Part One: Discussion
The pairs below are things that seem very similar. With a partner or group, brainstorm the ways in which these things are different.
- Nike and Adidas
- Canada and the US
- holidays and weekends
Part Two: Writing
One of the most common academic writing tasks is the "Compare and/or Contrast" composition. The key to an interesting comparison is to avoid the obvious; if two subjects appear similar, focusing on the differences will result in more interesting and unexpected ideas. In this unit, you will write a single paragraph comparing/contrasting two subjects. The paragraph should follow the basic structure covered in Unit One:
Paragraph Structure
Topic Sentence
- This is a sentence, usually the first or second one, that describes the main idea and focus of your paragraph.
- In order to be effective, a topic sentence can’t be too narrow, too broad, incomplete, or an announcement.
In a comparison contrast paragraph, you introduce the two subjects and clearly state whether the focus is on similarities, differences, or both.
Supporting Sentences
- These are the sentences that give support to your topic sentence.
- They provide reasons and supporting details to expand upon your main idea and back it up with details and facts.
- In order to be effective, supporting sentences need to be focused, have supporting details, and be clearly related to the main idea.
In a comparison contrast paragraph, develop the main idea in the topic sentence with specific points to compare and/or contrast. Because a single paragraph is a short composition, you might want to focus on only the similarities or differences between the two subjects.
Concluding Sentence
- The concluding sentence is usually the last sentence of the paragraph.
- An effective lets the reader know that the topic has been fully developed.
In a comparison contrast paragraph, make a final statement, perhaps suggesting your overall opinion of the two subjects, which of the two is superior, etc.