CLASS MATERIAL

WEEK 2
CEL2103 WRITING ACADEMIC TEXTS
SEMESTER 1, 2021-2022

Developing Introductory Paragraph in Comparison

and Contrast Essay
 Components of an introductory paragraph of a
compare and contrast essay
- Hook
- General statements
 Language
- Tenses and Subject-Verb Agreement
 Components of an Introductory Paragraph

The introductory paragraph, or opening paragraph, is the first paragraph of your essay. It
introduces the main idea of your essay, captures the interest of your readers, and tells why
your topic is important.

Activity 1
Write the three components in an introductory paragraph of a compare and contrast essay
in the space provided.

a. _________________________________
b. _________________________________
c. _________________________________

Activity 2
Match the components of an introductory paragraph in Activity 1 to the definitions below.
No Definition Component
Presents your subjects and your points of comparison that you will
1 include in your essay. It should also be clear, and it is the last
sentence of the introduction.
Begins your introduction that grabs your reader's attention such as
asking a rhetorical question, sharing a quotation, revealing a
2
shocking statistic and sharing an interesting fact that captures your
topic.
Writes about the specific subjects of your essay. What is your
3
essay about? This part helps to establish the subjects’ context.
Activity 3
Identify the different components of an introductory paragraph in the texts below by writing
the sentence number for each component.

Introductory paragraph 1
1
When was the last time you received a letter from a friend? 2Before the advent of computers
and modern technology, people were communicating over long distances by using traditional
3
means such as letters and the telephone. Nowadays, we have a vast array of
communication tools which can complete this task, ranging from email to instant messaging
and video calls. 4While the present and previous means of communication are similar in their
general form, they differ in regard to their speed and the range of tools available.

Adapted from: Smith, S. (2020, March 3). Compare & Contrast Essay.
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/
reference_list_electronic_sources.html

Hook:
Background information:
Thesis statement:

Introductory Paragraph 2
1
Since social media’s origin over a decade ago, several sites have enjoyed time in the
spotlight. 2Indeed, individuals of all ages and lifestyles often manage several social media
accounts at the same time, ranging from the big names to more specific platforms, such as
the book-sharing site Goodreads. 3The two giants of the moment are likely Facebook, used
by tweens and grandparents alike, and Twitter. 4Most individuals have one or more of these
accounts and may even use them in integrated ways. 5For example, Twitter has a feature
that allows users to post their tweets to Facebook, thus updating two sites at once. 6Often,
these sites share the same major features. 7Facebook and Twitter are similar on a basic
level but differ in appearance and in the way users employ them.

Adapted from: Williams, S. (2014, May 6). Social Media Giants.

https://owl.excelsior.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/CompareContrastEssaySeeItInPractice.
pdf

Hook:
Background information:
Thesis statement:
Introductory Paragraph 3
1
Different countries across the world have diverse cultural practices, and this has an effect
on work relationships and development. 2Geert Hofstede came up with a structured way of
comparing cultural dimensions of different countries. 3The theory explains the impacts of a
community’s culture on the values of the community members, and the way these values
relate to their behaviors. 4He gives scores as a way to help distinguish people from different
nations using the following dimensions: long-term orientation, individualism, power distance,
indulgence, necessity avoidance and masculinity. 5While United Kingdom and China share
cultural similarities, these two countries also have different cultural practices based on
Hofstede’s Six Dimensions of Culture.

Adapted from: Comparison Between the United Kingdom and China. (2017, November).
https://samples.essaypro.com/Compare-and-Contrast-Essay/Uk-China-Comparison.pdf

Hook:
Background information:
Thesis statement:

Activity 4
Identify the type of hook in the introductory paragraphs below and write it in the space
provided.

No. Sentence Type of hook

1 Have you ever watched the high-flying, jump
shooting, slam dunking, ankle breaking players that
play in the NBA?
2 Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most
powerful weapon you can use to change the world.”
3 Almost two-thirds of American adults at some point
in their life lived in a home with at least one gun.
4 Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, could spend one
million dollars per day, every day, seven days a
week and would not run out of money until he was
311 years old!
Activity 5
Below are the introductory paragraphs of compare and contrast essay. Based on the
introductory paragraphs, identify whether the hooks are acceptable or unacceptable and
justify your reason.

Introductory Paragraph 1
In the era of the 21st century, with the rise of digital technology, many physical items such
as paper and pen are slowly becoming obsolete and are being replaced by computers,
smartphones and other gadgets. Everyone agrees that books are one of the essential
tools in learning and they are used in our everyday lives. With the world’s current
pandemic situation, all learning has been shifted to online platforms. Online teaching,
eBooks, online notes have now become ubiquitous and a part of life for the students.
However, it has some advantages as well as disadvantages. Paper and electronic books
provide an excellent and effective way of reading, but paper books allow more precise and
effective reading.

Adapted from: eBooks vs Books Essay. (n.d.). https://swiflearn.com/study-material/essay/ebooks-

vs-books-essay/

Acceptable or Unacceptable:
Reason:

Introductory Paragraph 2
“Smartphone is definitely better than us to be able to keep us addicted to it”. It would
almost seem abnormal for a person to not own a cell phone nowadays, but for some
choosing which phone is right for them is rather difficult. With so many options to choose
from, one may not know where to even begin in choosing a cell phone. Apple and Android
are the two biggest companies currently on the market, with lots of different models.
Apple’s iPhone 7 and the Samsung Galaxy S7 are the most popular models out as of now.
The three main factors that come into play when contemplating which phone to buy come
down to cost, features, and hardware.

Adapted from: Bramer, D. (n.d.). iPhone vs Android.

https://www.coursehero.com/file/19809364/Compare-and-Contrast-Essay-Don-Bramer/

Acceptable or Unacceptable:
Reason:
Introductory Paragraph 3

Education is a process of
facilitating learning or
acquisition of knowledge.
Education
is a never ending learning
process that has always been a
part in our life to continue the
path
of success. Learners can
also educate themselves
without the guidance of
educators.
Education can be formal
or informal depending to
the situation. Formal
education is
commonly divided into
many stages such as
kindergarten, school and
university. In
university, students can
choose to further their study
abroad or in local university.
Recently,
studying abroad has become a
trend among the students.
Nonetheless, studying locally
and
abroad has its own benefits
and uniqueness.
Education is a process of
facilitating learning or
acquisition of knowledge.
Education
is a never ending learning
process that has always been a
part in our life to continue the
path
of success. Learners can
also educate themselves
without the guidance of
educators.
Education can be formal
or informal depending to
the situation. Formal
education is
commonly divided into
many stages such as
kindergarten, school and
university. In
university, students can
choose to further their study
abroad or in local university.
Recently,
studying abroad has become a
trend among the students.
Nonetheless, studying locally
and
abroad has its own benefits
and uniqueness.
Education is a process of
facilitating learning or
acquisition of knowledge.
Education
is a never ending learning
process that has always been a
part in our life to continue the
path
of success. Learners can
also educate themselves
without the guidance of
educators.
Education can be formal
or informal depending to
the situation. Formal
education is
commonly divided into
many stages such as
kindergarten, school and
university. In
university, students can
choose to further their study
abroad or in local university.
Recently,
studying abroad has become a
trend among the students.
Nonetheless, studying locally
and
abroad has its own benefits
and uniqueness.
Education is a process of
facilitating learning or
acquisition of knowledge.
Education
is a never ending learning
process that has always been a
part in our life to continue the
path
of success. Learners can
also educate themselves
without the guidance of
educators.
Education can be formal
or informal depending to
the situation. Formal
education is
commonly divided into
many stages such as
kindergarten, school and
university. In
university, students can
 choose to further their study
abroad or in local university.
Recently,
studying abroad has become a
trend among the students.
Nonetheless, studying locally
and
abroad has its own benefits
and uniqueness.
According to Wikipedia, “education is a process of facilitating learning or acquisition of
knowledge”. Education is a never-ending learning process that has always been a part in
our life to continue the path of success. Learners can also educate themselves
without the guidance of educators. Education can be formal or informal
depending to the situation. Formal education is commonly divided into many
stages such as kindergarten, school and university. In university, students can
choose to further their study abroad or in local university. Recently, studying abroad has
become a trend among the students. Nonetheless, studying locally and abroad has its
own benefits and uniqueness.

Adapted from: A Compare and Contrast Essay About Education. (n.d.)

https://www.studocu.com/my/document/universiti-pendidikan-sultan-idris/english-profienciency-
4english-profienciency-4/biu-2042-compare-and-contrast-essay-education/16123086

Acceptable or Unacceptable:
Reason:
Activity 6
The hook for each introductory paragraph below is missing. Write an appropriate hook for
each of the paragraph according to the given type of hook.

Introductory paragraph 1

Each marriage comes with a different perspective and story, whether it is an arranged
marriage or love marriage. Arranged and love marriages are very similar yet different. Love
is the pure feeling of attachment. Arranged marriage is like a blind date in hopes to find love.
It could be love at first sight or love after a while so in somewhat way they end up being a
love marriage after all because the end result is the same as they get married or find love.
Although arranged marriage and love marriage requires a lifelong commitment, they are
different in terms of prior understanding towards each other.

Type of hook: Rhetorical question

Hook: __________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Introductory paragraph 2
Over the last two decades, the demand from consumers for organic foods has increased
tremendously. In fact, the popularity of organic foods has exploded significantly with
consumers, spending a considerably higher amount of money on them as compared to the
amount spent on inorganic foods. A food product will only be labelled as organic if it is free of
any additives that are made artificially, such as preservatives, flavouring, sweeteners, as
well as colourings. On the other hand, inorganic foods are those that are grown using
artificial chemicals. Inorganic food products are those that have been treated with artificial
additives, such as preservatives, sweeteners, and flavouring. Organic and inorganic foods
possess a number of significant differences. While organic and non-organic foods provide
good nutrient contents, the cost between this type of foods is different.
Type of hook: Statistic

Hook: __________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Introductory Paragraph 3
School is one of the most important stages of educational system in our lives where we are
trained to absorb basic knowledge and prepare for our future. Often times, schools are
divided into single-sex schools, where only boys or girls study, and co-ed schools, where
boys and girls study together. This choice demands that parents choose between co-ed
school and single-sex school and decide what would be better for their children. Although
both co-ed schools and single-sex schools provide good learning experience to their
students, they differ in terms of social skills.

Type of hook: Quotation

Hook: __________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Introductory Paragraph 4

The 21st century is the age of visual information. Most places are surrounded by all kinds of
graphics, charts, commercials, logos, banners, and other images. Be it a website, a
billboard, a magazine, a comic book, a package—all the images are created by graphic
designers: people whose profession is to draw. Unlike usual artists, graphic designers
mostly work with customers, creating images based on their specific requirements; there is
also one more difference: instead of a canvas, pencils, and dyes, graphic designers utilise
special software programmes. Among the most popular and the most advanced
programmes, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator are the favourites of the majority of
graphic designers. While Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator have many benefits in
editing images, they differ in terms of the function.

Type of hook: Interesting fact

Hook: __________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
Activity 7
Identify whether the background information in each of the introductory paragraphs below.
For each background information, decide whether it is acceptable or unacceptable. Give a
reason to justify each of your choices.

Text 1
Coke or Pepsi: Two soft drinks that have been constantly battling for decades, competing for
the prime spot as the world's most popular soda. Some people might even think that these
two fizzy refreshments are the same, but Pepsi is sweeter than Coke, so right away it had a
big advantage in a sip test. Pepsi is also characterized by a citrusy flavor burst, unlike the
more raisin-vanilla taste of Coke. While Pepsi and Coke have a similarity in marketing
strategy, these drinks contain different nutritional content.

Acceptable or Unacceptable:
Reason:

Text 2
In recent decades, the title of one of the most popular cultures worldwide should be definitely
given to Japan. Millions of people all over the world study the Japanese language, watch
dorama (dramatic TV series on all kinds of topics) or animation, read and write haiku, and
make pen pal with Japanese people. Countless people buy tickets and fly to the country of
the rising sun to see its wonders with their own eyes. Among the most popular destinations
are Tokyo and Kyoto. Mostly, people know that Tokyo is a mega city of the future, and Kyoto
has more to do with ancient culture, traditions, and so on. To most people, Tokyo and Kyoto
brings no difference as they have rich historical background, but these two places offer
different outdoor experiences.
Acceptable or Unacceptable:
Reason:

Text 3
When traveling long distances, there is no alternative to the aircraft in speed and comfort.
Airbus and Boeing are the main competitors in the world market. These companies' have
shared the sky for over 50 years and both brands have their adherents. These days,
competition in the civil aircraft market is escalating. The European company Airbus
increasingly surpasses the American Boeing, its rival and the traditional industry leader. The
main competition between these brands is in civil aviation. Airbus and Boeing maybe almost
similar when it comes to overall appearance, but they differ in the technical aspect.
Acceptable or Unacceptable:
Reason:

Activity 8
In groups of five, write background information for each of the introductory paragraphs below
based on the given topic and hook. Then share your answers with your classmates.

Introductory Paragraph 1
Topic: The similarities and differences of attending public school and home school.

It is important to note that it is a right for the children to have a quality education. _________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Introductory Paragraph 2
Topic: A comparison between the benefits of drinking coffee and drinking tea.

A new study of 2,000 Americans examined the personality differences in people based on
their morning beverage of choice: coffee or tea. ___________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Introductory Paragraph 3
Topic: The similarities and differences of studying abroad and studying locally.

Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the
world.” ___________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________