Lesson Objective: At the end of this lesson you will be able to use transitions to connect concepts in a Comparison-Contrast essay
The first key to writing a successful comparison and contrast essay is the appropriate use of comparison and contrast structure words. These are the words that introduce points of comparison and points of contrast and using them will make your essay more coherent and logical. Take a look at the table above showing a few of the words and phrases that can be used in these types of essays.
Be sure to pay attention to the different ways that these structure words are used and for which purpose.
Next, lets look a few of these words in some example sentences:
When contrasting ideas, it is important that you decide whether you want to use a simple contrast or one that results in an unexpected result. Let’s have a look at these two sentences:
In the first example we have a simple contrast. Sreypich prefers coffee while Dara prefers tea. Meanwhile, in the second example, we have an unexpected result or a concession. Given Sreypich’s stated preference for coffee, her choice of tea is unexpected. This unexpected outcome is called a concession because it does not necessarily align with a fact stated in the writing.
Be careful when using these structure words as they are not universal and will not work in every situation. For example, while although and though mean similar things, they may not be interchangeable depending on the construction of your sentence. Placement is also something that a writer needs to consider as you can see from these two sentences:
In the first sentence, the writer has contrasted the idea of being tired but staying up late to watch a movie. In the second sentence, the writer isn’t necessarily contrasting ideas, but making a simple statement. Take a look at two more examples and see if you can explain why the placement of “even though” in the first sentence is much stronger than its use in the second.
There are times, though, when you will have a choice of how to structure your sentence; it will just depend on your point of view:
Let’s take a look at the table above showing some example of words used to compare and contrast ideas. The words in the compare column highlight the similarities between ideas, whereas the words in the contrast column highlight the differences or dissimilarities between the ideas. We say these words are in direct opposition.
It is also interesting to note that the clauses connected by the words in the second group are reversible. This means that while or whereas may be placed at the beginning of either clause with no change in meaning. For example:
Unlike the examples given earlier, changing the position here does not change the meaning of the sentence.
Please remember that with simple contrast, we are usually comparing a similar aspect of two different people, things or situations. Whereas, with concession, we are often contrasting two different aspects of the same person, thing or situation.