One of the most common types of formal writing is comparison and contrast. Oftentimes, you will be asked to compare and contrast certain ideas in various school, college, and university assignments. Although writing in this style can be a tedious task, getting the hang of comparing and contrasting ideas is extremely easy!
What Is Comparison / Contrast?
The act of comparison and contrast in writing is as simple as it sounds: you compare two similar ideas or pieces and discuss the differences between them. This is incredibly common in essays as it allows the writer to show a broad knowledge of both topics. Topics of discussion are not limited either – you can compare and contrast ideas from virtually every area including music, writing and politics.
Comparing and contrasting isn’t only limited to formal work either! You can use comparison and contrast in subtler ways to show differences between characters, fictional businesses or settings. Although this isn’t used as often in fictional writing, it can often go down a treat if done well!