Compare and Contrast
Use helper words when writing about similarities and differences.
Goal:
Goal:
When you compare and contrast, you are writing about similarities and differences. When you compare similarities, you answer the question, "What is the same?" When you contrast differences, you answer the question, "What is different?"
Some words can help you write about similarities. Some words can help you write about differences. These are called helper words.
| Helper Words: Similarities |
Helper Words: Differences |
| both |
unlike |
| also |
but |
| too |
while |
Let's take a look at this example of helper words in a sentence.
Brian has a big dog. Fallon has a big dog, also. Brian's dog is brown, while Fallon's dog is black.
The word "also" tells you that Brian and Fallon have something that is the same. Both of them have big dogs.
The word "but" tells you that Brian and Fallon have something that is different. Their dogs are different colors.
Read the paragraph below. See if you can find the words that show compare and contrast! Write them down in your notebook, and see how you did by clicking the Answer button below.
My family is like the Swing family in some ways. We have a dog, also. While they learn at home, my brother and I go to school. Unlike Ben, I am happy when I wake up. We sing in the morning too, but we don't dance around.
The correct helper words are: also, while, unlike, too, and but.
Bonus Word: like. Although it wasn't on the list above, like is also a helper word.