Writing a
Comparison and
Contrast Essay
Writing Assignment #2
• You will write a comparison and contrast
essay. You will compare and contrast two
things, deciding which is better.
• Examples of topics:
1. Comparing and contrasting two cities: The
benefits of living in Seoul versus living in a
smaller town like Daejeon.
2. Comparing and contrasting two times in
history: When was a better time to live?
Present or past? Why?
3. Comparing and contrasting two ideas or
theories: Think of two theories or theorists.
Which theory was better? Why or why not?
Minimum: 4 paragraphs
Maximum: 5 paragraphs
What’s a comparison and
contrast essay?
• Compare and contrast two subjects.
Compare- Show how two things are alike.
Contrast- Show how two things are
different.
Review Essay Formation
Every essay must be composed of the
following elements:
• Introduction- Tells us what the essay is
about (thesis statement).
• Body- Gives us support and examples for
the opinion or idea in the thesis.
• Conclusion- Ends the essay. Returns us
back to the original thesis statement.
Introduction
• Proceeds from general to specific
ideas.
• The last sentence is the thesis
statement. It is the most specific idea
in the introduction.
• Thesis statement must communicate
a clear idea or opinion; it can never
be a statement of fact.
Body
• Gives support for the opinion or
idea in the thesis statement.
• Support can include facts,
reasons, statistics, explanations,
examples, comparisons and
contrasts, and recommendations
Conclusion
• Brings an essay to a close.
• Refers to ideas in the
introduction and the thesis
statement.
• Should not bring up new
unrelated ideas.
How to set up Comparison and
Contrast Essay: Brainstorming
• Brainstorm everything you know about
each subject.
• Look for connections that show
similarities and differences.
Example: Compare and contrast two
seasons: Spring and Autumn. Are there
any similarities and are there differences?
Thesis Statement
• The thesis statement of an essay creates
unity
• What is unity? An overarching idea.
• A good thesis statement is supported by
the other ideas, explanations, and
examples in the introduction, body
paragraph(s), and conclusion.
What makes a good thesis
statement or bad statement?
Look at these thesis statements and decide
which one is a good thesis statement or
bad thesis statement.
Hunger persists in Zimbabwe because jobs
are scarce, the farmers are having
difficulty farming on the infertile land,
and the government does not allow
democratic dissent.
Hunger persists in Zimbabwe.
What makes a good or bad
thesis statement?
• The concept of global warming should
not receive the amount of attention
because the earth periodically goes
through a state of warming and cooling,
and therefore it is out of human control.
• The concept of global warming should
not receive the amount of attention that is
currently focused on this issue.
Thesis Statement: Comparison
and Contrast Essay
•
Look at our list and let’s ask some
questions.
1. Is there something important, significant,
or interesting about my list? Are there
any differences or similarities between
the two seasons?
2. What have I discovered about the two
seasons?
Example: Although there is exquisite beauty
in the seasons of Autumn and Spring,
there are also differences which allow
the season to stand on its own.
How to Organize Comparison
and Contrast Essay
• Paragraph 1- Introduce the topic
• Paragraph 2- Talk about 1st subject
• Paragraph 3-Talk about 1st subject/2nd
subject
• Paragraph 4-Talk about 2nd subject
• Paragraph 5- Conclusion
How would you organize this
paper?
Your writing topic:
Your experiences before and after giving up
a bad habit.
Paragraph Unity
• Each paragraph of an essay must have
unity.
• A paragraph must have one main idea.
• Every sentence in the paragraph must be
relevant to that main idea.
Example of Paragraph Unity
As you manage your time, think about how
long certain activities will take. A
common mistake is to underestimate the
time needed to do something simple. For
example, when you are planning to go to
the store, there may be a line of people.
Last week in line I met a woman I went to
high school with, so we chatted. It turns
out she has two children just the same age
as mine. When you are estimating time
for a more complex activity, such as
reading, block out more time than you
think you will need. It is better to allow
too much time than too little.
Topic Sentences: Connecting
the Body to the Thesis
• Topic Sentence is usually the first
sentence of each body paragraph.
• Restates one of the ideas or reasons from
the thesis statement.
• The rest of the paragraph describes the
idea found in the topic sentence.
• Topic sentences connect the ideas in the
body paragraphs to the thesis statement.
Controlling Idea
• Topic sentences usually contain a
controlling idea.
• A controlling idea is when you make the
reader curious.
• You make the reader question “How”?
“Why?” or “What does it mean?”
Examples of Controlling Ideas
• English is one of the most difficult
languages. (Why is it difficult? How is it
difficult?)
• When I went to Seoul last month, I had an
interesting experience on the subway.
(What experience did you have? Why was
it interesting?)
Examples of Not Good
Controlling Idea
• Over winter break, I went to Canada and
the United States to visit my family.
Why is this not a good controlling idea?
Transitional Sentences
• Connect ideas logically.
• Remind the reader of ideas from the last
paragraph and they introduce ideas that
come in the next paragraph.
• Can be the first or last sentence of a body
paragraph
• May be an internal transition within a
paragraph.
Example of Transitional
Phrases, Words, or Sentences
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For continuing a line of reasoning
To contrast a line of reasoning
For opening a paragraph
For the final points of a paragraph
To signal conclusion
To restate a point
Sequence of time
Connectors Showing
Comparison
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•
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Both
And
Like
Similar to
The same as
Similarly
In the same way
Just as
In the same way that
Connectors Showing Contrast
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But
Yet
Unlike
Different from
In contrast
However
Nevertheless
Whereas
While
Although/even though
Despite/despite the fact that