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WRITING DEFINITIONSH A S S A N E L B A D R I

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FOUR

Comparison and ContrastChapter Four

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WRITING DEFINITIONSH A S S A N E L B A D R I

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Chapter Overview: What is comparison and contrast?

Comparison and contrast paragraph

Planning a comparison and contrast composition

Writing a comparison and contrast composition

Organizational patterns:

Organization by subject

Point-by-point organization

Comparison and contrast vocabulary

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WRITING DEFINITIONSH A S S A N E L B A D R I

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Comparison and contrast:

A Comparison or Contrast composition is a composition in which you either compare something or contrast something.  A comparison essay is an essay in which you emphasize the similarities, and a contrast essay is an essay in which you emphasize the differences.  We use comparison and contrast thinking when deciding which university to attend, which car to buy, or whether to drive a car or take a bus or an airplane to a vacation site.

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Comparison paragraph: Moths and butterflies are closely related and look very much

alike; however, they differ from each other in four ways. First, most moths are active at night, but most butterflies are active during the day. Butterflies fly from flower to flower sucking their “nectar”. In contrast, moths are attracted by lights and fly continuously around lamps. Second, when moths rest, they spread their wings out. Butterflies, in contrast, hold their wings straight up. Third, their antennae are also different. While the antennae of most moths are hair-like and pointed, all butterflies have knobs at the end of their antennae. Finally, the bodies of most moths are thick whereas the bodies of butterflies are thin.

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Comparison paragraph:

Moths and butterflies are closely related and look very much alike;

however, they differ from each other in four ways. First, most moths are

active at night, but most butterflies are active during the day. Butterflies fly

from flower to flower sucking their “nectar”. In contrast, moths are attracted

by lights and fly continuously around lamps. Second, when moths rest, they

spread their wings out. Butterflies, in contrast, hold their wings straight up.

Third, their antennae are also different. While the antennae of most moths

are hair-like and pointed, all butterflies have knobs at the end of their

antennae. Finally, the bodies of most moths are thick whereas the bodies of

butterflies are thin.

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Planning Michael has two brothers, Nick and Joe. Michael decided to write about his two brothers. Look at the following table in which he listed the differences between Nick and Joe.

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WritingThis is Michael’s final draft.

My two brothers

Most people assume that sisters and brothers have many things in common. This is not always true. Both my brothers, Nick and Joe, have the same parents and the same background, but they differ considerably in appearance and lifestyle.

Nick, the younger one, has long, curly hair and a beard. He usually dresses casually in blue jeans and a T-shirt. He is a cook in a small restaurant. Because the restaurant is near his home, he rides his bicycle to work. In his free time, Nick goes to movies and plays football. He lives in the city in a studio apartment.

My brother Joe, on the other hand, looks more conservative than Nick. He has shorter, straighter hair. He has a moustache but no beard. Because he is a businessman, he wears a suit and tie to work. He drives his car to his downtown office every day. In his spare time, he reads newspapers and plays soccer. Joe lives in a large house in the suburbs with his wife and their children.

My friends cannot believe that Nick and Joe are brothers because they seem so different.

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WritingThis is Michael’s final draft.

My two brothers

Most people assume that sisters and brothers have many things in common. This is not always true. Both my brothers, Nick and Joe, have the same parents and the same background, but they differ considerably in appearance and lifestyle.

Nick, the younger one, has long, curly hair and a beard. He usually dresses casually in blue jeans and a T-shirt. He is a cook in a small restaurant. Because the restaurant is near his home, he rides his bicycle to work. In his free time, Nick goes to movies and plays football. He lives in the city in a studio apartment.

My brother Joe, on the other hand, looks more conservative than Nick. He has shorter, straighter hair. He has a moustache but no beard. Because he is a businessman, he wears a suit and tie to work. He drives his car to his downtown office every day. In his spare time, he reads newspapers and plays soccer. Joe lives in a large house in the suburbs with his wife and their children.

My friends cannot believe that Nick and Joe are brothers because they seem so different.

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English 101

Organization by subjectOne way to arrange your comparison and contrast composition is to write about airplanes in one paragraph and to write about helicopters in the next. This method of arrangement is called organization by subject. If you mention a particular point in the airplane paragraph, you must mention the same point in the helicopter paragraph, and in the same order. Look at the following outline.Similarities and differences between airplanes and helicoptersIntroductionI. Airplanes

A. Shape and designB. SpeedC. Direction of takeoff and flight

II. HelicoptersA. Shape and designB. SpeedC. Direction of takeoff and flight

Conclusion

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Sample #1The Differences Between Airplanes and Helicopters

One of the most important means of transportation is by air. Millions of people travel by air worldwide every year. Air transportation is considered to be the fastest and safest way of traveling. Airplanes and helicopters are both important forms of air travel, but there are great differences between them.

Airplanes have long, slender bodies with wings. They travel extremely fast, reaching speeds of over 1,975 miles (3,000 Km) per hour. Airplanes take off horizontally and can move in a forward direction only. They need a lot of space for takeoff and landing. Airplanes regularly carry several hundred passengers.

In contrast, helicopters have round bodies and propellers rather than wings. They move at slower speeds. They take off vertically and can move in any direction. Helicopters require a very small takeoff or landing space. Most helicopters carry only two to five passengers.

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Organization by point-by-pointA second way to organize your composition is to write about a particular point about airplanes and then immediately write about the same point about helicopters. This method is called point-by-point arrangement. An outline of this arrangement follows.Similarities and differences between airplanes and helicoptersIntroduction

I. Shape and designA. AirplanesB. Helicopters

II. SpeedA. AirplanesB. Helicopters

III. Direction of takeoff and flightA. AirplanesB. Helicopters

Conclusion

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Sample #2The Differences Between Airplanes and Helicopters

Airplanes and helicopters are both important forms of air travel, but there are great differences between them.

The first major difference between airplanes and helicopters is their shape and design. Airplanes, for example, have long, slender bodies with wings while helicopters have round bodies and propellers rather than wings.

Another difference between airplanes and helicopters is their speed. Airplanes can travel extremely fast, reaching speeds of over 1,875 miles (3,000 kilometers) per hour. Helicopters, on the other hand are much slower than airplanes.

The final difference between airplanes and helicopters is their direction of takeoff and flight. While airplanes take off horizontally and can move in a forward direction only, helicopters take off vertically and can move in any direction. Airplanes need a lot of space for takeoff and landing. Helicopters, on the other hand, require a very small takeoff or landing space. Airplanes regularly carry several hundred passengers but most helicopters carry only two to five passengers.

Because of the great differences between airplanes and helicopters, each is used for a specific purpose. Airplanes and helicopters, therefore, are both important forms of air travel.

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Sample #2The Differences Between Airplanes and Helicopters

Airplanes and helicopters are both important forms of air travel, but there are great differences between them.

The first major difference between airplanes and helicopters is their shape and design. Airplanes, for example, have long, slender bodies with wings while helicopters have round bodies and propellers rather than wings.

Another difference between airplanes and helicopters is their speed. Airplanes can travel extremely fast, reaching speeds of over 1,875 miles (3,000 kilometers) per hour. Helicopters, on the other hand are much slower than airplanes.

The final difference between airplanes and helicopters is their direction of takeoff and flight. While airplanes take off horizontally and can move in a forward direction only, helicopters take off vertically and can move in any direction. Airplanes need a lot of space for takeoff and landing. Helicopters, on the other hand, require a very small takeoff or landing space. Airplanes regularly carry several hundred passengers but most helicopters carry only two to five passengers.

Because of the great differences between airplanes and helicopters, each is used for a specific purpose. Airplanes and helicopters, therefore, are both important forms of air travel.

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These are not the only ways to give coherence to a comparison paragraph. There are other conjunctions, too. Here is a list of comparison conjunctions you can use:

Short Conjunctions Longer Expressions

Similarly, Likewise, ...the same... ...the same as... ...also... ..., too. both likewiseunlikeHowever, In contrast, By contrast, ..., but ..., yetNevertheless,

In the same way, X is similar to Y in that (they)... Like X, Y [verb]... One way in which X is similar to Y is (that)... Another way in which X is similar to Y is (that)... In contrast,… By contrast,…On the other hand, even though + [sentence] although + [sentence] whereas + [sentence] unlike + [sentence] while + [sentence]

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Group activity: Open your textbook on page 136 and study the example composition number 3 titled “crocodiles and Alligators” and answer the questions that follow.