Comparing Two Texts

Looking at two texts together

Sometimes you read two texts and think about them together. You look for what is the same and what is different. 🔍

• To compare means to find what is the SAME. 🟰
• To contrast means to find what is DIFFERENT. ↔️

What can you compare?

You can compare lots of things about two texts:

• the topic — what they are about
• the type — a poem, a story, a fact file, a letter
• the purpose — to inform, to entertain, to persuade
• the mood — happy, sad, funny, scary

Try it

Read these two short texts about cats:

Text A: The cat is a furry pet. It has whiskers, a long tail and sharp claws. Cats can see well in the dark. 🐈

Text B: My cat is the funniest friend. She chases her tail and falls off the sofa. She makes me laugh every single day! 😹

Now compare them:

	Text A	Text B
Topic	cats	cats
Type	fact file	personal story
Purpose	to inform	to entertain

Same: both are about cats. Different: Text A gives facts, while Text B tells a funny personal story.

Use a Venn diagram ⭕⭕

A Venn diagram is two circles that overlap. Write what is different in each outer part, and what is the same in the middle where they cross. It is a neat way to sort your ideas.

Why compare?

Comparing helps you notice how writers make choices. The same topic can be written as facts, a poem, or a joke — and each one feels different to read. 🔍

Play and practise

Play the matching game to sort each pair into same or different. Then flip the flashcards to remember what compare and contrast mean.

Keep going

Try these next:

• Tell facts from feelings: Fact and Opinion
• Find the big idea: Finding the Main Idea

Now you can hold two texts side by side and spot what is the same and different! 🌟