COMPARE AND CONTRAST ESSAY

Contents Comparing and Contrasting Graphic Organizers

- Basic Block Style Introduction to Comparison Essay

- Block Comparison style

- Point-by-Point Comparison Style Connectors and Transitions

Introduction to Comparison EssayA comparison essay is one of the most common forms of

essay writing. In good comparison essay, the writers usually discusses two subjects, and these two subjects can be anything-people, objects, places, or idea.

Even though this kind of writing is commonly called ‘comparison’ , writer can focus on only comparison (similarities), only contrast(differences), or comparison-contrast (writing about both similarities and differences).

Comparison and Contrasting

Comparing and contrasting are very common in academic writing.

The purpose of comparison is to show how people, place, thing, or idea are similar.

The purpose of contrast is to show how people, place, thing, or idea are different.

Organization of Comparison Essay

Writers organized comparison essay in three different ways. There are called:

Basic blockBlock comparisonPoint-by-point comparison

Basic Block Style

The first style introduced similarities between two objects and then the differences, or vice versa.

Basic block style look like this:

Introductory Paragraph

Thesis statement

Body paragraph 1

Similarities between A and B

Body paragraph 2

Differences between A and B

Concluding paragraph

Block Comparison Style

The second style also has two body paragraph. However, this style only describes one item only in the first body paragraph and describes second item in the second body paragraph. The second body paragraph show how the second item compare with the first one by using the same categories of comparison.

Block comparison style look like this:

Introductory ParagraphThesis statement

Body paragraph 1Point about A

Body paragraph 2Point about B in comparison to A

Concluding paragraph

Point-by-point Comparison Style

The third style that is a comparison-and-contrast essay. This style have several body paragraph, and there are as many body paragraph as there are points of comparison.

Point-by-point comparison style look like this:Introductory Paragraph

Thesis statement

Body paragraph 1Point 1: A and B

Body paragraph 3Point 3: A and B

Concluding paragraph

Body paragraph 2Point 2: A and B

Connectors and TransitionsThese are the list of common comparing and contrasting structures for connectors and transitions.

a. Comparing (within a sentences)- compare to + noun- the same + noun + as- as + adj/adv + as- like + noun- not only……but also……- both……and……- also- S + v, and S + V- S + V, and S + V, too

a. Comparing (between sentences)- in addition, S + V- similarity, S + V- likewise, S + V

b. Contrasting (within a sentences)- although / Even though / though + S + V,

S + V- unlike + noun- whereas / while + S + V, S + V- S + V, but S + V

c. Contrasting (between sentences)- conversely, S + V- however, S + V- on one hand, S + V- on the other hand, S + V- in contrast, S + V- nevertheless, S + V