Est: 2009 Est: 1963

World ranking: World ranking:

unknown Language of 221
instruction:
Students: 800 Students: 7,500
English (7000 undergraduates,
(postgraduates)
A top
A 500 postgraduates)
Male and female top Saudi
Saudi Male only
university
university
West Coast: Mostly East Coast:
Thuwal sciences Dhahran
Basic salary: Basic salary:
6,250 SAR 840 SAR
KAUST KFUPM

Compare & Contrast 1

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE
 Source
 The following slide contains material adapted
from the file “Comparison.doc”, courtesy of Mr.
Terry Dale, English Language Department, King
Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.

Comparison.doc
ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE
 Aims
For students to be able to:

 recognize and produce language of comparison

 decide on a suitable method of organisation
 write full compare and contrast compositions on given topics.

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 What is comparison & contrast?

When we compare two or more items, we show the similarities

between them.
When we contrast them, we show the differences.

 KAUST and KFUPM both use English as the language of instruction.

 KFUPM has about 7,500 students, whereas KAUST has only about 800.

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 When do we do it?

Comparison and contrast are natural ways of thinking, and most of the
choices we make involve them to some extent.

Should I get a
Mac or a PC ?

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 When do we do it?

Comparison and contrast are natural ways of thinking, and most of the
choices we make involve them to some extent.

Should I go to
university or get
a job?

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Why is it important in writing?

 Comparison and contrast are particularly important in the field of

academic inquiry. Scientists, for example, must compare and
contrast before they can classify anything.

 Because comparison is so essential, everyone involved in

academic inquiry must learn how to express similarities and
differences logically and effectively in writing.

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Essential requirement 1

Only items in the same general class can be compared.

Fusion Fission

One can compare fusion with fission …

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Essential requirement 1

Only items in the same general class can be compared.

Fusion Reflecting
telescope

… but not with a reflecting telescope.

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE
 Essential requirement 2

The writer must have a clear purpose in comparing.

This purpose may be:
 to inform the reader how something has changed over
time

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Essential requirement 2

The writer must have a clear purpose in comparing.

This purpose may be:
 to prove that one thing is better than another;

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Essential requirement 2

The writer must have a clear purpose in comparing.

This purpose may be:
 to show how two similar items are really different, or how
two apparently different items are really similar.

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Comparison vocabulary
 The star and ring networks are ________ used in local area networks.
 Wind power and solar power are ________ being clean, renewable sources
of energy.
 _______ cordless phones, cellular telephones send radio signals.
 The Ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for their kings. ________,
pyramids are a feature of the Mayan civilization though they were not
usually used as tombs.

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Comparison vocabulary
 Alligators are ________ crocodiles in many respects.
 Solids and liquids ________ this property ________ : when one tries to
compress them, strong repulsive atomic forces resist the deformation.
 Qatar is a member state of the GCC and Bahrain is ________.
 The new Kindle reader is ___ expensive ___ the latest Sony version.

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Contrast vocabulary

 The hydrogen atom has just one proton in its nucleus _______ the helium atom has
two.
 _______ the Earth has only one moon, Jupiter has 63.
 Hydroelectric power provides the USA with around 250 TWh (terawatt hours) of
energy per year. _______ , China produces over 650 TWh from hydroelectricity.
 Most people believe that the oil in the sea comes mainly from oil tankers. _______ ,
the primary source is used industrial oil that has been illegally disposed of.

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Contrast vocabulary

 Bahrain covers an area of 650 square kilometers. This _______ greatly with its near
neighbor, Saudi Arabia, whose surface area exceeds 2 million square kilometers.
 The iPad is ______expensive ______ its competitors.
 Magazines are published weekly or monthly_ journals tend to be published quarterly.
 ________ , I enjoy the fast pace of New York. ________, the pace of life in Xela
relaxes me.

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Fill the gaps
 __________ concave lenses are curved inwards, convex ones curve outwards.
 The word “discovery” suggests finding something that already existed. _________,
we use the word “invention” to describe something that is completely new.
 The Moon and a space telecommunications device have one thing __________: they
are __________ types of satellite.
 Toyota is a Japanese make of car _________ Mercedes is German.
 It was dark, cold and very wet. _________, they decided to start climbing the
mountain.

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Fill the gaps

 ___________ islands, which are surrounded by water, peninsulas have water on

three sides only.
 Helium is a very light gas so it is used in air balloons. __________, hydrogen gas is
lighter than air. ________________, hydrogen is a flammable gas so it’s too
dangerous for air balloons.
 ___________ the team played very well, they still lost the game 4-0.
 _____________ many students, Ali only studies hard before exams.
 The six GCC countries are ____________ in many ways.

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Fill the gaps

 ____________ tension is a stretching force, compression exerts the opposite forces.

 Bronze is a copper alloy and brass is ___________.
 ________ protons ________ neutrons contain negative charges.
 Extinct volcanoes will never erupt __________ active ones could erupt at any time.
 __________ solar power, coal is not a renewable form of energy.
 Ali and Fahad ________ in age ________ they have the same hobbies and interests.

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE

 Homework C&C 1

 Rewrite the following sentences:

Homework C&C
1

ENGL 101 INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC DISCOURSE