A good comparison is built on a shared idea, evidence from each passage, and a clear difference. Plan it before you write, so both passages appear in every paragraph.
This lesson is part of SPM subjects and learning resources. It assumes you can already support an interpretation with one detail.
What does a comparison plan look like?
Plan in a small grid before writing. Each row is one comparison point, and each column is one passage.
| Point | Passage A | Passage B | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared idea | Detail and meaning | Detail and meaning | How the treatment differs |
| Second point | Detail and meaning | Detail and meaning | How the treatment differs |
Each row becomes one paragraph. The last column is what turns two observations into a comparison.
Worked example with two original passages
Passage A: 雨停了，阿嬷仍坐在门口，手里的伞没有合上。(The rain stops, but Grandmother keeps sitting at the door, her umbrella not closed.)
Passage B: 他把成绩单折成四折，塞进书包最深处，却在饭桌上第一个说：“今天的汤真好喝。” (He folds his report card into four and buries it in his bag, yet is first to praise the soup at the table.)
Question: Compare how the two passages show feelings that are not spoken aloud.
Plan.
| Point | Passage A | Passage B | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden feeling | Hope for return, shown by “没有合上” | Shame, shown by “塞进书包最深处” | Hope is shown by a held object, shame by a hidden one |
| Role of speech | No one speaks | He speaks cheerfully: “今天的汤真好喝” | A contrasts silence with action, B contrasts words with action |
Paragraph from row one.
Both passages let an object carry a feeling the character does not state. In Passage A, the unclosed umbrella suggests that Grandmother still hopes someone will return. In Passage B, the report card buried “最深处” suggests the boy is ashamed. The difference is direction: Grandmother keeps the object in view, while the boy hides his.
Every sentence uses at least one passage, and the final sentence states the difference.
The mistake that costs marks
The common slip is a block structure: three sentences on A, three on B, and “both are sad” at the end.
| Structure | Result |
|---|---|
| Block, A then B | Two summaries with a label added |
| Point-by-point | Every paragraph compares, because both passages appear together |
The fix is to put “both” and “whereas” phrases inside each paragraph. If a paragraph mentions only one passage, it is not yet a comparison.
How do I choose the shared idea?
Look for one thing both passages do: hide a feeling, use an object, contrast speech and action, or show time passing. Choose an idea broad enough to include both, and narrow enough to be tested with a detail from each.
Check yourself
Original Passage C: 风把晾着的衣服吹得鼓起来，像有人还站在里面。 (The wind fills the clothes on the line until they swell, as if someone were still standing inside.)
Plan one comparison row between Passage C and Passage A.
Answer
Shared idea: both passages use an ordinary object to suggest someone who is absent.
Passage A: the umbrella “没有合上” suggests Grandmother is waiting for a person.
Passage C: the clothes “鼓起来” as if “有人还站在里面” suggest the wearer is missing, yet still felt.
Difference: A shows absence through a waiting gesture, while C shows it through an image that looks like a person.
What to study next
Try the original mixed practice, which includes a comparison plan. To avoid drifting, see reviewing an original paragraph for relevance.
For a teacher to check your comparison plans, see online one-to-one Chinese Literature tuition.