This document discusses comparison and contrast techniques. It provides examples of comparing products and prices when shopping or comparing job offers. The document then discusses contrasting by giving an example of how a bicycle is different from a car in that a bicycle does not create air pollution. It also contains a sample paragraph that contrasts how the left and right sides of the brain process information differently.

1. Module 6
Comparison and Contrast is a technique that we use everyday.
We compare and contrast products and prices when we shop.
A job applicant compares and contrasts job offers.
Information taken from:
Butler, L. Fundamentals of Academic Writing. Longman
Hogue, A. (2008). First Steps in Academic Writing. Longman.

2. Contrasting
To contrast means to
discuss how two people,
places, or things are
different.
For example,
One main advantage of
a bicycle over a car is that
a bicycle doesn’t create
air pollution.

3. Model Paragraph – Questions
Read and analyze the following paragraph, and answer
these questions:
1. What two things does the paragraph talk about?
2. Is the paragraph mostly comparing or contrasting? How
do you know?

4. Model Paragraph
Right Brain/Left Brain
The left and right side of your brain process information in different
ways. The left side is logical, rational, linear, and verbal. The right side, on the
other hand, processes information intuitively, emotionally, creatively, and
visually. Left brains think in words, whereas right brains think in pictures.
People who depend more on the left side of their brain are list makers and
analyst. They are organized, careful and detailed. In contrast, right brained
people are visual, intuitive, and sensual. When a left-brained person has to
make an important decision, he or she makes a metal list of all the factors
involved and arrives at a decision only after careful analysis. When a right-brained
person has to make the same decision, on the other hand, he or she is
more likely to base it on intuition and feelings. Of course, no one is 100 percent
left-brained or 100 percent right-brained. Although one side may be stronger,
both sides normally work together.

5. Answers
Read and analyze the following paragraph, and answer
these questions:
1.What two things does the paragraph talk about?
Right and left brain.
2. Is the paragraph mostly comparing or contrasting? How
do you know?
Contrasting because of the phrases used: on the other
hand, whereas, in contrast and although.

6. Contrasting Signals
Sentence
connectors
Explanation and Example
In contrast
On the other
hand
However
These are sentence connectors. They connect two
independent clauses.
The lakes we swam in were very clean and
beautiful. In contrast, the lakes in my country
are polluted.
My boyfriend likes to play sports. On the other
hand, I prefer to do yoga.
The new store sells its clothing at low prices.
However, other stores have better quality
clothing.

7. Coordinating
Conjunctions
Explanation and Example
but Use but when the ideas are exact opposites.
I enjoy eating fruit for dessert, but my friend
likes chocolate.
yet Use yet when one idea is a surprising or unexpected
continuation of other idea. It is also posible to use
but.
The left side of the brain controls logic and
reasoning, yet it also controls language.

8. Subordinating
conjunctions
Explanation and Example
While
Whereas
Use while and whereas when the ideas are exact
opposites. While and whereas can begin either
clause. Always use a comma when the independent
clause comes first.
I enjoy eating fruit for dessert, while/whereas
my friend likes chocolate.
While/Whereas I enjoy eating fruit for dessert,
my friend likes chocolate.
Although
Even though
Though
Use although, even though, or though when one idea
is a surprising or unexpected continuation of the
other idea.
My grandfather is the wisest man in our town
although/even though/though he never
finished high school.
Although/even though/though he never
finished high school, my grandfather is the
wisest man in our town.

9. Others Explanation and Example
Different from
Unlike
Differently
From and unlike are prepositions. Put a noun or noun
phrase after them.
Differently is an adverb. It describes the verb.
The way left-brained people think and learn is
different from the way right-brained people do.
Unlike left-brainers, right-brainers often know
the answer to a math problem without knowing
how they got it.
Left-brained people think and learn differently
from the way right-brained people do.
Differ
(from/in)
Differ is a verb.
Left-brain and right-brain people differ in the
way they think and learn.

10. Others Explanation and Example
Different from
Unlike
Differently
From and unlike are prepositions. Put a noun or noun
phrase after them.
Differently is an adverb. It describes the verb.
The way left-brained people think and learn is
different from the way right-brained people do.
Unlike left-brainers, right-brainers often know
the answer to a math problem without knowing
how they got it.
Left-brained people think and learn differently
from the way right-brained people do.
Differ
(from/in)
Differ is a verb.
Left-brain and right-brain people differ in the
way they think and learn.