Finding points of similarity and difference
Before you write a word, read both poems and look for links. A good comparison compares like with like, so hunt for shared ground first, then note how each poem treats it differently.
Use a short checklist to mine both poems for the same features:
| Compare on... | Ask of each poem |
|---|---|
| Subject and theme | What is it really about? Love, loss, nature, power, growing up? |
| Tone and mood | How does it feel? Angry, calm, grieving, hopeful? |
| Form and structure | Stanza shape, line length, enjambment, caesura? |
| Language and imagery | Metaphors, similes, word choices, sound devices? |
| Voice and viewpoint | Who is speaking, and how do they feel about the subject? |
The strongest points are ones where the poems agree on a theme but reach it in different ways, or reach different conclusions. For example, both poems might be about the sea, yet one treats it as freedom and the other as danger. That tension gives you something to argue.
Start with the link
For every paragraph, decide the shared idea first, then show how each poem handles it. If you cannot name what the two poems have in common in that paragraph, you are not comparing yet, you are just describing.
Structuring the comparison
There are two main ways to organise a comparison. Pick the point by point method, because it keeps both poems side by side and reads as a real comparison.
- Point by point (recommended)
- Each paragraph takes one shared idea and discusses both poems within it. You move between the two poems all the way through.
- Poem by poem (weaker)
- You write all about poem one, then all about poem two. This often turns into two separate essays and the comparison gets lost.
A reliable paragraph shape for the point by point method is:
- Point: name the shared idea (for example, both poems present time as a threat).
- Poem A: evidence and analysis with a short quotation.
- Poem B: a comparative connective, then evidence and analysis with a short quotation.
- So what: one sentence on what the comparison reveals.
Two invented poems, "Harbour" and "Tide", both about the sea. Write one comparative point about how each presents it.
Comparative connectives
Connectives are the little signposts that tell the reader you are comparing. Sprinkle them through your writing so the comparison never drops out of view. Group them by what they do.
| To show... | Connectives you can use |
|---|---|
| Similarity | similarly, likewise, in the same way, both poems, just as |
| Difference | whereas, by contrast, on the other hand, however, unlike, while |
| Building a point | furthermore, moreover, in addition, this echoes |
One warning: a connective only counts if a real idea sits on each side of it. Writing "whereas" and then repeating the same point twice fools nobody. The connective should join two genuinely different observations.
Common pitfalls
Most lost marks in comparison come from a few habits. Watch for these.
- Feature spotting: listing techniques in each poem without ever linking them. Always cross back to the other poem.
- Unbalanced writing: three paragraphs on poem A and one on poem B. Give both poems roughly equal attention.
- Vague links: "they are both quite similar". Say exactly how, and exactly where they part.
- No conclusion to the point: always end a paragraph with what the comparison reveals about meaning.
Where this is assessed
Building a balanced, well linked comparison shows Criterion A (analysing) through the insight into both texts, and Criterion B (organizing) through the clear point by point structure and use of connectives that guide the reader.
Check yourself
1. Why is the point by point method usually better than poem by poem? +
Because it keeps both poems in view in every paragraph, so the writing stays a true comparison. Poem by poem often drifts into two separate essays with the comparison bolted on at the end.
2. Give two connectives for similarity and two for difference. +
Similarity: similarly and likewise (also "both poems", "in the same way"). Difference: whereas and by contrast (also "however", "unlike").
3. A student writes "both poems are about nature and they are both similar." What is wrong? +
It is too vague. It names a shared topic but not a shared idea, gives no evidence, and never says how they are similar or where they differ. A strong link is specific and backed by a short quotation from each poem.
Part of the English L&L library. Spotted an error or want a topic added? That feedback makes the notes better.