appears to be a close relation between X and Y • X and Y have Z in common
• after careful scrutiny, X and Y are • on the one hand / on the other hand
• after this examination, X and Y prove to be • one clear difference between X and Y is
• neither X nor Y • there is no correlation between X and Y
Task 6
Have another look at the

Venn diagram you made in the
Writing Warm-Up on page 2.
You brainstormed the similarities
and differences about two
people. Now think about this
essay question: Who would make
a better leader for your country?
Review the notes you made from

your Venn diagram. Add some
more notes based on the essay
question above.
Who would make a better leader for

your country? (i.e., Mom or Dad?
Tom Cruise or Matt Damon? You
or your teacher?) Use some of the
transitional words and phrases
from above and imagine that the
first few paragraphs of an essay
have already been written. Now
write an evaluation paragraph
based on your notes.
Writing in English
Compare & Contrast Model Text

Task 7
Read the model text. Identify the thesis and road map statement,
and underline the words and expressions used to compare,
contrast, and evaluate.
APPLES TO OR ANGES
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. need in a day, whereas apples contain almost none.
What about an orange? Both apples and oranges Apples, on the other hand, are high in quercetin. This
have nutritional benefits, but only one comes out is a cancer-fighting antioxidant that oranges lack.
on top. By comparing and contrasting the vitamins,
minerals, and sugar content in these two fruits, it is Apples and oranges both contain natural sugars.
possible to determine which one should be consumed A medium-sized orange has about 12 grams of
on a daily basis. sugar, while an apple has about 19 grams. On the
other hand, more people drink orange juice than eat
Most people know that oranges are a great source oranges. Drinking juice doesn’t require the effort of
of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is important for our immune peeling. Orange juice, like apple juice, is very high
systems. A single orange has 110% of your required in sugar. It takes two–four oranges to make a single
daily intake. That’s about eight times more Vitamin cup of orange juice. Unlike apple juice, many people
C than a medium-sized apple. But Vitamin C isn’t consume orange juice every day. Juice that is high in
the only vitamin we need. Both apples and oranges sugar can cause people to gain weight.
contain Vitamin B-6. This vitamin is important for
brain development. Oranges offer slightly more Apples are a healthy snack and are easy to grab on the
B-6 than apples. go. Oranges, though they require peeling, are also very
good for you. Side by side, in fact, oranges offer more
Apples and oranges also contain important minerals. nutritional benefits than apples. If you eat an orange
They both contain about the same amount of a day, you’ll get 100% of your required Vitamin C as
potassium. This is necessary for maintaining blood well as other important minerals. Choosing orange
pressure. Calcium is another important mineral. juice out of convenience, however, is not a wise choice.
A single orange contains about 6% of the calcium you Stick with an orange a day to keep the doctor away.
Writing in English
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the
following questions based on the lesson so far.
1. W
hy is a Venn diagram useful 5. W
hat are three different ways of
for a compare-contrast essay? organizing compare and contrast essays?
2. W
hat are the two main reasons for 6. What is a road map statement?
comparing and contrasting in written English?
7. W
hat does a writer do in the conclusion
3. What does there is no comparison mean? of a compare and contrast essay?
4. W
hat do the words conversely, nevertheless,
and however have in common?
Writing Challenge A Checklist

Choose a topic for a compare and contrast essay. AFTER WRITING YOUR ESSAY
After you choose two people, places, or things, make
sure to come up with a narrowed-down thesis with � Did I brainstorm the similarities and differences?
a road map for your reader. Brainstorm, outline,
� Did I come up with an
and write a first draft of a compare-contrast essay.
interesting (not obvious) topic?
Review the model essay on page 12 for guidance.
� Did I include a thesis and
Suggested Topics: road map in my introduction?
• Two languages � Did I choose a pattern for organizing my essay?

• Two parents
� Did I use transitional words and
• A book and a movie
phrases for comparing and contrasting?
• Two friends
• Two vacation destinations � Did I strike a balance between
differences and similarities?
Example Thesis and Road Map:
� Did I provide an evaluation?
English and French are both difficult languages to
learn. By analyzing the similarities and differences Share your first draft with a partner.
between these two languages, we can determine Give each other suggestions for revisions
why English is the more difficult second language based on the checklist. Then write a second
for a Spanish native speaker. draft and show it to your teacher.
Writing in English
Answer Key
NOTE: LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Int – Adv
We recommend using ESL Library’s Essay In this lesson, students learn tips TIME: 2–3 hours
Series with or before this lesson. You’ll find for comparing and contrasting in
TAGS: writing, compare-contrast,
detailed instructions on brainstorming, written English. Students view a model
compare, contrast,
outlining, and writing introductions, body text and practice writing their own
paragraph, essay
paragraphs, and conclusions. This is a comparison paragraphs.
suggestion, not a prerequisite.
Lesson Objective Comparing & Contrasting in English
Review the lesson objective with your students. Review the two main reasons for comparing and contrasting
in written English. Have students complete Tasks 1 and 2.
Warm-Up
Compare & Contrast Thesis
A. BR AINSTORMING
Help your students complete the thesis statements in Task 3.
Give your students some time to create a Venn diagram. You
If your students need more help writing a thesis, you may
may want to put an example on the board. Students will use this
want to review our lesson on How to Write an Introductory
diagram in a related exercise (Evaluating and Concluding – Task 6).
Paragraph: https://esllibrary.com/courses/74/lessons/1830
B. DISCUSSION
(continued on the next page...)
Discuss the follow-up questions in pairs or as a class.
C. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
1. a 3. i 5. c 7. h 9. f
2. d 4. e 6. g 8. j 10. b
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.

Compare & Contrast Patterns Apples and oranges also contain important minerals. They both
contain about the same amount of potassium. This is necessary for
Review the different options for organizing a compare maintaining blood pressure. Calcium is another important mineral.
and contrast essay. In Task 4, your students practice writing A single orange contains about 6% of the calcium you need in a day,
road map statements. If you haven’t already used our whereas apples contain almost none. Apples, on the other hand,
How to Write an Introductory Paragraph lesson, you are high in quercetin. This is a cancer-fighting antioxidant that
may want to review it and try it with your students: oranges lack.
https://esllibrary.com/courses/74/lessons/1830 Apples and oranges both contain natural sugars. A medium-sized

orange has about 12 grams of sugar, while an apple has about 19
Showing Relationships grams. On the other hand, more people drink orange juice than
eat oranges. Drinking juice doesn’t require the effort of peeling.
Your students can keep this reference page handy when they write Orange juice, like apple juice, is very high in sugar. It takes two–four
compare and contrast paragraphs or essays. Add any other words oranges to make a single cup of orange juice. Unlike apple juice,
and expressions that you want your students to use. In Task 5, many people consume orange juice every day. Juice that is high in
they circle all of the transition words in the examples: sugar can cause people to gain weight.
A. just as, in the same way as, likewise, similarly, x resembles y in that Apples are a healthy snack and are easy to grab on the go. Oranges,
B. however, on the contrary, in comparison, unlike, whereas though they require peeling, are also very good for you. Side by
side, in fact, oranges offer more nutritional benefits than apples. If
Evaluating & Concluding you eat an orange a day, you’ll get 100% of your required Vitamin C
as well as other important minerals. Choosing orange juice out of
In Task 6, give students time to work on their own convenience, however, is not a wise choice. Stick with an orange a
draft of a paragraph that evaluates and concludes. day to keep the doctor away.
Compare & Contrast Model Text (continued on the next page...)
Task 7:
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. What about an
orange? [Both apples and oranges have nutritional benefits,
but only one comes out on top.] (thesis) [By comparing and
contrasting the vitamins, minerals, and sugar content in these
two fruits, it is possible to determine which one should be
consumed on a daily basis.] (road map)
Most people know that oranges are a great source of Vitamin C.

Vitamin C is important for our immune systems. A single orange
has 110% of your required daily intake. That’s about eight times
more Vitamin C than a medium-sized apple. But Vitamin C isn’t the
only vitamin we need. Both apples and oranges contain Vitamin
B-6. This vitamin is important for brain development. Oranges offer
slightly more B-6 than apples.
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.

Comprehension Check-In SPELLING NOTE:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Favorite,

1. A Venn diagram is useful for a compare-contrast Center, and Practice. Most other English-speaking countries spell
essay because it allows the writer to note the these words this way: Favourite, Centre, and Practise (when used
differences and similarities of two people , places, or things. as a verb, Practice when used as a noun). Make it a challenge for
2. T he two main reasons for comparing and contrasting in your students to find these words in the lesson and see if they
written English are to define/describe and to evaluate. know the alternate spellings.
3. T he expression there is no comparison
means one thing is far better than the other.
4. T he words conversely, nevertheless, and
however are all transitional words for contrasting.
5. 1 – First compare, then contrast.
2 – Describe one thing, then the other.
Then compare and contrast the two.
3 – Compare and contrast by item.
6. A road map statement tells the reader
how the writing will be organized.
7. In the conclusion, a writer evaluates the two
things that have been compared and contrasted
in order to make a decision or share an opinion.
Writing Challenge
Some basic topics are provided; however, you may want to allow
your students to choose their own topics. Remind your students
that they still need to come up with a thesis after they decide on
two people, places, or things to compare and contrast. An example
thesis is provided. You may want to find other model texts to share.
A Checklist
Encourage your students to use the checklist before passing their

first draft on to a peer editor. You can also use this checklist when
you evaluate your students’ second or final drafts.
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)

Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary to your definition.
overlap
point form
relevant
strike a balance
transition
resemble
whereas
scrutiny
pale in comparison
correlation

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Writing in English

Discuss these questions with a partner.

1. Who did you choose to write about, and why?

2. In what ways are these people similar?

3. In what ways are these people different?

Match these words to their correct definitions.

1. overlap a) to share the same space at some point

2. point form b) a connection that both things or people share

3. relevant c) a change from one thing to another

4. strike a balance d) a short written format, not full sentences

5. transition e) to find a way to show or represent both sides

6. resemble f) to not be nearly as good or high in quality as something else

7. whereas g) to look similar to

8. scrutiny h) in contrast (a conjunction)

9. pale in comparison i) important, mattering to someone

10. correlation j) a careful or detailed investigation

Comparing & Contrasting in English

• write a compare-contrast essay

Comparing and contrasting can be used to describe certain qualities of

Comparing & Contrasting in English cont.

Comparing and contrasting helps you make a choice or decision between

Compare & Contrast Thesis

In every essay, it is important to include a thesis statement in your

Make sure that your choice is obvious in your thesis.

2. focus mainly on the similarities

3. focus mainly on the differences

Compare & Contrast Thesis cont.

Fill in the blanks to create thesis statements for

1. The similarities between and are .

2. The differences between and are .

3.  and have many similarities, but

Compare & Contrast Patterns

A. Block Pattern A B. Block Pattern B C. Point-By-Point Pattern

Identify the best destination

Compare & Contrast Patterns cont.

Road Map Sentences

• just as • just like • unlike • differ from

Read through the examples in Parts A and B. Circle all of the

Evaluating & Concluding

A. Words & Phrases for Evaluating

• set side by side, X and Y are • both X and Y

Have another look at the

Review the notes you made from

Who would make a better leader for

Compare & Contrast Model Text

Writing Challenge A Checklist

• Two languages � Did I choose a pattern for organizing my essay?

Lesson Objective Comparing & Contrasting in English

Answer Key cont.

may want to review it and try it with your students: oranges lack.

https://esllibrary.com/courses/74/lessons/1830 Apples and oranges both contain natural sugars. A medium-sized

Compare & Contrast Model Text (continued on the next page...)

Most people know that oranges are a great source of Vitamin C.

Answer Key cont.

This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Favorite,

Encourage your students to use the checklist before passing their

Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)

You might also like

1. Who did you choose to write about, and why?

3. In what ways are these people different?

3. and have many similarities, but