Compare or Contrast Essay You compare or contrast every day. Should you eat pizza or a salad for lunch? You look at the benefits of pizza, the benefits of salad, and then make your decision.

Developing Your Essay Two patterns for organization Choose one and stick to it throughout. –Point-by-point –The Block

Thesis Sentence Mom’s Hamburger Haven is a much better restaurant than McPhony’s because of its superior food, service and atmosphere.

Pattern One: Point by Point Point 1: Food –A. Mom’s –B. McPhoney’s Point 2: Service: –A. Mom’s –B. McPhoney’s Point 3: Atmosphere –A. Mom’s –B. McPhoney’s

Now, it’s your turn! Pair up with a neighbor and try a point by point with this thesis: Hands down, Angelina Jolie will make a better wife to Brad Pitt than Jen Anniston because she is better with children, she has a strong world view and she is better looking.

Here is a template Point One: –A: –B: Point Two –A: –B: Point Three –A: –B:

It Should look like this: Point One: Children –A: Angelina –B: Jen Point Two: World-view –A: Angelina –B: Jen Point Three: Attractiveness –A: Angelina –B: Jen

Remember our original thesis statement? Mom’s Hamburger Haven is a much better restaurant than McPhony’s because of its superior food, service and atmosphere.

Pattern Two: The Block A. Mom’s –1. Food –2. Service –3. Atmosphere B. McPhony’s –1. Food –2. Service –3. Atmosphere

Now it’s your turn! Pair up with your neighbor again and put the same thesis sentence into the block pattern. Hands down, Angelina Jolie will make a better wife to Brad Pitt than Jen Anniston because she is better with children, she has a strong world view and she is better looking.

Here is a template A: –1: –2: –3: B: –1: –2: –3:

Here’s what it should look like A: Jen –1: Children –2: World-view –3: Looks B: Angelina –1: Children –2: World-view –3: Looks

Key words to use in your essay Comparison –Also –Similarly –Too –Both –Like –Not only…but also –Have in common –Share the same –In the same manner Contrast –However –On the contrary –On the other hand –In contrast –Although –Unlike –Though –Instead of –But