St.

Paul University Philippines

Intercultural Institute for Languages 1

Comparing and Contrasting

Authors often describe two or more people, places, events, ideas, or objects. One way
they present the important details about two or more people or things is by comparing and
contrasting. When you compare, you consider how things are alike. Clue words such as both,
all, similar, like, and in common signal comparisons. Clue words such as in contrast, however,
but, unlike, different, and on the other hand signal contrasts. Often, the author gives no clue
words. Then you need to look for the comparisons and contrasts.
Comparing and contrasting help you clearly picture what us being described so you can
draw your own conclusions about the people, places, or things.

Understanding a Venn Diagram

A Venn diagram makes comparing and contrasting easy. You may learn that two
characters who seem very similar have a striking difference. You may find that two settings
have something in common that you did not notice at first.
Read the passage and look at its Venn diagram. It displays the comparison between
Marcos and Jake, the characters.
The Race
(Paragraph 1)
The boys waited at the starting line. Marcos bounced around, looking lean
but wild in shiny green silk shorts and a white muscle T-shirt. His brown hair
flipped over his eyebrows, almost covering his lashes. He kept shaking his arms
and hands, and dancing around nervously. Jake stood next to him, calm,
confident, and serious in plain black shorts and white T-shirt. His cropped hair
lay perfectly neat. You could see by the way his arms hung at his sides and his
stance stayed relaxed that he hadn’t a hint of tension.

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A Venn diagram helps you see how the characters are alike and different. You can better
understand how they think, react, and behave. You can draw conclusions and make predictions
more easily.
How do you think the two boys will compare when they run?
Marcos may be flashier yet more nervous; Jake may be smoother, stronger, and calmer.
As you read, ask yourself:
➢ How are the people, places, objects, events, and ideas alike and different?
➢ Does the author signal similarities and differences with words such as alike, unlike,
similar, different?
Here is the second paragraph of the passage about Marcos and Jake. Study its Venn diagram.
The Race
(Paragraph 2)
The starter’s pistol started. Determined to win, Marcos bounded off without
hesitation in a pinwheel whirl of limbs. He pounded hard to pull ahead of the
pack. Jake, planning on first place also left the block instantly. But with his huge
gliding strides, he looked as if he were rowing through the air, evenly gaining
speed. Marcos glanced anxiously behind and whirred off again, limbs aflutter, to
run faster. He gained distance, yet with Jake’s acceleration and easy grace, the
distance could easily vanish. Both boys breathed deep and hard.

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Read this summary of Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. As you read, think about the
ways in which the two plays are alike and the ways they are different.
Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story are both plays about young people in
love. In Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare uses poetry to tell the tale of
young people kept apart by their feuding families. But in West Side Story, the
music of composer Leonard Bernstein and the lyrics of Stephen Sondheim tell
the story of Tony and Maria. Tony and Maria are caught between the rivalry of
two gangs.
Romeo and Juliet was written in 1954 and takes place in Verona, Italy. West
Side Story, which is set in New York, was first performed in 1957. Separated by
centuries, both plays continue to bring tears to the eyes of theatergoers.
Ways in which the two plays are alike:
➢ Both are plays about young people in love.
➢ In both plays, others keep the young people apart.
➢ Both plays can still make audiences cry.
Ways in which the two plays are different:
➢ West Side Story is by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. Romeo and Juliet is by
William Shakespeare.
➢ West Side Story is a musical. Romeo and Juliet is not a musical.
➢ West Side Story takes place in New York City. Romeo and Juliet takes place in Verona,
Italy.
Finding how two or more things are alike and how they are different is called comparing and
contrasting. A comparison tells how things, people, places, or events are alike. A contrast tells
how they are different.
➢ Comparing is finding how two or more things are alike. Contrasting is finding how they
are different.
➢ Clue words that signal a comparison are both, same, like, alike, and similar. Clue words
that signal a contrast are but, unlike, different, however, whereas, and instead.
➢ If there are no clue words in a reading passage to signal a comparison or a contrast, think
about the things that you read about. Ask yourself, “How are these things alike? How
are they different?”

Read this article about light and sound. As you read, look for clue words that signal how
light and sound are alike and how they are different. Then answer the questions.
Have you ever watched a flash of a lightning bolt across the summer sky and
then waited with some anticipation for the loud clap of thunder that follows? Did
you ever wonder why the thunder comes after the lightning?
The light that you see from a volt of lightning and the sound that you hear as
thunder actually both occur at the same time. The light reaches your eye before
the sound reaches your ear. This occurs because light travels faster than
sound―a lot faster. Light travels at a rate of about 300,000 kilometers (186,000

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miles) per second. Sound, however, is relatively poky. It clocks in at about 0.3
kilometers per second.
Which of these is true?
A. Sound travels faster than light.
B. Light travels faster than sound.
C. Light and sound travel at the same speed.
D. Light travels more slowly than sound.
Which clue word signals that there is a difference between the speed of light and the speed of
sound?
A. same
B. because
C. however
D. both

Remember:
➢ Comparing is finding ways in which things are alike. Contrasting is finding ways in
which things are different.
➢ Look for clue words that signal a comparison―both, same, like, alike, similar.
➢ Look for clue words that signal a contrast―but, unlike, different, however, whereas,
instead.
➢ Sometimes, there are no clue words that signal a comparison or a contrast. To find a
comparison, think about the qualities between people, places, objects, or events that are
alike. To find a contrast, look for qualities that are different.
Read this article about work.
Is It a Career or a Job?
We often use the words career and job to discuss the same thing―work―but
there is a difference between these two words. A career usually refers to the
course or path of one’s working life, while a job is just one part of the journey. In
more practical terms, a career is a profession or an occupation. A job is a
position of employment. For example, food services is a career, where are grill
cook is a job. Ideally, one can choose many jobs within a career. But having this
kind of choice requires preparation. It’s never too early to begin thinking about
and researching the kind of career you want.
Think carefully about a career path. You most likely will spend forty to fifty
years of your life working, so persona satisfaction is essential. Get as much
information as you are able about the career in which you are interested. What
level of education do you need to enter and then advance in this career? Learn
about the outlook of the career. What types of jobs will be available after you
complete your education? There are many places to find information, including
books, career or job fairs, interviews with family members or friends, and
volunteer work.

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What is one difference between a career and a job?

A. A career is a position, but a job is a profession.
B. A career is satisfying, but a job is essential.
C. A career is a profession, but a job is a position of employment.
D. A career requires education, but a job does not.

Which clue word signals the difference between food services and grill cook?
A. different
B. whereas
C. same
D. alike

Remember: Sometimes, there are no clue words in a reading passage to signal that things are
being compared or contrasted. When there are no clue words,
➢ think about the people, places, objects, or events that you read about. Ask yourself,
“How are they like? How are they different?”
➢ think about what is being compared or contrasted. Ask yourself, “In what ways are they
compared? In what ways are they contrasted?”
➢ look for metaphors or similes. Writers use them to compare two unlike things.
Read this story about a boy who must make a decision.
This was the year that Trey would begin to study the musical instrument of
his choice. The question was, which instrument would he choose?
Trey’s parents have already made a decision of their own. They wanted Trey
to study the violin. Trey’s older sister studied the cello, and his brother studied
the piano. A violin would fit in very nicely.
“The violin,” Father said, “makes the most beautiful music.”
“If played correctly,” Trey’s brother smirked.
“It is even beautiful to look at,” Mother chimed in, thinking of the smoothly
polished wood if the instrument.
“A violin,” continued Father, “is easy to carry. And symphony orchestras can
always use another violinist.”
Instead of the violin, Trey had his heart set on the saxophone. Bright and
shiny, made of metal, hard to carry, and rarely needed in a symphony orchestra,
Trey wanted a saxophone more than a fish wants water.
One way in which a violin and a saxophone are alike is that they both are _____.
A. made of metal
B. made of polished metal
C. musical instruments
D. in great demand by symphony orchestras
Which clue word signals that Trey wants to play and instrument other than the violin?
A. instead

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B. both
C. unlike
D. different
Trey’s desire to play the saxophone is compared to a _____.
A. violinist’s need for music
B. fish’s need for water
C. heart’s need for love
D. son’s need of approval
Which of these tells one way in which a violin is different from a saxophone?
A. A violin makes music.
B. A violin is shiny.
C. A violin is difficult to carry.
D. A violin is made of wood.

Read this Celtic myth about the Morrigan.

Three Appearances of the Morrigan
Several Celtic myths about warriors feature the Morrigan, the war goddess.
In one of these myths, the Morrigan appears to the hero, Cu Chulainn, at three
different times in his life. Each time, Cu Chulainn fails to recognize her until it is
too late, which eventually causes his doom.
The first time that Morrigan appears to Cu Chulainn, she offers her love to
him. She tells him that she has been aiding him in battle and will continue to do
so. But, since he is in the midst of fighting a war, he refuses her love, saying he
doesn’t have the time for her and, besides, he doesn’t need her help. Angered, the
Morrigan vows to hinder him in battle instead. Cu Chulainn rushes at her with
his sword. Just as the blade touches the Morrigan, she transforms into a crow and
flies away. Only then does Cu Chulainn recognize her.
Later in his life, Cu Chulainn comes upon an old woman with several
wounds who is milking a cow. He asks the old woman for a drink, which she
gladly gives to him. In gratitude, he thanks her with a blessing. Upon receiving
the blessing, her wounds are healed. Cu Chulainn continues on her way without
realizing that the old woman was the Morrigan and that he has healed the very
wound he had inflicted upon her years ago. Now the Morrigan’s power is only
greater.
At the end of his life, Cu Chulainn is visited by the Morrigan in the guise of a
young woman washing his clothes and armaments at a river―for the Celts, a
sign of coming death. Knowing he is about to face his enemies, Cu Chulainn
feels overwhelmed by this sign. During the battle that follows, Cu Chulainn is
severely wounded. When a crow lands on his shoulder, Cu Chulainn sees that it
is the Morrigan and the hero dies quickly. The Morrigan has had her final
victory.

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How are Cu Chulainn’s three encounters with the Morrigan alike?

A. He disrespects and mistreats her.
B. He recognizes her too soon.
C. He recognizes her every time.
D. He doesn’t recognize her until it is too late.
What was the most different about the Morrigan’s second appearance as compared to the first
and the third appearance?
A. She is healthy and young.
B. She transforms into a crow.
C. She is a woman.
D. She doesn’t transform into a crow.

Remember:
➢ A test question about comparing and contrasting may ask you how things are alike or
how they are different.
➢ A test question about comparing and contrasting usually contains a clue word. Words
such as alike, similar, and both signal that you are to compare. Words such as unlike or
different signal that you are to contrast.
Read these two advertisements for vacation resorts in the Caribbean.

Welcome to Jamaica! Canouan: The Caribbean’s Quiet Corner

Come to the Caribbean island where Canouan is a Caribbean paradise for
everyone speaks your language! Make travelers who want quiet and privacy.
yourself at home in Jamaica where many accessible only by boat or charter plane,
islanders are fluent in English. Canouan is different from other Caribbean
Unlike other islands in the Caribbean that islands. If your idea of a perfect vacation is
can take days to reach, Jamaica is easily endless hours of sunbathing, walks on the
accessible. Several airlines offer nonstop beach, and peaceful surroundings, come to
flights between Jamaica and major US cities. Canouan.
And you will want to arrive early to enjoy all For many years, Canouan has appealed to
that Jamaica has to offer. During the day, the discriminating traveler. Popular with
enjoy swimming, wind surfing, scuba diving, Europeans, Canouan will provide you with
golf, tennis, fishing, and horseback riding! In many opportunities to practice your French, or
the evening, fill your time with fine dining, even learn a few new words.
music, and dancing! For fabulous French spirit, style, and
Come and enjoy the exciting days and friendliness, come to Canouan!
nights of Jamaica!

Jamaica is unlike other Caribbean islands because _____.

A. the islanders can speak any language
B. the island is popular with Europeans
C. the island is easily accessible

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D. the island can be reached only by plane

How are both islands alike?
A. Both are filled with French spirit.
B. Both are located in the Caribbean.
C. Both are difficult to reach.
D. Both are quiet and restful places for a vacation.

Read this article about an infamous war from the ancient times.
In about 800 B.C., Greeks would gather in the town square to listen to a blind
storyteller named Homer. As he sang of past heroes and their great deeds, the
listeners learned about honor and courage. In a long, epic poem called The Iliad,
Homer related the story of a war that ravaged the city of Troy hundreds of years
before he lived. The infamous war was called the Trojan War. In The Iliad,
Homer told that the people of Troy, the Trojans, defended their city against
Greek attackers for ten years during the Trojan war.
Homer explained the events that led to the war this way. Paris, son of King
Priam of Troy, kidnapped Helen, queen of the Greek city of Sparta and the wife
of King Menelaus. According to the gods, Helen was the most beautiful woman
in the world. Even though she was already married, Paris brought Helen to Troy
to be his wife. But history gives another cause for the war. The Trojans and the
Greeks were rival sea traders. Each group wanted to trade freely along the rich
sea routes linking Europe and Asia. Perhaps the Trojans forced the Greeks to pay
a toll on their way past Troy to and from the Black Sea.
The Trojan War ended in about 1250 B.C. Homer explained that in the tenth
year of the war, the Greek army thought of a clever plan to defeat the Trojans.
Knowing the Trojans loved horses, the Greeks tricked them with the gift of a
horse, the Trojan Horse. The Greek army pretended to give up and sail off,
leaving behind a gigantic wooden horse outside the city walls. Curious, the
Trojans rolled the horse into the city without realizing that the body of the horse
was packed with armed Greeks. At night, the Greek soldiers climbed down from
the horse and unlocked the city gates for their waiting army. The Greek army
flooded through the gates. This surprise attack allowed the Greeks to easily
defeat the Trojans.
Homer attributes the cause of the Trojan War to a kidnapping, but history indicates that _____.
A. the Trojans attacked the Greeks, beginning the war
B. a Greek attack against the Trojans led to the war
C. a trade dispute probably caused the war
D. a family feud was responsible for the war
In what way were the Greeks and the Trojans similar in their approach to the war?
A. Both were fierce.
B. Both were clever.
C. Both were persistent.
D. Both were untrained.

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