Comparing and Contrasting

What do we mean by comparing and contrasting?

Comparing generally means finding the similarities.

Contrasting generally means finding the differences.

COMPARING

Comparing can be used for places, people, activities and things.

The simplest way to find similarities is as follows:

A is similar to B

A is similar to B because

A is similar to B in that…

If we are talking about places:

London is similar to Paris because they are both capital cities.

London is similar to Paris in that they have similar populations.

We can also show the level of similarity and make our answers richer by using adverbs, such as

really

pretty

rather

quite

For example: London is pretty similar to Paris in that they have similar populations.

Another way to express similarity is to mention both of them first and then give a summarising phrase.

If we are comparing cars or brands, we can say the following:

When it comes to cars, two of the most famous brands are Audi and BMW, they are so alike.

We can also use:

They are pretty much alike

They have a lot in common

In addition, we can show likeness with this structure to

A is as _______ as B

For example,

An Audi is as reliable as a BMW

Paris is (almost) as big as London

John is as tall as Michael

Finally, if two things or people are actually the same, we can say,

A is identical to B

A is the same as B

If we are talking about people, for example:

Jack is identical to his father, both of them love football

Jack is the same as his father, they both love football

Other common phrases are:

Jack is just like his father

Jack is the spitting image of his father

This last phrase refers to physical appearance only.

CONTRASTING

Constrasting can be used for places, people, activities and things

The simplest way to find differences is as follows:

A is different from B

A is different from B because

A is different from B in that it

Manchester is different from Paris

Manchester is different from Paris because it is much more industrial

Manchester is different from Paris in that the climate is colder (than Paris).

Remember, we can also express the size of the difference with adverbs, such as:

It is is totally different

I think it’s strikingly different

It’s distinctly different

If the difference is slight:

it’s slightly different

it’s rather different

it’s subtly different

Idiomatic expressions for contrasting

Here are some idiomatic expressions we can use to express contrasts, especially big differences.

They are world’s apart

Manchester United and Real Madrid are world’s apart. Manchester United is a much better tea.

They are poles apart

Manchester and London are poles apart, I mean they really have almost nothing in common.

A is a far cry from B

This museum is a far cry from what I imagined. I thought it would be rubbish, but it’s actually great.

A is far/way ____ than B

Beijing is far bigger than Manchester

Hong Kong is way hotter than Manchester.

Here are some connectors you can use to compare and contrast ideas, as well as things.

Similarly

Likewise

I love football, similarly, I am big fan of basketball too.

I love Chinese food, likewise, I’m really into Vietnamese food as well.

On the contrary

Conversely

On the other hand

I am really busy during the week, but on the weekend, conversely, I have lots of free time

Notice in speaking, the word order is a little different from writing:

__ noun 1, noun 2 + adverb, ____

I’m really busy on Mondays, Fridays, on the contrary, are much easier.

I’m busy this week, next week, on the other hand, I have much less work to do.
Compare and contrast essay

A compare and contrast essay is designed to see the links between two different theories or ideas.
Comparing will be looking at what's similar, and contrasting will be looking at what's different between
the two.

Compare and Contrast Essay Structure

Here's how an average compare and contrast essay could be laid out:

Introduction: Introduce the two ideas that you're going to compare. Give a brief background on both,
to give context for the main body.

Thesis statement: This is going to be your impression of the two theories. Are they more similar than
you thought, or do they differ more than is obvious to the average person?
Main body: Each paragraph in this section will detail a different point. You can start either with
comparing the theories, or contrasting them. Just make sure that each point is backed up with relevant
research.

Conclusion: This will draw all the main points together, and emphasise how they support your thesis.

How to Write Compare and Contrast Essay

Research the two topics you have been given. Look for the similarities and differences, and make
notes. How will this affect your essay? Think about whether you've been surprised by the information
you've found.

Put together your thesis. Are your two topics similar, or more different than you thought? Are they
similar in a surprising way? Use your research to come up with a good statement.

Write an essay outline. Use the structure above to write your own outline. Pencil in all the main points
you need to include. This way you can't forget anything.

Write your essay. Use the structure you created to write your essay proper. Give yourself enough time
to do this, or your writing will appear rushed.

Proofread and edit. Make sure you don't skip this step, as presentation of your essay is important, too.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

As the name implies, your topics will be two ideas or theories that can be compared. This could be
anything from two different books, people, ideas, or events. For example, you could be described to
compare and contrast Tesla and Edison.

Compare and Contrast Essay Examples

Here are some examples of compare and contrast essays that you can try writing:

American football and rugby

Pablo Picasso and Vincent Van Gogh

Rehabilitation and incarceration

Undergraduate and graduate studies

Give them a try, and hone your essay writing skills. When you get a real essay to write, you'll feel more
comfortable in writing it.

Now you have the tools to write a great compare and contrast essay. Remember, make sure you do
your research, and take your time writing. That way, you can get an excellent grade.