CLASS MATERIAL

WEEK 6
CEL2103 WRITING ACADEMIC TEXTS
SEMESTER 1, 2022-2023

Developing Body Paragraph in Comparison and

Contrast Essay

 Topic sentence to state differences

 Supporting sentences
 Language:
- Contrast signal words
- Writing sentences to show contrast
 Topic Sentence to State Differences

The second body paragraph of your compare and contrast essay will discuss the
differences of the subjects. As mentioned in Week 5, a good topic sentence comprises of
a number of components.

Activity 1

What are the components of a good topic sentence to state differences?

a. __________________________________________

b. __________________________________________

c. __________________________________________

Activity 2

Read the sample paragraphs below and answer the questions that follow.

Paragraph 1

1
In spite of their similarity in transplanted cultures, the United States and Japan
have different views regarding group interaction. 2Whereas people in the United States
pride themselves on individualism, Japanese value collectivism. 3People in the United
States admire and reward a person who rises above the crowd; in contrast, a Japanese
proverb says, “the nail that sticks up gets hammered down”. 4In this sense, members of a
group hold collective responsibility for the performance and actions of an individual in
Japan (Institute of Education Sciences, 2021). 5Furthermore, people in the United States
prefer informality in group interaction but Japanese expect formality. 6In the United States,
it is common for employees or students to act casually with their professors and advisors;
this is not a sign of disrespect. 7On the contrary, as social hierarchy is an important part of
the Japanese culture, formality is a common practice, and it is associated with politeness
(Lou, 2016).

1. Which sentence is the topic sentence of this paragraph?

Sentence ________
2. State the following components of the topic sentence in this paragraph.

a. Topic - _____________________________________________
_

b. Controlling idea - _____________________________________________

_

c. Contrast signal - _____________________________________________

word _

Paragraph 2

1
Although coffee and tea share similar characteristics, they are beneficial to different
health problems. 2Tea seems to be a better choice for a healthier heart because of the
presence of antioxidants. 3Antioxidants are especially beneficial for the overall heart health
(Jasmer, 2018). 4In contrast, a fatty chemical called cafestol in coffee increases the
drinker’s cholesterol level which might be harmful for heart health. 5Nevertheless, coffee is
more beneficial for asthma sufferers as compared to tea. 6Caffeine in coffee imitates the
ophyline’s uses in treating asthma. 7On the contrary, John Mark, a clinical professor of
pediatric pulmonary medicine at Stanford University in California, states that to date there
is no known study that specifically investigates the benefits of tea in treating asthma (cited
in Turco, 2019).

1. Which sentence is the topic sentence of this paragraph?

Sentence ________

2. State the following components of the topic sentence in this paragraph.

a. Topic - _____________________________________________
_

b. Controlling idea - _____________________________________________

_

c. Contrast signal - _____________________________________________

word _
3. Based on topic sentences in paragraph 1 and paragraph 2, what is the function of
transition signal of contrast at the beginning of the topic sentences?
______________________________________________________________________

Activity 3

Identify the transition signal of contrast and the components of the topic sentences below.

i. Circle the transition signal of contrast

ii. Underline the topic

iii. Highlight the controlling ideas (points of comparison)

iv. Double underline the contrast signal words

Topic sentence 1

Despite the similar population diversity, the United States and Russia are very different in
terms of population growth.

Topic sentence 2

However, there is a clear difference in the way people communicate over long distances
between now and 30 years ago where the most notable difference is the speed of
information transfer.

Topic sentence 3

Although the nutritional content between organic and non-organic food is similar, studies
have revealed significant difference in their level of detectable pesticide residues.
Activity 4

The following are body paragraphs without a topic sentence. Write the topic sentence that
show differences based on the given topic and body paragraph. Include a transition signal of
contrast for each topic sentence.

A comparative study between the appearance of Cherokee and the

Topic 1
Romans

Topic sentence

The ancient Romans wore tunics with underclothes made of linens.

Tunics are used throughout the year, but in winter people wore two or
three layers of tunics in order to keep warm. An account by Miller (2000)
Body Paragraph describes this garment as the basic form of clothing for most of the
Roman citizens. Meanwhile, the Cherokee Indians have a different type of
dress altogether. The Cherokee Indians wore clothing that was either
woven or made from deer skin.

A comparison between travelling styles: Backpacking and staying in

Topic 2
hotels

Topic sentence

Unlike backpacking, staying in hotels requires a lot more money. Hotels

Body Paragraph
are one of the most comfortable ways of travelling but only if you have
enough money. A report by Lock (2021) states that the average daily rate
 of hotels in the United States is $130.60 while hostels rate is only
between $10-$40 per night. In addition, travellers who are staying in
hotels might be charged for additional services. On the other hand, since
most hostels only offer basic necessities, travellers might not need to
worry about having to pay extra charges for ‘luxury’ like additional mini bar
items and toiletries. Travellers could save up to 60% of their spending if
they chose to stay in a hostel (Boyd, 2017).

Similarity and difference between learning in high school and learning in

Topic 3
college

Topic sentence

In high school, students have to take tests and exams to determine their
final grade; on the contrary, in college, students are expected to apply
their knowledge through not only tests but also assignments and projects.
Good grades in high schools are based on the ability to comprehend the
lessons taught in class. On the other hand, Oliver (2012) mentions that in
order for college students to be able to score well, they need to show their
Body Paragraph
ability to apply knowledge learned to solve new situations and problems.
Moreover, assignments in college include various assessment methods or
tools such as individual and group assessments, case studies,
experiments, project papers and internships. Whereas, assessments in
high school are limited and mostly formative to measure students’
performance (Clint, 2019).

Supporting Sentences and Contrast Signal Words

Supporting sentences of a paragraph develop the main idea presented in the topic sentence.
Supporting sentences could be examples, reasons or descriptions to support the topic
sentence.
Contrast signal words are used in supporting sentences to highlight the differences between
subjects.

Activity 5

Using the points given, write supporting sentences to show contrast using contrast signal
words. Highlight the contrast signal words used.

Essay topic 1 : A comparison between traditional medicine and modern medicine

Topic sentence : A significant difference between traditional medicine and modern

medicine is in the manufacturing process.

Traditional medicine Modern medicine Supporting sentences

a. Usually derived from a. Involves drugs and 1.

natural products medical procedures

2.

b. No formal testing - b. Rigorous trials – for 1.

knowledge is handed safety and efficacy
down through
2.
generation

Essay topic 2 : The similarities and differences between American fast food and
Japanese fast food
Topic sentence : An obvious difference between American fast food and Japanese
fast food is the size of portion.

American fast food Japanese fast food Supporting sentences

 a. Portions for food a. Portions for food 1.
and drinks tend to be and drinks tend to be
bigger smaller

b. Free refills for drinks b. No free refills for 2.

drinks

Activity 6

Read the body paragraphs below and identify the components of a body paragraph. Write
the contrast signal words found in the body paragraphs.

Body paragraph 1

1
Despite the similarities, the United States and Russia are very different in terms of
population growth. 2Russia’s population has been shrinking because the birth rate is fairly
low although it has increased in recent years. 3On the other hand, the fertility rate in the
United States has been consistently high with 2.06 children compared to only 1.6 for Russia
(CIA, 2010). 4There is comparatively little immigration to Russia while in the United States,
immigration adds 2.3 million people per year.

Topic Sentence : Sentence ____

Supporting sentences : Sentence ____

Contrast signal words :

Body paragraph 2

1
Despite these major similarities, Twitter and Facebook differ in the details of
appearance. 2On Twitter, everything from the layout to individual tweets is condensed.
3
Posts are limited to 140 characters, and on the homepage, tweets are “collapsed”, often
hiding photos, links and other users’ responses. 4On the contrary, there is no characters’
limit on Facebook. 5Hadid (2014) explains users can write long posts and attach pictures,
links, videos and other medias all in one single posts. 6Moreover, features in Twitter keep the
content of the homepage uniform. 7On the other hand, on Facebook, the homepage of
different accounts varies in appearance as it is personalised by the owners themselves (Lim
& Turner, 2016). 8The entire post, unless it is unusually long, and many of the comments are
always visible.

Topic Sentence : Sentence ____

Supporting sentences : Sentence ____

Contrast signal words :

Body paragraph 3

1
Although Washington and London are rich in world and national history, they
developed on very different timelines. 2London, for example, has a history that dates back
over two thousand years. 3It was part of the Roman Empire and known by the similar name,
Londinium. 4Washington, on the other hand, has only formally existed since the late
eighteenth century (Russell, 2016). 5In addition, London was the epicentre of the British
Empire where it held significant global influence from the early sixteenth century until the
early twentieth century (Connor, 2015). 6
In contrast to Washington, although Native
Americans inhabited the land several thousand years earlier, and settlers inhabited the land
as early as the sixteenth century, the city did not become the capital of the United States
until the 1790s.

Topic Sentence : Sentence ____

Supporting sentences : Sentence ____

Contrast signal words :

Writing Sentences to Show Contrast

Activity 7

Write a new sentence to combine the information in each item and highlight the contrast
signal words used. Use a different contrast signal words in each sentence.

1. The chief executive in Malaysia is called the prime minister. The chief executive in the
United States is called the president.
 ______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

2. In the United States, the president fulfils the functions of both political leader and head of
state. These two functions are separate in Malaysia.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

3. In other words, Malaysia has both a monarch and a prime minister. The United States
has only a president.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________