Compare and Contrast Paragraph [PDF]

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Compare and Contrast Paragraph In a compare and contrast paragraph, you write about the similarities and differences between two or more people, places, things, or ideas.



First, craft a Topic Sentence - In one sentence, tell the reader the focus of your paragraph Decide to what extent you will stress the similarities between your subjects and to what extent you will stress their differences. Create a topic sentence that reflects that decision.



Example (for a paragraph comparing the Canadian cities of Vancouver and Halifax:) While there are some similarities between Vancouver and Halifax, there are also some differences, particularly in weather and population. Or Although Vancouver and Halifax are similar in some respects, they are quite different in terms of climate and size. Or



Vancouver and Halifax are similar in many ways, but they have one major difference: weather.



Using the following words and phrases helps to clarify similarities and differences when writing a good compare and contrast paragraph: Helper Words: Similarities is similar to both also too as well



Differences On the other hand however but in contrast differs from while unlike



Similarities is similar to (Example:) Spring weather in Vancouver is similar to spring weather in Halifax. Both (Example:) Both Vancouver and Halifax have rain in the spring. Also (Example:) Halifax also has a rainy spring season. Too (Example:) Halifax has a rainy spring season, too. as well (Example:) As well, Halifax has a very rainy spring season. Differences on the other hand (Example:) On the other hand, winter is much colder in Halifax. however (Example:) However, winter is much colder in Halifax. but (Example:) Vancouver has a mild winter, but Halifax has a cold one. in contrast to (Example:) In contrast to Vancouver, Halifax has a cold winter. differs from (Example:) Halifax differs from Vancouver by having a cold winter. while (Example:) While Vancouver has a mild winter, Halifax has a cold winter



Paragraph: Similarities Sample 1 Similarities Between Work and School Work and school are very much alike in at least three ways. First, both require an early start. Going to work requires getting up early to be assured of a parking space, and going to school requires getting up early to avoid the traffic rush. Second, promptness is important in both places. Being at work on time pleases the employer; being in class on time pleases the instructor. Third, both work and school deadlines must be met. On the job, the boxes would have to be filled and the telephone calls made by a certain time; in a class, the essays would have to be submitted and the books read by a certain date. In conclusion, it is not surprising that work and school share these three similarities, since one of the purposes of school is to prepare a student for the job of his choice. http://www.sinclair.edu/centers/tlc/pub/handouts_worksheets/english/075_comparison_contrast.pdf



Paragraph: Differences Sample 1 The differences between two states in the U.S Even though Arizona and Rhode Island are both states of the U.S., they are strikingly different in many ways. First of all, the physical size of each state is different. For example, Arizona is large, having an area of 114,000 square miles, whereas Rhode Island is only about a tenth the size, having an area of only 1,214 square miles. Another difference is in the size of the population of each state. Arizona has about four million people living in it, but Rhode Island has less than one million. The two states also differ in the kinds of natural environments that each has. For example, Arizona is a very dry state, consisting of large desert areas that do not receive much rainfall every year. However, Rhode Island is located in a temperate zone and receives an average of 44 inches of rain per year. In addition, while Arizona is a landlocked state and thus has no seashore, Rhode Island lies on the Atlantic Ocean and does have a significant coastline. http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fwalters/compcont.html



Sample 2



Teaching Styles Students who have Mr. Wong and Mr. Kumar are immediately aware of the difference in the lecturing manner of each teacher. Mr. Wong has a pleasant voice, which helps hold the interest of the students. Mr. Kumar, however, has a booming voice, which commands rather than teaches.The moderate tone and inflected words of Mr. Wong make his lectures more interesting than those of Mr. Kumar, who speaks in a boring monotone. Mr. Wong welcomes questions from students who don’t understand the material, as compared to Mr. Kumar who hates to be interrupted. Mr. Wong takes his time and explains slowly, whereas Mr. Kumar rushes through each lesson. Mr. Wong is very enthusiastic about his subject: he tries to make sure everyone understands a concept before he moves on to something new. Mr. Kumar, however, is always in a determined mood; he feels that he must cover everything. Each teacher has a different voice, tone, expression, and attitude: and as a result, their lectures are quite different. Source: Donald, Moore, Morrow, Wargetz, Werner, Writing Clear Paragraphs, Prentice Hall, 1978.



Sample 3 Two Varieties of English Although U.S.English and British English are mutually understandable languages, there are quite a few differences. One difference is spelling. Some words are spelled one way inthe United States but spelt another way in Great Britain. A person goes to a British theatre but to a U.S. theater. In U.S. schools, students theorize, analyze and socialize, whereas British students theorise, analyse, and socialise. A second area of difference is vocabulary. For example, the word college names two very different types of schools in the United States and Great Britain — university level in the United States and pre-university level in Great Britain. Also, British university students live in halls on campus and in flats off campus, but U.S.students live in dormitories on campus and in apartments off campus. Finally, there are many differences in pronunciation. In Great Britain, the sound of a in the words path, laugh, aunt, plant, and dance is like the a in father. In the UnitedStates, in contrast, the a sound in the words is like the a in cat. All in all, though there are differences between the English spoken in the United States and the English spoken in the British Isles, we understand each other most of the time! http://www.ablongman.com/samplechapter/0131933957.pdf