Comparison Writing

1
Comparison Writing

• Comparisons feature similarities. Contrasts mark
  differences. 

2
When do we use comparisons?

• We use comparison and contrast thinking when
  choosing
• Which college to attend?
• Public
• Private
• Whether to travel to a vacation site by
• Car?
• Truck?
• SUV?

How blocky is this one?
3
How do writers graph their thoughts?

• A Venn diagram helps writers to show how two
  pizza places are different and similar with
  overlapping circles and information.

Put what is unique to each place to the left and
the right. Tell what they have in common in the
center.
4
How else can you arrange ideas?

• A simple two column chart can also help the
  writer compare two things.
• It is fairly easy to keep the points parallel in
  this way.
• As many items as you want can be added.

Do you like the Venn diagram or the chart style
better?
5
How to find points of comparison

• What are three main differences between service
  (sales clerk) and professional work (management)?
• __1. Location
• __2. Application
• __3. Education
• __4. Supervision
• __5. Compensation
• __6. Condescension

Doesnt he just mean cheap?
6
How do we compare careers?

• What are three main differences between service
  (sales clerk) and professional work (management)?
• X_1. Location
• On the floor/ In an office
• __2. Application
• X_3. Education
• High school/ College degree
• __4. Supervision
• X_5. Compensation
• Weekly pay/ Monthly salary

7
How to find points of comparison

• What are three main differences between high
  school and college?
• __1. Location
• __2. Responsibility
• __3. Finances
• __4. Instructors
• __5. Examinations
• __6. Student groups
• __7. Peer pressure
• __8. Skill levels

8
How to find points of comparison

• Three main differences between high school and
  college
• __1. Location
• X_2. Responsibility
• __3. Finances
• __4. Instructors
• X_5. Examinations
• __6. Student groups
• __7. Peer pressure
• X_8. Skill levels

9
How do we organize the essay?

• Suppose you are showing differences between
  airplanes and helicopters.
• The best way is to organize by citing a
  particular point about airplanes and then
  immediately discussing the same point on
  helicopters.
• This arrangement is called the point-by-point or
  the alternating essay style.  

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How is point-by-point style arranged?

• I. The introduction brings up three basic
  differences of airplanes and helicopters.
• II. Can you match the aircrafts points?
• speed, flight direction, shape/designA.  __?__
  (point 1)     1.  Airplanes long, thin    
  2.  Helicopters roundB.  __?__ (point 2)
•      1.  Airplanes faster     2. 
  Helicopters slower C.  __?__ (point 3)    
  1.  Airplanes diagonal     2.  Helicopters
  uplift
• III. The conclusion restates the thesis and
  comments on the significance of the topic.

11
The comparing essay has three points.

• I. The introduction brings up three basic
  differences of airplanes and helicopters.
• II. You can match the aircrafts points?
• speed, flight direction, shape/designA. 
  _shape/design_ (point 1)     1.  Airplanes
  long, thin     2.  Helicopters roundB. 
  _speed_ (point 2)
•      1.  Airplanes faster     2. 
  Helicopters slower C.  _flight direction_
  (point 3)     1.  Airplanes diagonal    
  2.  Helicopters uplift
• III. The conclusion restates the thesis and
  comments on the significance of the topic.

12
What is the other way to organize?

• Suppose we are showing the main differences
  between two individuals.
• We can organize by telling everything about one
  person in one body paragraph.
• Then we tell all about the other person in
  another paragraph.
• This form of essay organization is called the
  block style. 

What difference do the dad and the daughter have?
13
How is the block style arranged?

• I. The introduction brings up any basic
  differences of the two persons or things.
• II. The body paragraphs discuss first one person
  and then the other.A.  Vero, a good friend    
  1.  Personality loud     2.  Preferences rock
• 3. Habits up lateB.  Ryan another good
  friend     1.  Personality quiet     2. 
  Preferences classical
• 3. Habits early to bedIII. The conclusion
  restates the thesis and comments on the
  significance of the topic.

14
Which style leads to five paragraphs?

• I. The introduction brings up any basic
  differences of the two persons or things.
• II. The body paragraphs discuss first one person
  and then the other.A.  One good friend     1. 
  Personality     2.  Preferences
• 3. HabitsB.  Another good friend     1. 
  Personality     2.  Preferences
• 3. HabitsIII. The conclusion restates the
  thesis and comments on the significance of the
  topic.

• I. The introduction brings up three basic
  differences of airplanes and helicopters.
• II. The body paragraphs discuss the variations of
  both aircraft.A.  Shape and design     1. 
  Airplanes     2.  HelicoptersB.  Speed     1. 
  Airplanes     2.  HelicoptersC.  Flight
  direction     1.  Airplanes     2.  Helicopters
• III. The conclusion restates the thesis and
  comments on the significance of the topic.

15
Which style works best for us?

• I. The introduction brings up any basic
  differences of the two persons or things.
• II. The body paragraphs discuss first one person
  and then the other.A.  One good friend     1. 
  Personality     2.  Preferences
• 3. HabitsB.  Another good friend     1. 
  Personality     2.  Preferences
• 3. HabitsIII. The conclusion restates the
  thesis and comments on the significance of the
  topic.

• I. The introduction brings up three basic
  differences of airplanes and helicopters.
• II. The body paragraphs discuss the variations of
  both aircraft.A.  Shape and design     1. 
  Airplanes     2.  HelicoptersB.  Speed     1. 
  Airplanes     2.  HelicoptersC.  Flight
  direction     1.  Airplanes     2.  Helicopters
• III. The conclusion restates the thesis and
  comments on the significance of the topic.

The block style produces four paragraph essays.
The point style produces five paragraph essays.
16
What is being compared here?

• Which adjective fills the blank?
• a. economical, b. comfortable,
• c. adventurous, d. insecure
• If you have the money, hotels are more __ than
  backpacking. This way of traveling is mostly used
  by families and people wealthy enough to pay for
  good hotels. People spend more money in hotels
  than they would spend in a hostel of course a
  hotel will provide a high level of traveler
  security. To stay at most hotels, you need
  reservations, and once you have them you can rely
  on a place to sleep every night.

Whats the difference between packing and
staying in hotels?
17
Can you use comparative adjectives?

• If you have the money, hotels are (1) __
  comfortable than backpacking. This way of
  traveling is mostly used by families and people
  who are (2) __ enough to pay for good hotels.
  People spend more money in hotels than they would
  spend in a hostel of course a hotel will provide
  a (3) __ level of security to the traveler. To
  stay at (4) __ hotels, you need reservations, and
  once you have them you can rely on a place to
  sleep every night.

• Which word best fills each blank?
• __1. a. more, b. less,
• c. real, d. awful.
• __2. a. richer, b. poor,
• c. poorer, d. rich.
• __3. a. high, b. lower,
• c. higher, d. low.
• __4. a. most, b. few,
• c. more, d. fewer.

18
Here are the correct comparatives

• If you have the money, hotels are (1) __
  comfortable than backpacking. This way of
  traveling is mostly used by families and people
  who are (2) __ enough to pay for good hotels.
  People spend more money in hotels than they would
  spend in a hostel of course a hotel will provide
  a (3) __ level of security to the traveler. To
  stay at (4) __ hotels, you need reservations, and
  once you have them you can rely on a place to
  sleep every night.

• These words best fill each blank
• a_1. a. more, b. less,
• c. real, d. awful.
• d_2. a. richer, b. poor,
• c. poorer, d. rich.
• c_3. a. high, b. lower,
• c. higher, d. low.
• a_4. a. most, b. few,
• c. more, d. fewer.

19
Do you know irregular adjectives?

• The five most common adjectives actually have
  irregular comparative and superlative forms.
• What are the completions?
• Word Comparative Superlative
• Good ___ Best
• Bad Worse ___
• Little ___ Least
• Much More ___
• Far ___ Farthest

Would this sign be better?
20
You do know irregular adjectives

• The five most common adjectives actually have
  irregular comparative and superlative forms.
• Here are the completions
• Word Comparative Superlative
• Good Better Best
• Bad Worse Worst
• Little Less Least
• Much More Most
• Far Farther Farthest

21
Can you use irregular adjectives?

• Which option is correct?
• a. best, b. worst, c. least,
• d. most, e. farthest
• __1. In any downturn, factory jobs are the __ for
  laying workers off.
• __2. Professional occupations, however, offer
  workers the __ job security.
• __3. Thus, the __-educated employees are most at
  risk.

22
You can use irregular adjectives

• Here are the correct ones
• a. best, b. worst, c. least,
• d. most, e. farthest
• B_1. In any downturn, factory jobs are the __ for
  laying workers off.
• D_2. Professional occupations, however, offer
  workers the __ job security.
• C_3. Thus, the __-educated employees are most at
  risk.

23
Can you use comparative adverbs?

• Which option is correct?
• __1. Mick writes __ than Jordy does.
• a. quicklier, b. more quicklier,
• c. more quickly, d. quickliest.
• __2. Of all the students, Max studied the __.
• a. more harder, b. most hard,
• c. harder, d. hardest.
• __3. Ava drives __ than before.
• a. carefuller, b. more careful,
• c. more carefully, d. with care

24
Can you use comparative adverbs?

• Which option is correct?
• __1. Mick writes __ than Jordy does.
• a. quicklier, b. more quicklier,
• c. more quickly, d. quickliest.
• __2. Of all the students, Max studied the __.
• a. more harder, b. most hard,
• c. harder, d. hardest.
• __3. Ava drives __ than before.
• a. carefuller, b. more careful,
• c. more carefully, d. with care

25
Can you use the right completions?

• Which completion is correct?
• __1. Ene wanted to take a course with __
  professor. a. that interesting new Japanese
  economicsb. that Japanese interesting, new
  economicsc. that interesting, new, Japanese,
  economics
• __2. Of all the mechanics, Denny is surely ___ .
  a. the less competent.b. the least
  competent.C. the competentest.
• __3. Knowing is the __ movie
• that I've ever seen. a. most excitedb. most
  excitingc. most excitable Nicolas
  Cage stars in Knowing

26
You can use the right completions

• These completions are correct
• c_1. Ene wanted to take a course with __
  professor. a. that interesting new Japanese
  economicsb. that Japanese interesting, new
  economicsc. that interesting, new, Japanese,
  economics
• b_2. Of all the mechanics, Denny is surely ___ .
  a. the less competent.b. the least
  competent.c. the competentest.
• b_3. Knowing is the __ movie
• that I've ever seen. a. most excitedb. most
  excitingc. most excitable
  Trying to avoid disaster