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Writing a Comparison Essay

Prewriting Planning Your Essay

Most writing focuses on one topic, but comparison-contrast writing focuses on two topics. When you compare, you tell how the two topics are alike. When you contrast, you tell how the two topics are different. The topics you choose have to be similar to one another, but they also have to have some important differences in order to work for a comparison-contrast essay.

It’s also important that you choose two topics that truly interest you. Consider people, places, things, animals, games, events, ideas—whatever comparison you think you and your reader would enjoy.