Try to find similarities and differences between your pieces of writing and the process you went through to write them.
Use the topics below the fold to help extend your discussion.
—————————————————
Content
Topics included/ Information selected
Topics/ Information included that wasn’t in the task
Amount of information about each topic
Information in the task that was left out
Paragraphing/ Organisation
Length of each paragraph
Overall length
Language
General level of formality
Formal/ Academic language
Informal language
Starting
Ending
Process
Stages of writing it (brainstorming etc)
Time spent on each stage
Extra work after the time limit
Difficulties writing it
Things which weren’t so difficult
Use the phrases on the next page to extend your discussion
——————
Compare and contrast your writing
Overall, the two pieces of writing are absolutely identical/ almost exactly the same/ practically the same/ surprisingly similar/ very similar/ quite similar/ quite different/ very different/ almost completely different/ totally different (in terms of/ because _____________________________________________________________________)
The most obvious/ most striking/ biggest/ most important difference between the pieces of writing is _______________________________________________________________.
An obvious/ A striking/ An important/ A substantial/ A slight difference between the pieces of writing is _____________________________________________________________.
Another/ The only other difference between the writing is _________________________________________________________________.
The most obvious/ most striking/ only similarity between the pieces of writing is __________________________________________________________________.
The biggest/ most important similarity between our writing is
___________________________________________________________________.
An obvious/ A striking/ An important/ A substantial/ A slight similarity between the pieces of writing is _____________________________________________________________.
Another/ The only other similarity between the writing is _________________________________________________________________.
One of them is slightly/ considerably/ substantially/ much ______________________ er/ more _____________________________________________________ than the other.
One of the texts _________________________________________________________, whereas the other _______________________________________________________.
Fill as many gaps above as you can, selecting from the phrases if there is more than one.
Compare with another group, and see if there are any ways in which all the pieces are similar, any major differences between all of them, or any ways in which just one piece of writing stands out.
———————
Compare and contrast your writing
Fill the gaps below with as many words and expressions as you can. There are usually also other possible phrases which weren’t on the last page. Many expressions can go in more than one place.
Overall, the two pieces of writing are ________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________identical.
Overall, the two pieces of writing are ________________________________________
______________________________________________________________the same.
Overall, the two pieces of writing are _________________________________________
________________________________________________________________ similar.
Overall, the two pieces of writing are ________________________________________
________________________________________________________________ different.
The __________________________________________________________________
__________________________ difference/ similarity between the pieces of writing is….
A/ An _________________________________________________________________
_________________________ difference/ similarity between the pieces of writing is…
One of the texts is ______________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ longer than the other.
One of the texts has three paragraphs ______________________________________
___________________________________________________the other only has two.
Compare with the answer key on the next page.
—————–
Compare and contrast your writing
Suggested answers
“NOT” in brackets means that those expressions don’t fit in the gap given.
Overall, the two pieces of writing are _________absolutely/ virtually/ almost/ nearly/ practically ____________ identical.
Overall, the two pieces of writing are ____exactly/ almost exactly/ very nearly/ virtually/ practically/ basically/ more or less/ approximately _____________ the same.
Overall, the two pieces of writing are ______________remarkably/ extremely/ surprisingly/ very/ rather/ quite/ not very ______________ similar.
Overall, the two pieces of writing are ______a bit/ a little/ a little bit/ slightly/ quite/ very/ almost completely/ completely/ totally _________ different.
The ____most obvious/ most striking/ biggest/ most important/ most significant/ only/ only other/ main/ principal/ most noticeable/ most fundamental __________ difference/ similarity between the pieces of writing is….
A/ An ______________ obvious/ striking/ important/ substantial/ slight/ big/ small/ fairly big/ quite small____________ difference/ similarity between the pieces of writing is…
One of the texts is ____________a tiny bit/ a bit/ a little/ a little bit/ slightly/ quite a lot/ somewhat/ a great deal/ considerably/ substantially/ much/ far/ so much/ much much/ far far ____________ longer than the other.
One of the texts has three paragraphs ___, whereas/ , while/ , but/ . However, ___________the other only has two. (NOT On the other hand/ In contrast/ On the contrary/ though/ yet/ Nevertheless/ Nonetheless)
Ask the teacher about any phrases you don’t understand.
What phrases above are not suitable for essays/ reports/ academic writing/ IELTS Writing?
———————-
Compare and contrast your writing
Without looking above, try to fill the gaps below with as many phrases as you can in order. If you think they are the same, put them next to each other like the examples given.
1 absolutely identical/ exactly the same
completely different/ totally different
2. a little longer
much longer/ far longer
Look above for more examples.
Compare with the suggested answers on the next page.
———————
Compare and contrast your writing
Suggested answers
Absolutely identical/ Exactly the same
Very nearly the same/ Only very slightly different/ Almost exactly the same/ Almost identical/ Virtually identical
Practically the same/ Basically the same/ Almost the same/ Nearly the same/ Only slightly different
Remarkably similar/ Surprisingly similar
Very similar
Rather similar
Quite similar
Very different
Surprisingly different
Almost completely different
Completely different/ Totally different
a little longer
slightly longer
somewhat longer
quite a lot longer
a great deal longer/ considerably longer/ substantially longer
much longer/ far longer
Ask the teacher about any phrases you don’t understand.
—————————————
PDF for easy saving and printing: compare and contrast your writing
Related pages
TEFLtastic 