Comparison/Contrast Paragraphs

1. Comparison/Contrast Paragraphs

2. What is a Comparison/Contrast Paragraph? A A B B Comparison and Contrastwrite about how things are either similar or different. When you compare two things, places, machines, or people, you show the reader how they are similar. When you contrast, you show how things are different. Always choose two equalitems — two cars, two vacations, two sports stars, etc. You must identify topics (e.g. high school and university) and their points of comparison (e.g., location, study requirements, clothes) that can be compared or contrasted.

3. Sharks The great white shark lives in the deep, cold seas. It will attack large animals such as sea lions. In contrast, the bull shark lives mostly in shallow waters. Also, it is sometimes found in rivers. These sharks are both very good swimmers and hunters. Both kinds of sharks have lots of teeth.

4. similar Bull shark Great white shark Very good swimmers Shallow water Deep, cold seas Lots of teeth

5. Key words commonly used to expresscomparison include:

6. Contrasting Key Phrases

7. SIMILARITIES • similar to • Spring weather in Gaza is similar to spring weather in Sydney. • Both • Both Gaza and Sydney have rain in winter. • Also • Sydney also has a rainy winter season. • Too • Gaza has a rainy spring season, too. • Similarly • Similarly, Sydney is very hot in summer.

8. DIFFERENCES • On the other hand • On the other hand, winter is much colder in Sydney. • However • However, winter is much colder in Sydney. • But • Gaza has a mild winter, butSydney has a cold one. • In contrast to • In contrast to Gaza, Sydney has a cold winter. • Differs from • Sydney differs fromGaza by having a cold winter. • While • While Gaza has a mild winter, Sydney has a cold winter.

10. Activity 1: Join the following Sentences 1. Hani is bachelor. His sister is bachelor 2. The Jordan River is long. The Nile River is long. 3. Amal's grades are high. Huda's grades are rather low. 4. Ahmed is very busy. Ali is busy. 5. I think Ahmed is a diligent student. Everyone thinks Ahmed is a diligent student. 6. John admits he had a lot of money. He claims he has lost everything. 7. My father usually goes to work by car. I go to work by car. 8. I believe that physical exercise is good. I believe that nutritious food is good. 9. Teaching beginners requires simple techniques. Teaching advanced students requires sophisticated techniques.

11. Activity 2: Complete the following sentences: Amman differs from Cairo in __________________________ Taking care of children requires a lot of patience. Similarly, _________________________________________________ Universities spend a lot of money on research. In contrast, schools___________________________________________ My two friends study similar things at university. However, they _____________________________________________ The more you study, _______________________________ Gaza is as crowded as ______________________________

12. However – another difference – similarly – also – on the other hand – but – while- different Even though Arizona and Rhode Island are both states of the U.S., they are _____________ in many ways. For example, the physical size of each state is different. Arizona is large, having an area of 114,000 square miles, __________ Rhode Island is only about a tenth the size, having an area of only 1,214 square miles. ____________ is in the size of the population of each state. Arizona has about four million people living in it,    ___________    Rhode Island has less than one million. The two states _________ differ in the kinds of natural environments that each has. For example, Arizona is a very dry state, consisting of large desert areas that do not receive much rainfall every year.   ___________,  Rhode Island is located in a temperate zone and receives an average of 44 inches of rain per year. In addition,  ___________   Arizona is a landlocked state and thus has no seashore, Rhode Island lies on the Atlantic Ocean and does have a significant coastline.

13. in the same way – alike – another similarity – similarly – similarity – too – both - similar Even though we come from different cultures, my wife and I are __________ in several ways. For one thing, we are _________ thirty-two years old. In fact, our birthdays are in the same month, hers on July 10 and mine on July 20. _________ is that we both grew up in large cities. Helene was born and raised in Paris and I come from London. Third, our hobbies are alike _________. My wife devotes a lot of her free time to playing jazz piano. _________, I like to spend time after work strumming my guitar. A more important ___________ concerns our values. For example, Helene has strong opinions about educating our children and raising them to know right from wrong. I feel _________. Our children should receive a good education and also have strong moral training.

14. Essay Organization: Block Arrangement Topic Sentence All about Subject A All about Subject B Conclusion

15. Organization 1: Block Arrangement Topic sentence: While Istanbul and Gaza are both lively cities, they differ from each other in many ways. Topic 1: Istanbul Point A ------------------------------------------- Point B ------------------------------------------- Topic 2 Gaza Point A ------------------------------------------ Point B ------------------------------------------ Conclusion:To conclude, while Istanbul and Gaza are different cities in many ways, it is always good to spend time in them.

16. Istanbul and Gaza While Istanbul and Gaza are both lively cities, they differ from each other in many ways. To start with, İstanbul is filled with industries, buildings, roads, and lots of people. The time it takes you to get from one place to another shows us how big it has become.Moreover, İstanbul has become a city in which its people are usually in a hurry and have a lot of things to do throughout the day. On the other hand, Gaza still looks like a small town in which most of its people know each other although the city has grown a lot in the last years. What is more, Gaza still remains a quiet city where most people walk and take their time.To conclude, while Istanbul and Gaza are different cities in many ways, it is always good to spend time in them.

18. Paragraph Organization: Point by Point Topic Sentence All about Point X All about Point Y All about Point Z Concluding Sentence

19. My Hometown and My College Town My hometown and my college town have several things in common. First, both are small rural communities.My hometown, Gridlock, has a population of only about 10,000 people. Similarly, my college town, Silverstone, consists of about 11,000 local residents. This population becomes to 15,000 people when the college students are attending classes. A second way in which these two towns are similar is that they are both located in rural areas. Gridlock is surrounded by many acres of farmland which is devoted mainly to growing corn and soybeans. Similarly, Silverstone lies in the center of farmland which is used to raise cattle.In short, the similarities between my hometown and my college town make people enjoy living in both places.

21. Fresh Food and Canned Food There are three main differences between eating fresh food and canned food. The most notable difference between these two kinds of foods is their flavor. Fresh food has great flavor and taste because it keeps all their natural conditions. Canned food, however, lacks a lot of its flavor characteristics because there are some other chemical products added to the natural foods. Secondly, there is a health factor that affects both of them. Canned food is unhealthy because in order to keep the shelf life for longer times it is filled with many conservatives and chemical factors. On the other hand, fresh food does not include any chemicals, so it is healtier. Another difference between these two types of foods is the cost. Canned food is much more expensive than fresh food. In conclusion, before eating, choose the best type of food for your convenience and lifestyle.

22. Fresh Food and Canned Food There are three main differences between eating fresh food and canned food. The most notable difference between these two kinds of foods is their flavor. Fresh food has great flavor and taste because it keeps all their natural conditions. Canned food, however, lacks a lot of its flavor characteristics because there are some other chemical products added to the natural foods. Secondly, there is a health factor that affects both of them. Canned food is unhealthy because in order to keep the shelf life for longer times it is filled with many conservatives and chemical factors. On the other hand, fresh food does not include any chemicals, so it is healtier. Another difference between these two types of foods is the cost. Canned food is much more expensive than fresh food. In conclusion, before eating, choose the best type of food for your convenience and lifestyle.

24. Vacationing at the Beach or in the Mountain Spending a vacation in the mountains is different from spending a vacation at the beach in the climate, types of activities, and locations of beaches and mountains. Climate is always important in order to enjoy vacations in the mountains, especially if they like cold weather. The cold climate in the mountains determines the types of activities they offer. Snowboarding, mountain climbing, and skiing are some activities people can enjoy when going to the mountains. There are many regions that have mountains where people can have a great vacation such as Canada which has many mountain vacation sites where people can go and have fun. On the other hand, warm climate is one of the most important features that the beach has. Sun and fun are two words that describe the beach. There are a lot of activities that are available at the beach. People can swim, play volleyball, play soccer, and ride water bikes. In most coastal sites, there are restaurants where people can enjoy eating and relaxing. Mexico offers many amazing coastal sites to visit. In conclusion, it doesn’t matter what place a person decides to choose. The fun is 100% guaranteed.

25. Vacationing at the Beach or in the Mountain Spending a vacation in the mountains is different from spending a vacation at the beach in the climate, types of activities, and locations of beaches and mountains. Climate is always important in order to enjoy vacations in the mountains, especially if they like cold weather. The cold climate in the mountains determines the types of activities they offer. Snowboarding, mountain climbing, and skiing are some activities people can enjoy when going to the mountains. There are many regions that have mountains where people can have a great vacation such as Canada which has many mountain vacation sites where people can go and have fun. On the other hand, warm climate is one of the most important features that the beach has. Sun and fun are two words that describe the beach. There are a lot of activities that are available at the beach. People can swim, play volleyball, play soccer, and ride water bikes.In most coastal sites, there are restaurants where people can enjoy eating and relaxing. Mexico offers many amazing coastal sites to visit. In conclusion, it doesn’t matter what place a person decides to choose. The fun is 100% guaranteed.

26. Winter in Maine Spend a year in Maine and you will be amazed by the differences between the summer and winter seasons. The summer season is hot, and everyone likes to swim in the rivers and have barbeques. People also go to hikes in the many mountains and through the national parks. Summer in Maine is very green, and many tourists visit to see the countryside. However, the winter is even more spectacular. It snows a lot in Maine in the winter, and the scenery is looks beautiful. It sometimes snows two feet in one day, which is great for skiing and snowboarding. The best part about winter is Christmas. There are a lot of parties in December, and people share Christmas presents or cards with friends, family, classmates, and colleagues. In short, it is always fun to visit or live in Maine whether in summer or winter.

27. Winter in Maine Spend a year in Maine and you will be amazed by the differences between the summer and winter seasons. The summer season is hot, and everyone likes to swim in the rivers and have barbeques. People also go to hikes in the many mountains and through the national parks. Summer in Maine is very green, and many tourists visit to see the countryside. However, the winter is even more spectacular. It snows a lot in Maine in the winter, and the scenery is looks beautiful. It sometimes snows two feet in one day, which is great for skiing and snowboarding. The best part about winter is Christmas. There are a lot of parties in December, and people share Christmas presents or cards with friends, family, classmates, and colleagues. In short, it is always fun to visit or live in Maine whether in summer or winter.

28. Using Howeveror Whereas However and Whereas can be used to join two different or opposite ideas: • My friend prefers watching television. However, I find reading books more interesting. • My friend prefers watching television, whereas I find reading books more interesting. • Whereas my friend prefers watching television, I find reading books more interesting. NOTE: Use whereas at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle. Use howeverat the beginning of a sentence.

29. Connect the following sentences using However or Whereas Skiing is a popular sport. Many young people prefer snowboarding. My literature class has over 200 students in it. My linguistics class has just twelve. Dogs are more faithful. Cats are more independent. DVDs are more common these days. I have a huge video tape collection. Whereas I like all types of fish, ________________. The winter season is quite mild in Gaza __________. My little brother likes to play __________________. Whereas you have lots of time to do your homework___ __________________________________________.