Comparing and

Contrasting
Ideas in Similar
Texts
You are expected to:
• Define comparing and contrasting;
• Be familiar with tools used for
comparison and contrast;
• Be familiar with words used when
comparing and contrasting ideas;
• Use graphic organizers for comparison
and contrast;
 Compare
- SHOWS what is the same
about two or more things.
Oranges and Bananas

⮚You eat both of them.

⮚They are both fruits.
⮚You have to peel both of them.
 Contrast

❖SHOWS what is different

about two or more things.
 Oranges and Bananas

⮚Oranges are orange. ⮚ Bananas are yellow.

⮚Oranges are round. ⮚ Bananas are long.
⮚Oranges have seeds. ⮚ Bananas don’t have seeds.
 Venn Diagrams

• A great way to organize your

thoughts when you are comparing and
contrasting two things.
• In the middle you put how the two
objects are alike.
• On the sides you put how the objects
are different.
Example Venn Diagram

•fruit •yellow
•have seeds
•can eat it •long
•orange
•have to •doesn’t have
•round
peel it seeds
Modified Venn Diagram
What are we asked to do when
we compare and contrast?
You may be asked to compare/contrast:
– ARTICLES/STORIES/POEMS;
– AUTHORS’ POINTS OF VIEW;
– OBJECTS;
– OPINIONS;
– PLACES;
– EVENTS (historical to present and vice
versa);
– IDEAS;
 What do compare/contrast
questions look like?
How do I know if I am being asked
to compare/contrast something?
• Compare/Contrast questions have key
words in them, like:
COMPARE WORDS CONTRAST WORDS
-LIKE -HAVE IN COMMON -ALTHOUGH -WHEREAS
-SAME -AS WELL AS -HOWEVER -WHILE
-BOTH THE SAME AS -DIFFER -UNLESS
-SIMILAR -UNLIKE -CONTRARY TO
-IN THE SAME WAY -EVEN THOUGH
-MOST IMPORTANT -YET -ON THE OTHER -HAND
-SIMILARILY -BUT -THE REVERSE
-AS -INSTEAD
-TOO -ON THE CONTRARY
 Review
• COMPARE = SIMILARITIES
• CONTRAST = DIFFERENCES
• Organize ideas using a VENN
DIAGRAM
• Use ONLY TEXT BASED
DETAILS!!!
 Now it’s your turn!!!

Choose ONE of the pairs below to

compare and contrast on your own
using the Venn Diagram provided.

❖ TWO SPORTS (i.e. basketball/volleyball)

❖ TWO SEASONS (i.e. rainy/sunny)
❖ TWO PEOPLE (i.e. adults/children)
❖ TWO OBJECTS (i.e. book/iPad)
T-Chart
a graphic organizer in which a student
lists and examines two facets of a
topic
What is the use of T chart?
•Making a decision by comparing
resulting advantages and disadvantages

•Evaluating the pros and cons of a topic

•Enumerating the problems and solutions

associated with an action
What is the use of T chart?

•Listing facts vs. opinions of a theme

•Explaining the strengths and weaknesses

of a piece of writing

•Listing any two characteristics of a topic

Here are a few kinds of headings
you might use at the top of your
chart
Here's an example for the main
character in two stories:
Now it’s your turn!!!
Using T-chart as a tool in
making comparison/s, cite
the pros and cons of
having online classes.
Matrix Chart
-planning tool used to analyze and
understand the relationships between
data sets. 

-compare two or more groups of

elements or elements within a single
group.
Math Example
❑investigate the similarities and
differences between different
quadrilaterals

❑categories of comparison can

include, how many sides each
object has, what sides are
parallel, what sides are
congruent, etc. 
Science
Example
❑doing a chapter on animal classification

❑break down into smaller groups the

Arthropods

❑Use matrix chart to classify different

arthropods into the correct group.
Writing
Component
❑compare/contrast matrix
organizer is an effective way to
"draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
analysis and reflection

❑organize ideas before writing

something such as a compare and
contrast essay
Look at the sample matrix below.
Now it’s your turn!!!
Using the matrix chart, put the adjectives in
the correct order to complete each sentence.

Anima has ______ _______ _______ ________.

David Beckham is ____ _____ _____ ______.

The________ ________ banker received an ______

_______ _______ .
CORRECT ORDER OF ADJECTIVES