Language – Writing
The purpose of a compare and contrast essay is to examine two things of interest and tell the reader about the similarities and differences between them.
There are many different formats for writing a compare and contrast essay. For the purpose of this assignment, we will focus on the most common format called the Feature by Feature Format, where we compare and contrast (similarities and differences) between two subjects (i.e. Singapore versus Trinidad, etc.) on three different features about the subjects (i.e. geography, people, and food, etc.)
Basic Structure:
1st Paragraph – Introduction General Topic Sentence(s) – catch the reader’s attention Brief background information about the two subjects THESIS STATEMENT Brief overview of the three features you are comparing and contrasting
2nd Paragraph –Personality Inventory Transition word/phrase General sentence about personality inventory Details of inventory/how it relates to your choices
3rd Paragraph – Similarities & Differences of 2nd Feature Transition word/phrase General Topic Sentence – State 2nd feature you are comparing & contrasting State similarities between the two subjects about 2nd feature State differences between the two subjects about 2nd feature
4th Paragraph – Similarities & Differences of 3rd Feature Transition word/phrase General Topic Sentence – State 3rd feature you are comparing & contrasting State similarities between the two subjects about 3rd feature State differences between the two subjects about 3rd feature
5th Paragraph – Conclusion Transition word/phrase Re-state THESIS STATEMENT Briefly summarise the three features that you are comparing and contrasting Closing Statement
Compare and Contrast Essay: SAMPLE OUTLINE
FEATURE BY FEATURE (OR POINT BY POINT) FORMAT
Subject #1
Subject #2
Singapore
Trinidad
THESIS:
Both Singapore and Trinidad are tropical island paradises with dynamic and