1. Comparing and Contrasting An essay that compares and contrasts explains how two or more things are alike and how they are different.

2. Now You Try It List two things that you can compare and contrast. For example, compare and contrast your preferences in music to those of your parents. Fold a sheet of paper in half lengthwise. –List all the ways the music you like is different from the music your parents like. –On the other side, list all the ways that the music you like is the same as the music your parents prefer.

3. Possible Points to Compare Types of Music Rock and roll Rap Techno Classical Types of instruments Electric guitars Violin or other symphonic instruments Artists Specific bands or singers Vintage –When was the music recorded. For example: Golden Oldies Contemporary Loudness

4. Getting it on Paper Develop your lists into sentences, then into paragraphs. Elaborate on the details! Choose how you will organize your comparison and use that plan throughout your essay.

5. Ways to Organize a Compare/Contrast Essay One Approach… Describe all the similarities in one paragraph, and all the differences in another. For example, describe the music you like in one paragraph and the music your parents like in the next paragraph. Or…

6. More Organization Another Way to Go… Choose a specific aspect of the subject to compare and contrast in each paragraph. For example, in the first paragraph you might explain that you like rap and your parents prefer classical (contrast/difference), but you both like rock and roll (comparison/similarity). In the second paragraph, you might explain that you like contemporary artists while your parents prefer artists of the 70’s and 80’s (contrast/ difference).

7. Simple Ways to Compare Objects Color Shape Size Taste Texture Uses