5. The COMPARISON Paragraph

The Comparison Paragraph

FINDING SIMILARITIES

The Paragraph and the Essay

Despite their obvious differences in length, the paragraph and the essay are quiet similar structurally. For example, the paragraph is introduced by either a topic sentence or a topic introducer followed by a topic sentence. In the essay, the first paragraph provides introductory material and establishes the topic focus. Next, the sentences that follow the introducer in a typical paragraph develop the main idea stated in the topic sentence. The body of an essay consists of a number of paragraphs that expand and support the ideas presented in the introductory paragraph.  Finally, a terminator whether a restatement, conclusion, or observation- ends the paragraph. The essay, too, has a device which brings its ideas to a logically and psychologically satisfying completion: the concluding paragraph. Although exception to these generalizations may be observed in the modern creative writings, most well written expository paragraphs and essays are comparable in structure.

Identify the topic sentence and the terminator. Identify the pattern of organization. Outline:

Problems of New Immigrants to New York City

Over the past decade, Puerto Ricans from the island of Puerto Rico and blacks from the southern part of the United States have contributed the most significant immigration population to New York City area. Both groups come from similar backgrounds and follow similar patterns in trying to adapt to the complexities of city life. As US citizens, Puerto Ricans have the freedom to move from Puerto Rico to any location within the United States. Also as citizens, they have the duties associated with citizenship such as the obligation to serve in the armed forces. Yet differing from the average New Yorkers by physical appearance and language difference, Puerto Ricans are compelled to cluster in certain neighborhoods and thus become ghetto inhabitants. The Children often arrive educationally disadvantages due to under financed school systems on the island. The adults generally possess rural skills rather than urban skills. From the rural South, blacks also arrive in the New York City area with skills insufficient to compete in urban life. Their children similarly are educationally handicapped because of separate and inferior schooling. Frequently sharing the same ghettoes with Puerto Ricans, the Southern blacks, with their distinctive speech and obvious physical characteristics, often live together in neighborhoods segregated from those of the white New Yorker. Although they have the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship, including military service, Southern blacks, like Puerto Ricans, find it extremely difficult to achieve full citizenship in a hostile urban environment. Both of these groups share similar socio-cultural characteristics and suffer similar problems of adjustment in a technologically oriented urban setting.

What two ideas are developed in the paragraph above? Write the paragraph structure. Detail what examples are being used to develop each of the ideas.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT – Comparison Paragraph (similarities)

Select one of the following PATTERNS to write an outline FOR A COMPARISON PARAGRAPH.    AFTER WRITING YOUR OUTLINE, START DEVELOPING YOUR COMPARISON PARAGRAPH.

Ideas to develop the topic sentence for a comparison:

Even though A and B are different; they still show some SIMILARITIES.

Despite their differences, A and B are still similar in some aspects

USE DISCOURSE MARKERS:

Comparison WITHIN sentences	Comparison BETWEEN sentences
A is like B           A and B are similar                with respect to… A is similar to B A resembles B	A is ________.  Similarly, B is ___________. A is ________. Likewise, B is ____________. A is ________.  Correspondingly, B is ______.

Examples:

Learning to drive a car requires a lot of patience.  Similarly, learning a language requires a considerable amount of patience.

Edinburgh as a mayor tourist center invests large sums of money in preserving its ancient buildings.  Cairo, likewise, has discovered that well-preserved ancient buildings are a considerable tourist attraction.

TO INTRODUCE YOUR TERMINATOR USE: AS YOU CAN SEE, CLEARLY, ETC. 

REMEMBER TO INCLUDE EXPLANATIONS OF DETAILS (WHY AND HOW)

Choose one pattern to write an outline:

Outline the COMPARISON paragraph (USE TWO IDEAS)

	Topic sentence:
A1
A2
A3
A4
B1
B2
B3
B4
	Conclusion:

Outline the COMPARISON paragraph (USE TWO IDEAS)

	Topic sentence:
A1
B1
A2
B2
A3
B3
A4
B4
	Conclusion:

WHO IS EE CUMMINGS?

SEE THE TRANSLATION TO SPANISH OF HIS FAMOUS POEM "I CARRY YOUR HEART", WRITE A PARAGRAPH COMPARING THE SIMILARITIES IN STRUCTURE BETWEEN THE ENGLISH AND THE SPANISH VERSIONS.

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