Comparison Contrast Paragraph

Comparison Contrast Paragraphs

English 8

Comparison and Contrast

Words That Show Comparison

Which item below is easier to understand?

A. As a fish swims, it moves its tail, applying force against the water. The water, in turn, propels the fish forward. In a rocket motor, forces are exerted by hot gases that accelerate out the tail end, propelling the rocket forward. B. As a fish swims, it moves its tail, applying force against the water. The water, in turn, propels the fish forward. Similarly, in a rocket motor, forces are exerted by hot gases that accelerate out the tail end, propelling the rocket forward.

Here are some common words that show comparison:

Comparison Words

Examples

• Very young and very old people resemble one another in their dependence upon those around them.

• Car manufacturers often show beautiful women with their products, as if to suggest that owning the car will bring social rewards. In the same way, alcohol ads typically show people in fun or romantic settings.

Words That Show Contrast

Which item below is easier to understand?

A. The movie was boring and pointless. It featured a talented cast and an award-winning screenwriter. B. The movie was boring and pointless even though it featured a talented cast and an award-winning screenwriter.

Here are some common words that show contrast:

Contrast Words

Examples

• While mammals have internal mechanisms that regulate body temperature, cold-blooded animals such as lizards must regulate their temperature by external means, such as basking on warm sunny rocks.

• Corporate executives urged employees to buy the company’s stock despite the fact that they were selling it themselves.

The Comparison and/or Contrast Pattern

Authors use a contrast pattern to show how two things are different.

Authors use a comparison pattern to show how two things are alike.

Sometimes an author will compare and contrast in the same paragraph, pointing out both similarities and differences between two things.

See if you can arrange the following sentences in a logical order. Which sentence should come first? Second? Third?

A. However, gender differences remain in career choice and development. B. Women’s labor force participation is approaching that of men’s, with 60 percent of adult women (versus 74 percent of men) in the labor force. C. At present, married women still subordinate their career goals to their husbands’, especially when children are involved.

The sentences should read as follows:

Women’s labor force participation is approaching that of men’s, with 60 percent of adult women (versus 74 percent of men) in the labor force. However, gender differences remain in career choice and development. At present, married women still subordinate their career goals to their husbands’, especially when children are involved.

The following paragraph will give you a better sense of the compare and/or contrast pattern.

Men and women, of course, often have different concerns, so it might be expected the content of their dreams to differ—and until recently, at least, that has been true. Typically, women have been more likely than men to dream about children, family members, familiar characters, friendly interactions, household objects, clothes, and indoor events. In contrast, men have been more likely than women to dream about strangers, weapons, violence, sexual activity, achievement, and outdoor events. But as the lives and concerns of the two sexes have become more similar, so have their dreams. In one recent study, the content of men’s and women’s dreams bore a close resemblance. Only two differences showed up: Men were more likely to dream about behaving aggressively, while women were more likely to dream about their anxieties.

Men and women, of course, often have different concerns, so it might be expected the content of their dreams to differ—and until recently, at least, that has been true. Typically, women have been more likely than men to dream about children, family members, familiar characters, friendly interactions, household objects, clothes, and indoor events. In contrast, men have been more likely than women to dream about strangers, weapons, violence, sexual activity, achievement, and outdoor events. But as the lives and concerns of the two sexes have become more similar, so have their dreams. In one recent study, the content of men’s and women’s dreams bore a close resemblance. Only two differences showed up: Men were more likely to dream about behaving aggressively, while women were more likely to dream about their anxieties.

What two things are being compared and contrasted?

Men and women, of course, often have different concerns, so it might be expected the content of their dreams to differ—and until recently, at least, that has been true. Typically, women have been more likely than men to dream about children, family members, familiar characters, friendly interactions, household objects, clothes, and indoor events. In contrast, men have been more likely than women to dream about strangers, weapons, violence, sexual activity, achievement, and outdoor events. But as the lives and concerns of the two sexes have become more similar, so have their dreams. In one recent study, the content of men’s and women’s dreams bore a close resemblance. Only two differences showed up: Men were more likely to dream about behaving aggressively, while women were more likely to dream about their anxieties.

What comparison and/or contrast signal words are used in this paragraph?

Discourse that is organized to compare/contrast is used to inform. The purpose of this kind of writing is to show relationships between concepts or objects. The pattern may be organized in one of two ways: point-by-point or block.

Visually, a point by point paragraph will be set up as follows:

Visually, a block style paragraph will be set up as follows:

Paragraph-Block Organization

Reading a story

in a book is often very different from

seeing it as a film .

When someone reads a story, that person needs to use his/her imagination. A book usually gives a detailed description about the people, places, and things in the story, so it is possible to create pictures in the mind. In addition, the conversations between people are always written with details that describe how the people look or feel while they are talking. When a person is reading, imagination is used to help ‘see’ the characters in the story.

However, when some sees a film, that person does not need to use imagination. The pictures on the screen give all the details about the people, places, and things in the story. The conversations are spoken out loud, so he/she listens and watches. The feelings of the people come through their faces, body movements, and voices.

Although a book and a film might tell the same story, reading a book and watching a film are very different experiences.

Paragraph-Point by Point Organization

Marilyn Monroe

and Princess Diana

lived at different times in different countries, but their lives had some

surprising similarities.

First of all, both women had a difficult childhood. Monroe spent many years without parents in an orphanage, and Diana’s mother left the family when she was only six. Later in their lives, both women married famous men. Princess Diana married Prince Charles, and Marilyn Monroe married a famous baseball player and later a famous writer. They also had difficult marriages and eventually separated from their husbands.

Another similarity between Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana was that they were both very popular. Diana was called ‘The people’s princess’ because she was so friendly. Although Monroe was famously sexy, she was well – liked because she seemed very innocent. However, although they both seemed to have very happy lives, both women actually had emotional problems and often felt sad and depressed. Monroe went through serious depression and had to go to a hospital for treatment. Likewise, Diana suffered from an eating problem and was depressed during parts of her marriage.

A last similarity between Marilyn Monroe and Princess Diana was their deaths at an early age. In fact, they were both thirty – six years old when they died, Monroe in 1962 and Diana in 1997.

Maybe their similar life circumstances and lifestyles explain why Princess Diana and Marilyn Monroe also had similar personalities.