Compare and contrast is a reading strategy where we look at two or more things and find how they are alike (compare) and how they are different (contrast).
Comparing looks for similarities. Contrasting looks for differences. Both are important when reading stories or informational texts.
To compare and contrast, readers use key words and details from the text to show what is similar and what is different.
Signal words help you know when the text is comparing or contrasting ideas.
When we compare and contrast, we understand the text better. It helps us notice important details and think more deeply about what we read.
This strategy makes reading easier to understand and more meaningful.
A graphic organizer, like a Venn diagram, helps show how two things are the same and how they are different.
Drawing out your comparisons and contrasts helps organize your thinking before writing or discussing them.
Try using this strategy whenever you read stories, articles, or even poems. Notice how authors show similarities and differences.
The more you practice, the easier it becomes to see how authors use compare and contrast to make texts interesting and clear.