Comparison and Contrast

The approach that we will discuss in this unit to develop a paragraph is “Comparison and Contrast”. In fact, we are constantly making comparison and contrast in our daily lives, sometimes without even being aware of it. The process of comparing and contrasting helps us gain deeper perceptions of the merits and drawbacks of the things concerned, thus letting us make better decisions. When this process is shifted from mental activities to words on paper, an essay featuring the approach of comparison and contrast is done. In the following part, we will discuss how we can apply it in our own writing.

First of all, we need to understand the difference between comparison and contrast. The translations of these two words are similar in Chinese, but the connotations of them in English are a bit different. Comparison can show how similar things are, while contrast mostly lets people understand the difference. Now let’s consider two common ways of making comparison or contrast.

1)      One side at a time

2)      Point by point

With the first approach, the writer usually finishes covering the details of one subject before shifting the attention onto the other. Here is an example.

There are a lot of differences between a training center and a formal school. A training center is mostly profit-driven; therefore, it charges a lot of tuition from students. However, that doesn’t mean that a training center is all bad news. The courses offered by training centers are usually more practical and flexible, concentrating on training skills needed in the job market. This kind of flexibility is also reflected in their recruitment. Training centers tend to be open to all kinds of talents, as long as they are competent in teaching. A formal school, on the other hand, charges much less fees but offers courses in a much wider range. Yet they could be too board and comprehensive to let students polish specific skills. Besides, a formal school normally has a high requirement for qualification. The candidates need to acquire a certain degree to be admitted, like a bachelor’s degree. The bar is even higher at the higher education level, with colleges usually demanding a master’s or a doctor’s degree. 

In the first half of this paragraph, the content features training schools while in the second half of the paragraph the focus is on formal schools. We can make an outline based on this paragraph.

Topic sentence: There are a lot of differences between a training center and a formal school

It is advised that in these two parts, points should be listed with the same order for each side. Now please read the following paragraph and see the difference in  arrangement.

There are a lot of differences between Chinese foods and western foods, as well as the relevant eating habits. While many western foods could be eaten raw or half-raw sometimes, most Chinese foods are required to be fully cooked, as we believe this is the right way to make sure the foods are suitable for eating. Besides, Chinese foods provide more balanced nutrition than western foods, since vegetables and meat are equally included in the plates. But people in the West usually favor meat more than vegetables. Such preferences partly result in the different shapes of their body types. Westerners usually look bigger and stronger when compared to the Chinese, for they would take in more protein from meat, which could help build up the body. Although the Chinese foods are generally considered to be tastier and more nutritious, there is one serious drawback of the Chinese eating style. For thousands of years, the Chinese have always liked to eat with shared plates, which means some bacteria can be more easily transmitted from one person to another through the same dish they eat. By contrast,the westerners would only eat dish from their own plates, which reduces the chance of being infected by certain diseases to a large degree.

After reading the paragraph, it is not difficult to find out that the contrast of western and Chinese foods (as well as their eating habits) is made point by point. So points here, rather than subjects, become the axle that combines different parts together. We can take a look at its outline to see the structure more clearly.

Topic sentence: There are a lot of differences between Chinese foods and western foods, as well as the relevant eating habits.

Cooking methods

1.     Western foods

2.     Chinese foods

 Selection of food material

1.     Western foods

2.    Chinese foods

 Eating habit

1.     Western foods

2.     Chinese foods

It is worth noting that comparison and contrast are not entirely independent of each other. In an essay featuring contrast, there could be sentences making comparisons too. Effectively and accurately mixing the two techniques can help a writer achieve better results. Another way of improving writing skills is the correct use of transitional words, particularly in an essay when multiple contrasts are made. There are several phrases that people often use to show contrasting effects. They are: in contrast, by contrast, onthe other hand, on the contrary.