Comparing and contrasting is another way to organize information in a text. This text structure is used to show how two objects, topics, or events are similar and how they are different. Using a compare-contrast structure, a writer could compare the way birds fly to the way airplanes function--or the government system in the United States with the government of Chile.
Certain words and phrases suggest that an article is organized using a compare-contrast structure. These include different than, however, while, on the other hand, and any adjectives ending in -er. To compare online and print newspapers, for example, a writer might say that both media formats tend to contain the same news stories, but an online newspaper may have video to go with the text. The price of an online newspaper subscription may be greater than a print one, since single copies online may be difficult to access without paying for a full subscription.
Read this paragraph from an article that uses a compare-contrast text structure. See how quickly you can identify what is being compared and contrasted. Also note how the writer shows similarities and differences between the two subjects:
The backstroke and the front crawl are both racing strokes. Both strokes are heavily dependent on the power of the swimmer's arms and legs and the ability to work them both together. Many swimmers find the backstroke easier to swim well, since there is no need to turn the head to breathe. The face is up the entire time the stroke is being swum. Other swimmers find the front crawl to be easier to swim, since the swimmer does not have to worry about counting strokes until he or she reaches the wall. They are facing the wall and in full view of it the entire time they are swimming.
This paragraph identifies some characteristics of each stroke that are similar and some that are different. Many topics and subjects can be compared and contrasted in this way, from political ideas, to places to live, to religious beliefs.
Each of the images below suggests a topic that can be explained using a compare-contrast text structure. Before you click each image, guess what topic is suggested by that image.
|
|
|
|
