compare and contrast
What is the opposite of compare and contrast? Here is what we hold, with its meaning and related words.
Phrase — To examine two or more things side by side in order to set out both what they have in common and how they differ, usually as an academic exercise.
How to use compare and contrast
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
compare and contrast essay
compare and contrast the two
briefly compare and contrast
Standard academic instruction wording, found in exam papers and coursework briefs from school to university level.
Frequently asked questions
What does compare and contrast actually ask you to do?
It asks for both halves: the similarities and the differences, not a list of one followed by a list of the other with no conclusion. A strong answer also says what the pattern of similarity and difference reveals — otherwise it is a description rather than an argument.
What is the difference between compare and contrast?
To compare is to look for likeness, and to contrast is to look for difference. In practice 'compare' is often used loosely to cover both, which is exactly why the instruction spells out 'and contrast'.
How do you structure a compare-and-contrast essay?
Either block by block, covering everything about subject A then everything about subject B, or point by point, taking one feature at a time and looking at both subjects. Point by point is usually clearer for longer essays because it forces the two subjects into direct contact.
