--for those who speak English as their second language or who just want to improve their writing
(Illustrated version of Quirks of nglish)
When we compare, we evaluate two or more things or concepts according to their similarities and/or differences:
Pratt & Whitney compared the power output, noise levels, and efficiencies of the two engines.
When we contrast, we assess or point out differences only:
Administrator Goldin contrasted the extravagance of previous spacecraft with the economy of the new miniprobes.
Like many other words in English, these words are used with specific prepositions. As a noun, contrast can be followed by the prepositions between and to. As a verb, it can be followed by with:
Note the sharp contrast between these results and those shown in the previous figure.
In contrast to Monte Carlo techniques, which incorporate uncertainty from the outset, molecular dynamics calculations are fully deterministic.
In reference 5, Jones and Abrams contrast their results with those obtained on Mir.
The prepositions that you should use after the verb compare will vary depending on your intended meaning. Use the preposition with when the differences and similarities of two or more similar things are being examined:
Results from these space shuttle experiments will be compared with data obtained from experiments conducted in Earth-based laboratories.
Use to after compare when you are pointing out similarities between two different things (such as when you make an analogy--liken something to something else):
If the onset of the industrial age can be compared to a revolution, then the rapidly expanding information age is more like global thermonuclear war.
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Last updated: 1/20/2009