Compare/Contrast Essay
Outline Worksheet
Name: ____________________________________________
You will be comparing the Patrick Henry speech with the Benjamin Franklin speech in your
textbook. Remember to incorporate parallelism throughout your essay. Compare like with like,
subject with subject, idea with idea, structure with structure, characterization with characterization.
Introduction:
Include the following in your introduction:
Name and Author of Speech A: ______________________________________________
For the first reference, use the author’s first and last names; for all subsequent
references, use the last name only.
Name and Author of Speech B: ______________________________________________
This is your choice as the “better” speech.
Thesis Statement: _____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Body Paragraph #1
Names or Authors of Speeches A & B: _________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Similar Aspects:
1. ________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________
For every aspect you include, add 1-2 sentences of commentary about that aspect.
Sarah Henderson, Loma Linda Academy, 2012
Body Paragraph #2
Name or Author of Speech A: _______________________________________________
Remember parallelism: If you used the name of speech in body par. 1, use the name of
the speech here. If you used the name of the author in body par. 1, use the name of the
author here.
Unique Aspects of Speech A (negative):
1. ________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________
For every aspect you include, add 1-2 sentences of commentary about that aspect.
Body Paragraph #3
Name or Author of Speech B: ________________________________________________
Remember parallelism!
Unique Aspects of Speech B: (Positive Differences from A):
1. ________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________
For every aspect you include, add 1-2 sentences of commentary about that aspect.
Conclusion
Use a full-circle ending.
No new points in the conclusion.
Writing Tips:
●
Transitions to use to compare: all, also, as, both, like, likewise, similarly, in the same way,
equally
●
Transitions to use to contrast: although, but, even though, however, still, unlike, yet, in
contrast, on the other hand, otherwise
●
Transitions to use to conclude or summarize: all in all, as a result, finally last, therefore, to sum
up, in summary, in conclusion
●
Comparative modifiers (er/more) and Superlative modifiers (est/most)
Sarah Henderson, Loma Linda Academy, 2012