Although I raised Tony and Steven from puppies, they have completely diverse personalities.

Steven is a six
year old, male, toy Pomeranian whereas Tony is a one year old, female, Boston terrier. Steven is small and
soft, unlike Tony who has bristly hair and is much bigger. Tony insists on sleeping on the bed, under the
covers every night. On the other hand, Steven will only sleep on the floor, under the bed. Steven is
tremendously loyal and uptight; however, Tony is hyper and friendly to anyone she meets or sees. Around
other dogs, Tony cowers to the larger dog, yet Steven will always stand his ground, never giving up until he is
scolded. Given that they were both treated the same way all their life, it is hard to believe that they are so
different in everything they do.

A comparison shows how people or things are similar. A contrast shows how they are different.
In both, you must identify topics (e.g. Davao and Tokyo) and their points of comparison (e.g.
size, location, weather) that can be compared or contrasted.

In a compare and contrast paragraph, you are required to examine the differences and/or
similarities of two or more subjects that meaningfully connect with each other.

An example of this can be a paragraph talking about Davao and Tokyo and how they are both
similar and different. You can begin gathering the information of both subjects that
meaningfully connect with each other. AGAIN! They should meaningfully connect with each
other. You can not compare a dog to a pizza, right?

Key point: The purpose of conducting the comparison or contrast is not to state the obvious but rather to
illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities. And so, it is very important to pick the right
information for the subjects.

So let’s begin with the two subjects, Davao and Tokyo. Begin gathering details that both are
related, similar, or opposite. You may choose aspects (e.g. economy, population, weather, etc.)
where both are connected or answer guide questions before you begin constructing the text.

The words or transitions below can help in the composition of your compare and contrast
paragraph.

SIMILARITIES
• Summer in Davao is similar to Tokyo’s. • Both Davao and Tokyo have a humid weather in the
summer.

• Tokyo also has a humid summer weather.

• Davao has a humid summer weather too. • As well, Tokyo has a humid summer weather.
DIFFERENCES
• On the other hand, summer is much more humid in Tokyo.

• However, summer is much hotter in Davao.

• Davao has a rainy winter, but Halifax has a snowy one.

• In contrast to Davao, Tokyo has a snowy winter.

• Tokyo differs from Davao by having a snowy winter.

Key point: Note that there are other compare and contrast words available in other resources. These in the
table are just examples of the cue terms.

A comparison or contrast paragraph should focus on a noteworthy difference or similarity

between two objects, people, places, or concepts. You should include specific data and examples
to demonstrate why the difference or likeness is significant. Because this is likely to be a
paragraph within a broader essay that discusses three or more contrasts or similarities, you
should focus on only one difference or similarity. The writer of a compare and contrast essay
often indicates why he or she favors one thing over the other.
You'll encounter a number of writing assignments as a student, each with its own set of
requirements. One of the most common kinds of essays is the comparison/contrast essay, in
which you focus on how specific things or ideas—usually two of them—are similar to (the
comparison) and/or different from each other (the contrast). By assigning such essays, you are
encouraging students to connect texts or ideas, engage in critical thinking, and go beyond mere
description or summary to generate interesting analysis: reflecting on similarities and differences
allows you to gain a better understanding of the items you're comparing, their relationship to one
another, and what's most important about them. The comparison highlights the differences
between them. You must identify themes (such as Davao and Tokyo) as well as points of
comparison (such as size, location, and weather) or similarities in both.

The following words can help you to write a good compare and contrast paragraph:

Similarities Example

is similar to Summer weather in Davao is similar to summer weather in Tokyo.

both Both Davao and Tokyo have rain in the summer.
also Tokyo also has a rainy summer season.
too Tokyo has a rainy summer season, too.
as well As well, Davao has rainy summer season.

Differences Example

on the other hand On the other hand, winter is much colder in Tokyo.
however However, winter is much colder in Tokyo.
but Tokyo has a winter season, but Davao has none.
in contrast to In contrast to Davao, Tokyo has a winter season.
differs from Tokyo differs from Davao by having a winter season.
while While Davao has a rainy December, Tokyo has a snowy one.
unlike Unlike Tokyo, Davao doesn't get snow.

However, these are not the only words you can use in compare and contrast writing, there are
others as well. In addition, you may be used to comparing and contrasting in writing but this can
be a reading skill as well. Watch the video below to find out more!

Compare and contrast is a common form of academic writing, either as a paragraph, an essay
type on its own, or as part of a larger essay which includes one or more paragraphs which
compare or contrast. This page gives information on what a compare and contrast pattern of
writing development is, how to structure this type of composition, how to use compare and
contrast structure words, and how to make sure you use appropriate criteria for
comparison/contrast. There is also an example compare and contrast on the topic of
communication technology, as well as some exercises to help you practice this area.

In this type of writing, compare means describing similarities between the subjects. A paragraph
on farm-life versus city would provide at least details on how people's lives in the city are like
the lives of the people that live on a farm. Basically, the comparison tells what they have in
common.

When a writer contrasts two things, he or she explains ways in which they are different. After
completing a unit of study on where people live, students should be able to provide several
supports about how life on a farm can be vastly different from life in a city.

Again, compare and contrast compositions can cover almost any topic and may pop up in a
variety of subject areas. In order to make decisions about what to include, writers need to keep
one thing in mind: relevance. Relevance helps determine which characteristics are worth
comparing and contrasting. Your thesis will help you determine the relevance, or irrelevance, of
facts. If you are just writing a paragraph, however, that means writers need a strong topic
sentence.
This is a sentence that lets the reader know the topic and the argument the writer is making.
Something like: While city life and farm life have few similarities, city life provides the hustle
and bustle of many people, distinct noises, and social opportunities that are different from that of
farm life. If this is the writer's topic sentence, then the paragraph should focus on details that are
relevant to the hustle and bustle of city life, noises, and social activities available in the city
versus on a farm. The topic sentence will help keep the writing focused on just a few ideas that
are based on the overall topic.

For a few reminders, when making comparisons or contrasts, it is important to be clear

what criteria you are using. Study the following example, which contrasts two people. Here the
criteria are unclear.

 Aaron is tall and strong. In contrast, Bruce is handsome and very intelligent.

Although this sentence has a contrast transition, the criteria for contrasting are not the same. The
criteria used for Aaron are height (tall) and strength (strong). We would expect similar criteria to
be used for Bruce (maybe he is short and weak), but instead we have new criteria,
namely appearance (handsome) and intelligence (intelligent). This is a common mistake for
learners when writing this type of paragraph or essay. Compare the following, which has much
clearer criteria (contrast structure words shown in italics).

 Aaron and Bruce differ in four ways. The first difference is height. Aaron is
tall, while Bruce is short. A second difference is strength. Aaron is strong. In contrast,
Bruce is weak. A third difference is appearance. Aaron, who is average looking, differs
from Bruce, who is handsome. The final difference is intelligence. Aaron is of average
intelligence. Bruce, on the other hand, is very intelligent.