A Comparison and Contrast Composition

A Comparison and Contrast Composition

In The Last Dragon everything in Chinatown seemed "old and alien and strange" to Peter. He compares and contrasts his new surroundings to what he is familiar with at home. When you compare two things, you look for ways they are alike. When you contrast, you look for ways they are different. Here is an example comparing and contrasting two different kinds of plants.

Snake Plant

Spider Plant

Contrast (Snake Plant)

	Leaves are stiff and stand upright and look like a snake
	Leaves have horizontal stripes
	Needs little water
	New plants are created from the root system of the main plant.

Compare (Snake and Spider plants)

	Both have long slender, pointy leaves
	Both are green and yellowish stripes
	Both are plants

Contrast (Spider Plant)

	Leaves are floppy and hang down like legs on a spider
	Leaves have vertical stripes
	Needs regular watering
	New plants grow from offshoots of the main plant and look like little spiders.

Guidelines for a Comparison/Contrast Composition

	Comparing tells how two or more things are similar.
	Contrasting tells how two or more things are different.
	Begin each paragraph with a clearly stated topic sentence.
	All details should support the main idea of the topic sentence.

Click here for a Venn Diagram to help you organize your composition.

Click here for an idea for your composition: Bright Ideas for Writing

Click here for some revising tips: Evaluation Station

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