London has a much richer past than Washington, comparison contrast essays, DC, and consequently has a lot more material to pull from when arranging its collections. One of the biggest obstacles with compare-and-contrast essays is communicating clearly so your reader knows which points relate to which subject, and what conclusion the entire essay is building toward. Both have a wide selection of expensive, elegant restaurants as well as a similar amount of global and national chains. Cite this Article Format. As another option, you can break paragraphs up by comparison contrast essays specific topic and issue, and in each paragraph discuss both or all subjects. Select a Role Educator Learner. Table of contents When should I compare and contrast?
What this handout is about
A compare-and-contrast essay is a style of essay that points out the similarities and differences between two or more subjects, comparison contrast essays. By seeing the differences and similarities, comparison contrast essays, the reader better understands each of the subjects by using the other subject as a frame of reference. Give your essays extra polish Grammarly helps you write with confidence Write with Grammarly. In this guide, we explain how to write a compare-and-contrast essay, including some advanced tips and examples. If two topics relate to each other or define each other, you can better explain them both by showcasing their similarities and differences. Unlike argumentative essays or persuasive essayscompare-and-contrast essays deal with multiple topics instead of focusing on one.
When writing a compare-and-contrast essay, it helps to figure out two things: what your thesis is the subject matter and how you plan to structure it. For inspiration, here are some compare-and-contrast essay example topics:. It helps to first list all the similarities and differences between your subjects. When you see them all written down, you can start formulating connections and decide what structure to use for your compare-and-contrast essay. This is a visual aid that helps you understand which characteristics your comparison contrast essays share, and which ones are exclusive, comparison contrast essays.
Looking at your lists, you can then decide on the thesis. To do so, ask yourself a few questions: What are you trying to show in your compare-and-contrast essay? What do you want your reader to take away? For example, do you want to emphasize that Elon Musk is a modern-day Thomas Edison, or that they are tey two very distinct individuals? Compare-and-contrast essays follow our own recommended essay structure. While the linked guide goes into more detail, in a nutshell, your compare-and-contrast essay should follow a simple format of beginning, middle, and end:.
The introduction, usually one or two paragraphs, should include a thesis statement to show the reader what to expect for the rest of your essay, comparison contrast essays. You can write your introduction following the same guidelines as other essay types, though be sure to mention all your subjects. Likewise, you can write an essay conclusion with the standard rules and best practices. Do you write about both subjects at the same time, or switch back and forth? The hardest part of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay comparison contrast essays knowing when to talk about which subject.
Essentially, you have three options:. No matter which option you choose, you have to pay particular attention to topic sentences. The block method is usually divided into paragraphs: a paragraph about one subject and then a new paragraph about another subject. Take the compare-and-contrast essay example When Nothing Lies Beyond the Mask: Comparing Moby Dick and The Raven. In the first paragraph after the introduction, the author talks only about Ahab from Moby Dickbut in the next paragraph talks only about the narrator from The Raven. Each subject gets its own paragraph. Using the block method, you can go back and forth like this for pages, covering as many topics as you need. This approach is best for giving each subject its own attention but tends to slightly weaken the connection between the two.
As another option, you can break paragraphs up by a specific topic and issue, and in each paragraph discuss both or all subjects. Here, both subjects are discussed in the same paragraph, one right after another. This approach works best when you want to emphasize the connection between your subjects, or lack thereof. In our example above, the author wishes to highlight just how different the aliens of Arthur Clarke are from those of other authors, particularly H. To emphasize this, the essay author juxtaposes the two points right next to each other in the same paragraph. The third option is quite similar to the alternating approach, with each subject being discussed side by side in the same paragraph, comparison contrast essays.
The first paragraph after the introduction discusses what the governments in the two books have in common, but the next paragraph explains how they differ. This method works best if you want to focus on a particular similarity or difference between your subjects, or if you want to build up to a powerful conclusion or reveal at the end. Want to know how to write a compare-and-contrast essay step by step? The writing process is the same as all essay writing, although adapted specifically for drawing comparisons:. With the first draft finished, you can more easily identify any areas that need to be fixed, revised, or rewritten from scratch.
With a writing assistant like Grammarly, this comparison contrast essays is a breeze. If you want to learn more about this process, read our comparison contrast essays guide on essay writingwhich better explains the details. Beyond knowing the full process for crafting a compare-and-contrast essay, comparison contrast essays, it helps to learn a few tips to ensure it shines. In other words, choose topics that have plenty in common, comparison contrast essays, otherwise, your essay will be all contrasting and no comparing.
Typically, subjects in compare-and-contrast essays share a strong connection, such as two people in the same profession or two products in the same category. Solve these problems before they start by smartly choosing your subjects at the beginning. Essays with only one subject can be confusing enough—imagine how complicated it gets with two or more subjects. One of the biggest obstacles with compare-and-contrast essays is communicating clearly so your reader knows which points relate to which subject, and what conclusion the entire essay is building toward. Luckily, Grammarly offers suggestions to rewrite entire sentences in order to improve the clarity of your writing. Just one click and your writing gets the professional editor treatment.
Try Grammarly now and see how your writing improves. Real-time suggestions, comparison contrast essays, wherever you write. Comparison contrast essays to Write a Compare-and-Contrast Essay Matt Ellis. Give your essays extra polish, comparison contrast essays. Students 6 Comparison contrast essays Persuasive Writing Strategies Students How to Paraphrase Without Plagiarizing a Thing Students Your College Application Essay Survival Guide Students How to Write an Essay Outline in 4 Steps Students Expository Essays: A Complete Guide Students How to Write a Research Proposal. Writing, grammar, and communication tips for your inbox.
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You may want to check out our handout on understanding assignments for additional tips. Making a Venn diagram or a chart can help you quickly and efficiently compare and contrast two or more things or ideas. In the central area where they overlap, list the traits the two items have in common. To make a chart, figure out what criteria you want to focus on in comparing the items. Along the left side of the page, list each of the criteria. Across the top, list the names of the items. As you generate points of comparison, consider the purpose and content of the assignment and the focus of the class.
How does it fit with what you have been studying so far and with the other assignments in the course? Are there any clues about what to focus on in the assignment itself? Here are some general questions about different types of things you might have to compare. You may want to begin by using the questions reporters traditionally ask: Who? By now you have probably generated a huge list of similarities and differences—congratulations! Next you must decide which of them are interesting, important, and relevant enough to be included in your paper. Ask yourself these questions:. Suppose that you are writing a paper comparing two novels.
However, if you were writing a paper for a class on typesetting or on how illustrations are used to enhance novels, the typeface and presence or absence of illustrations might be absolutely critical to include in your final paper. Sometimes a particular point of comparison or contrast might be relevant but not terribly revealing or interesting. Learn about our Editorial Process. Brainstorming Tip One fun way to get students started brainstorming their compare and contrast essays is to create a Venn diagram , where the overlapping sections of the circle contain similarities and the non-overlapping areas contain the differing traits.
Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Kelly, Melissa. copy citation. Beef Up Critical Thinking and Writing Skills: Comparison Essays. How to Teach the Compare and Contrast Essay. Venn Diagrams to Plan Essays and More. How to Teach Topic Sentences Using Models. Climate in the Northern vs Southern Hemispheres.
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