Pass Check: Comparing Texts
Compare how two writers present ideas, perspectives or feelings, focusing on both similarities and differences.
Comparison
Examining two texts together to identify similarities and differences in ideas, methods or tone.
Perspective
The particular attitude or viewpoint a writer presents towards their subject.
Similarity
A shared feature between two texts, such as a common theme or technique.
Difference
A contrast between two texts, such as opposing tones or attitudes.
Comparative connective
A linking word used to compare texts, e.g. 'similarly', 'whereas', 'in contrast', 'likewise'.
Shared theme
An idea or subject that both texts explore, even if approached differently.
Tone
The overall attitude or feeling conveyed by a writer's word choices, which may differ between texts.
Source comparison
An exam task requiring analysis of methods and perspectives across two separate extracts.
Quick check
Mixed quiz
1. Which phrase best introduces a similarity between two texts?
2. Text A (letter home from a soldier): 'I miss the quiet of our garden more than I can say; here there is only mud and the constant thunder of guns.' Text B (newspaper editorial): 'The war continues to test the nation's resolve, and citizens are urged to remain steadfast in the face of hardship.' What form is Text A written in?
3. Which strategy best supports a precise, well-linked comparison conclusion?
4. Text A (nature writer): 'The fox slipped through the hedge like a shadow, silent and sure, master of the dusk.' Text B (wildlife report): 'Fox populations in urban areas have risen by 20% over the last decade, according to recent surveys.' Explain the effect of the simile in Text A compared with the language in Text B.
5. Text A (nature writer): 'The fox slipped through the hedge like a shadow, silent and sure, master of the dusk.' Text B (wildlife report): 'Fox populations in urban areas have risen by 20% over the last decade, according to recent surveys.' Which quotation most precisely captures the contrast in method between the two texts?
6. Text A (diary, 1900s factory worker): 'My hands are raw and my back aches, but I dare not complain for fear of losing my place at the loom.' Text B (modern news report): 'Factory inspectors found that most workers today report satisfaction with safety standards, though some still call for shorter shifts.' Explain how the writers' attitudes to work differ.
7. Text A (nature writer): 'The fox slipped through the hedge like a shadow, silent and sure, master of the dusk.' Text B (wildlife report): 'Fox populations in urban areas have risen by 20% over the last decade, according to recent surveys.' Which text uses a simile?
8. Text A (personal blog about the sea): 'The waves terrified me as a child, huge and roaring, yet now I find their power calming, almost hypnotic.' Text B (marine science article): 'Wave height is determined largely by wind speed, fetch and duration, and can be measured using buoy sensors.' What is one difference in how the writers present the sea?