Compare and Contrast : Information in the Text for Class 4 English

The concept of compare and contrast information in the text will help students while reading to organize, remember information and identify differences and similarities from the text. In this chapter, students will know to compare and contrast information in the text. They are also made aware of the common errors that could come up while doing so.

From this learning concept, students will also learn:

• To identify comparison words in English.
• To identify contrast words in English.
• Compare and contrast examples.
• To identify the difference between compare and contrast information in the text.

All the learning concepts covered for Class 4 have illustrations, mind maps, and examples. Students can determine their understanding of this topic by attempting to solve the two printable PDF worksheets. The solutions to these worksheets are also available in PDF format.

In reading comprehension, descriptive passages give information about a topic. This topic could be information about a person, a story, different animals, etc.

What is Compare and Contrast in a Reading Comprehension?

• We use the technique of comparing the information of two things given in the passage to get a better understanding of the passage.
• To compare is to identify similarities between two or more things or stories or people etc.
• To contrast means to identify differences.

Why Compare and Contrast Information in the Text?

• Authors often compare and contrast ideas and characters within texts. It’s necessary to identify them and understand what the writer wants to convey.
• Comparing and contrasting characters, texts, themes, and other literary elements will help in promoting critical thinking and the key to reading comprehension.
• Compare and Contrast helps us to organize information more efficiently.

How to Compare and Contrast within a Text?

1. Identifying signal words which makes it easier to identify certain aspects of the character mentioned in the passage. These words are used to highlight similarities between two things or people, etc.

   Signal Words that Indicate Comparison
   Also	Comparatively
   Too	As well as
   Similar	In addition
   Both	Like
   Alike	The same as
   Similarly	In the same way
   Most Important	Just as

2. Identifying signal words makes it easier to identify certain aspects of the characters. These words are used to highlight differences between two things or situations or people etc.

   Signal Words that Indicate Contrast
   However	Although
   But	Besides
   Differ	Conversely
   Whereas	Even though
   Different	Furthermore
   On the other hand	In contrast to
   Although	Instead
   More than	Nevertheless
   Notwithstanding	Otherwise
   Despite	Less than
   Rather than	Regardless
   Unlike	While
   Though	Unless

Examples:

Read the passage below to compare and contrast information. Check the similarities and differences between two things by simply drawing a circle or using the Venn diagram as shown in the example below.

Mohit has two best friends; one is Danny, and the other is Ashley. Danny and his parents stay with his grandparents, whereas Ashley stays with his mother. Whenever Mohit visits Danny’s house, he notices Danny’s room is always dirty. However, Ashley’s room is always clean. When Mohit plays baseball with his friends, Danny can always shoot balls in the loop better because he is taller than Ashley and Mohit. Mohit’s friends are different in many ways, but they have many similarities. Both of them love sweets, and they are equally smart since they score full marks in Maths. Mohit enjoys playing with both of his friends.

Did You Know?

Common Mistakes

1. The phrase ‘on the contrary’ is often wrongly used. The phrase ‘on the contrary’ is used after a negative statement to indicate that its total opposite is meant.

   Examples:

   It didn’t look awkward. On the contrary, it looked very beautiful.

2. The signal words ‘Like’ and ‘Unlike’ introduces a similar or different idea that the reader is already expected to know and thus does not form the main point of their sentence. The error occurs when similar ideas are unfamiliar to the reader.

   ‘Like’ and ‘unlike’ should ideally be used when the known information is in the form of a noun.

   Examples:

   Diesel vehicles pollute, like petrol vehicles.

The reader is expected to know that petrol vehicles cause air pollution since they pollute the air.