Compare and Contrast

1. Why do we compare and contrast?

2. What are the three main types of
compare and contrast paragraphs?

Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association

Compare and Contrast
Comparing and contrasting are ways of looking at
objects and thinking about how they are alike and
different.

For instance, all of these items are alike because

they are kinds of food, but there are many ways
that they are different. For instance, they belong to
different food groups. Some must be cooked
before eating, and some can be eaten raw.

When you write compare and contrast, you will

pay attention to these kinds of details.

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 There are two main reasons that people
use comparison and contrast:

1. To Explain--You might compare and contrast

kinds of food, for instance, to help someone
understand which food need to be refrigerated and
which can be stored in a cabinet or in a bowl on
the counter.

2. To Evaluate--You might compare and contrast

kinds of food to show why one kind of food or
brand of food is better than another. For example,
apples are a better snack than butter.

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Compare - Look for Similarities
When you choose items to compare and
contrast, make sure that you choose items
that have similarities.

You have to choose things that will make sense for

comparison and contrast. For instance, it wouldn't
make sense to compare a truck with crayons or
crayons with a birdhouse.

Be sure to compare things that belong together.

Compare crayons to pencils or pens, or compare
trucks and cars.
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Compare - Look for Similarities

When you compare items, you look for their

similarities--the things that make them the
same.

For example:
Apples and oranges are both fruit.
They're both foods.
Both are made into juice.
Both grow on trees.

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Contrast Look at Differences

When you contrast items, you look at their

differences.

For example:
Apples are red. Oranges are orange.
The fruits have different textures.
Oranges need a warmer place to grow,
like Florida. Apples can grow in cooler
states, like Washington.

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Comparing Every Day

You probably use comparison all the time.

Maybe you want to buy some candy, so you go
to the store and look at all of the candy that is
available.

You can't buy all the candy, so you have to

narrow down your choices.

You compare and contrast the different kinds of

candy so that you can make your decision.
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Comparing Every Day

You can compare the kinds of candy by

looking at the things that makes the candy
alike.
All of the candy is sweet.
All of the candy is fattening.

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Comparing Every Day

You also contrast the candies to show how they

are different.
Some of the candy is chocolate. Some is hard
candy.
Some pieces of the candy have a filling, like
caramel or jelly. Some do not.
Some of the candy can be broken into smaller
pieces while the others are harder to divide if
you want to share.
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 Graphic Organizers
Graphic organizers are useful tools for
book movie gathering details about the items that you
are comparing and contrasting.

1 2 Venn Diagrams help you think about where

alike
the various characteristics of the items
being compared and contrasted fit.

different The Compare and Contrast Chart is more

like a listing tool, where you can
brainstorm a list of ways that the items are
alike and different.

Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association

 How are they alike?
sweet
fattening
How are they different?
Type of Chocolate Jelly beans Candy cane
candy bars

Type of chocolate jelly peppermint

filling

Share or not? yes yes no

Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association

Compare and Contrast in Writing

Compare and contrast is used in writing to

organize an individual paragraph as well as to
organize entire papers.

For instance, you might write a paper that

compares a movie and a book about the same
topic. In your paper you can compare and
contrast the movie version with the book
version.

Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association

Ready to Write?
There are four main things to pay attention to as you write
a compare and contrast paper:

Supporting Details
Balance
Organization
Transitions

Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association

1. Supporting Details
Set your purpose for writing.
To explain help the reader understand how the items
are the same and different
To evaluate persuade the reader that one is better
than the other
Gather an equal amount of details and examples for each
item and place these on a graphic organizer.
Only include information that relates to
what is being compared.

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2. Balance your Writing

Make sure give equal time to each item

that you are comparing and contrasting.

book movie If you cover character, setting, and

historical accuracy for the book, for
instance, you need to be sure that you
cover the same elements for the movie.

Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association

3. Organization

There are three ways to

organize comparison and
contrast papers:
Whole-to-Whole
Similarities-to-Differences
Point-by-Point

Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association

Whole-to-Whole
Use a separate section or paragraph for each
item you're discussing.
Introduction
To compare and contrast a book and a movie,
the section for Item #1 would include
Item #1 everything about the book and the section
for Item #2 would cover everything about
the movie.
Item #2
The points in each of the sections should be
the same and they should be explained in the
same order (for instance, you might discuss
Conclusion character, setting, and plot for both a book
and movie, and in that order for both).
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Compare and Contrast 2 Characters:
Item 1: Ken Item 2: Susan

How are they alike?

Both showed interest in magic tricks
Both were with friends
How are they different?

did a magic trick using showed how her dog

straws could subtract

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Compare & Contrast 2 Characters:

INTRO: Ken and Susan have similar interests, but they use different techniques.

ITEM #1: Ken did a magic trick by cleverly using straws to pick up a bottle.

ITEM #2: Susan tricked her friend to believe her dog can do arithmetic.

CONCLUSION: Both Ken and Susan like tricks and magic, but Ken used clever
tools and Susan used clever words.

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Now you try it

Introduction

Item #1

Item #2

Conclusion

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Sample C/C Chart:
Item 1: Pam Item 2: Jordan

How are they alike?

Both characters lost their homes
Both characters need a true friend
How are they different?

Her home caught on fire Her dad lost his job

They lost everything They had to move to a
Kelsee said she would smaller home
help Pam Her old friends were not
Kelsee is a true friend true friends
She needed a true friend

Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association

Sample Compare & Contrast:
Pam and Jordan have similar problems but their stories end
differently.

Pams family lost their home to a fire, so Pams neighbor,

Kelsee, promised to help her.

Jordans family had to move to a smaller home when Dad lost

his job. Jordans friends all abandoned her.

Pam and Jordan are similar because they both lost their homes
and really need a true friend. They have different challenges
because Pam has a true friend, but Jordan does not.
Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association
Similarities-to-Differences
In this structure, you use a separate section or
Introduction paragraph for similarities and differences. You
would explain all the similarities about the
items being compared and then explain all the
differences.
Similarities
For instance, you might explain that the
characters and plot were similar in both the
Differences book and movie in the one section.

In the next section, you could explain that the

Conclusion settings were different. The book took place
during the summer while the movie took place
during the winter.
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Compare and Contrast 2 jobs:
Item 1: newspaper reporter Item 2: newspaper photographer

How are they alike?

go out to gather news
come back to the news office to work
How are they different?

Talks to people Takes many pictures

Takes notes Develops pictures
Writes the story 15 minutes
Chooses 1-2 pictures

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Compare & Contrast 2 Jobs:
Intro The newspaper reporter and the newspaper photographer work
for the same goal but have different responsibilities.

Similar The reporter and the photographer both gather important parts of the story
and then come back to the newspaper office to work on the news story.

Different The reporter talks to people to get information. He uses the notes gathered
to write the newspaper story. In contrast, the photographer takes many
pictures of one event. He chooses one or two pictures for the newspaper. The
photographers pictures are developed in about 15 minutes, but it is hard to
tell how long the reporter will need to write.
Conclusion The newspaper reporter and the photographer have similar jobs, but there are
some differences.

Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association

Now you try it

Introduction

Similarities

Differences

Conclusion

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Compare and Contrast 2 themes:
Item 1: King Midas Item 2: lazy man in Denmark

How are they alike?

Both characters are greedy
Both learned that magic did not make them happy
How are they different?

wants more gold father dies

is granted a wish leaves a magic carpet
everything turns to gold flies to distant land
daughter turns to gold steals Sultans jewels
wants his daughter back flies back home
jewels fall into sea

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Point by Point
Point-by-Point Strategy
In this structure, you explain one point of
Introduction comparison before moving to the next point.
For instance, you would write about the
characters in the book and movie for Point 1;
Point 1 then you would write about the setting in the
book and movie in Point 2. Point-by-Point
comparison and contrast uses a separate section
Point 2 or paragraph for each point.
For consistency, begin with the same item in
each section of your point-by-point paper. For
Conclusion instance, for each point that you discuss,
explain the information about the book first
and then about the movie.
Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association
 Compare and Contrast 2 themes:
Problem?
Item 1: The Boy Who Cried Wolf Item 2: Zach and Egyptian Relic

Character Shepherd Zach

Tricks people takes in a relic for history project
tells his class the relic is real

Setting history class in present times

Genre fable realistic fiction

Theme lied No one will trust you if you lie.

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 Compare and Contrast 2 themes:
Item 1: The Boy Who Cried Wolf Item 2: Zach and Egyptian Relic

Character Shepherd Zach

says a wolf is attacking sheep takes in a relic for history project
tries to trick townspeople tells his class the relic is real

Setting countryside history class in present times

Genre fable realistic fiction

Theme People may stop helping you if No one will trust you if you lie.
you lie.

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 Compare & Contrast 2 Themes:
Intro These stories may not seem related, but the theme is quite
similar.

Point 1 The characters in these two passages have different responsibilities,

but they are both deceitful. The shepherd lies to the townspeople,
and Zach tells the class that the relic is real.
Point 2 The setting and genre is different in these stories. The Boy Who
Cried Wolf is an old fable set in the countryside, while the story of
Zach and the Egyptian Relic could take place in modern days.

Point 3 Both characters find there is a consequence for their lying. The
shepherd must deal with the angry townspeople, and Zach realizes no
one will trust him again when they find out about his lie.
Conclusion Even though the setting is very different in these two passages, both
characters learn that lying will eventually come back and get you.

Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association

Now you try it

Introduction

Point 1

Point 2

Conclusion

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 Sample Compare and Contrast 2 themes:
Item 1: Sams Report Item 2: Ride the Red Cycle

Characters Sam - nervous Jerome - has a disability, feels

Mrs. Owens - reassuring embarrassed and trapped
Tilly sister, tries to help

Point of View 1st person 3rd person

Conflict Character vs. self Character vs. self

Has to speak in front of class Wants to speak up and say what
he wants on his own

Theme When you try something you If you really want to do something,
are afraid to do, it might turn and keep trying, you will be able
out to be easier than you to do it!
expected.
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4. Transition Words
In compare and contrast writing,
transition words tell a reader that the
writer is changing from talking about one
item to the other.

Transitional words and phrases help make

a paper smoother and more coherent by
showing the reader the connections
between the ideas that are being
presented.

Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association

 Transition Words for Comparing
also
as When you're comparing items, using a
as well as transition from this list will signal to readers
both that you're changing from one item to the
in the same manner next and it will also tell the reader that the
in the same way two items are similar.
like
likewise Here are some examples:
most important
The characters in the movie were very
same
similar
similar to the characters in the book.
similarly
the same as Both the characters in the movie and in the
too book were interested in detective work.

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 Transition Words for Contrast
although
but
On the other hand, using one of the transitions
differ from this list of words will signal readers that
even though the two items you're discussing are different.
however
in contrast Here are some examples:
instead
nevertheless The setting in the book was summer while
on the contrary the setting in the movie was winter.
on the other hand
unless
The events in the book took place during
unlike
while
several afternoons, although the events in the
yet movie took place during the evening.
Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association
Lesson Essential Questions:
1. Why do we compare and contrast?
2. What are the three main types of compare and contrast
paragraphs?

Adapted from ReadWriteThink.org International Reading Association