Unit 7

Writing Different Objects

Grammar Skills
Active and Passive Sentence
Active and passive sentence is the very common in every language. We use active when the
subject is carrying the action. we use passive when the subject of the sentence is the
receiver of the action. Take a look at the following example.
Active : they eat many cookies
Passive: many cookies are eaten by them
Every active tenses in English could be transform into passive but there are some
exceptions. Exceptions like 1) logical translation and 2) transitive and intransitive sentence.
Transitive and Intransitive
A transitive is a sentence with which formed by adding an object. This type is possibly
changed into passive. Transitive can be found in both active and passive. If active, they can
be changed into passive and vice versa. Take a look at the example.
Active transitive : John built this business a year ago.
Passive transtive : this business was built by John a year ago.
An intransitive is like transitive but it differ in the object. Intransitive is a sentence that have
no object. Thus, they could not be changed into passive. Take a look at the following
example.
She cries a lot this morning.
A lot this morning is cried by her ( INCORRECT )
A lot this morning she is cried ( INCORRECT )
Some verbs in intransitive could not be changed into passive especially if the verb are some
of these following:
Agree Come Happen Rain Sleep
Arrive Die Live Recover Stay
Be Fall Look Remain Walk
Become Go Occur Seem Work

Practice Exercise
Write (A) if the sentence is active or (P) if passive.
1. Millions of people will see the awards ceremony. (A)
2. Their new movie can be seen at many cinema.
3. This book is written by famous author in 1992. (P)
4. Martha took her earliest plane to Japan.
5. Mr. Hans haven’t come back from his trip yet. (A)
6. Were the children played in the yard?
7. No one has ever run five kilos in athletic class. (A)
8. Is he wearing his new jaket to school?
9. The kitchen’s door is opened by my brother. (P)
10. Lucy should finish her report tonight.

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 Writing Skills
Comparison and Contrast Writing
Comparison and contrast are two everyday thought processes. When we compare two
things, we show how they are similar; when we contrast two things, we show how they are
different. We might compare or contrast two brand-name products (for example, Nike
versus Adidas running, two television shows, two instructors, two jobs, two friends, or two
courses of action we could take in a given situation. The purpose of comparing and
contrasting is to understand each of the two things more clearly and, at times, to make
judgments about them. There are two common methods, or formats, of development in a
comparison or contrast paper. One format presents the details one side at a time. The other
presents the details point by point.
Read these sample paragraphs of comparison or contrast below. Which paragraph is
compare? Which paragraph is contrast?

Flintstone and Kramden: Two Peas in a Pod

Fred Flintstone of The Flintstones and Ralph Kramden of The Honeymooners are
remarkably similar. The first of these similarities is their appearance. Both have black hair
and five o’clock shadows; in addition, both have large paunches and wear loud, baggy
clothes. Their personalities are also similar. Both have large appetites, boisterous
personalities, and a tendency to act before they think. Moreover, they both have best
friends who play second fiddle to them: Barney Rubble for Fred and Ed Norton for Ralph.
Additionally, both Fred’s and Ralph’s favorite activity on a Friday night is to go out bowling
with the guys. Finally, when Fred and Ralph put down their bowling balls, they earn their
living by working remarkably similar jobs. Fred drives a truck in a gravel pit, and Ralph
drives a city bus. In spite of the differences in the two shows’ settings, the main characters
share a number of similarities.

All Sports Are Not Created Equal

Although football and soccer are both popular sports for kids, football is more expensive and
more dangerous than soccer. Because of the specialized equipment necessary for football,
parents must pay well over one hundred dollars for a two-month season of peewee football.
In addition to this fee, the shoes and protective gear each child must purchase can easily
cost upwards of fifty dollars. On the other hand, a season of youth soccer, which runs for
two months in the fall and two months in the spring, costs only seventy-five dollars. Soccer
shoes, which generally cost between fifteen and twenty-five dollars, are recommended but
not required. Not only is football more expensive than soccer, but it is also more violent and
therefore more dangerous. Children tackle and block one another, and these maneuvers
result in frequent bruises, strains, and pulls. More serious injuries such as fractures, broken
bones, and concussions are not unusual. Soccer, on the other hand, is not a contact sport
and is therefore less likely to result in injury. Children can fall and bump into one another,
but these accidental contacts rarely result in anything more serious than grass stains or loss
of breath. Given the differences in these two sports, there is no question that I would prefer
my son to play soccer rather than football.

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The Structure of Compare-Contrast Paragraph
Just like the other paragraph writing, you need to put introduction first to begin.
Introduction introduces what is the focus of the discussion and what object being
compare/contrast in the following paragraph. It will helps reader to grab the understanding
quickly. After the introduction, you need to put a supporting sentence in the body
paragraph. Then conclude the paragraph in the conclusion. The following table will describe
the detail of the paragraph in compare and contrast writing.
Topic sentence
 The topic sentence should introduces about two things in general.
Supporting sentence
 The supporting sentence should decide whether to discuss similarities (compare),
to discuss differences (contrast) or both.
 If you choose to write about differences, you need to discuss about what makes it
difference than the other and their important differences between the object.
 Write at least three strong points
Concluding sentence
 The paragraph ends with a concluding sentence that restates the idea in the topic
sentence using different words.

Methodology
Unlike the other writing, there are two types of writing methods in compare and contrast.
There are block method and point-by-point method. Both are commonly used in compare
and contrast writing in academic notion and in university degree. You can select one of the
method you think easier to use but sometimes it is possible to use both block and point-by-
point method in one complete writing.
Block Method
Block method presents all arguments related to A, and then compares and/or contrasts
them to all arguments related to B. For example, you compare about Tokyo and Kyoto.
Your compare-contrast would be like the following table.

Tokyo and Kyoto are the two big cities in Japan. Both have Explain the thesis statement
Introduction
similarities and differences.

Body Paragraph A1 Living cost in Tokyo

Explain the object A
Body Paragraph A2 Working culture in Tokyo

Body Paragraph A3 Tourism object in Tokyo

Explain the object B
Body Paragraph B1 Living cost in Kyoto
Body Paragraph B2 Working culture in Kyoto
Body Paragraph B3 Tourism object in Kyoto Explain a brief summary of
the whole text
So, even though Kyoto is cheaper in living cost than Tokyo,
Conclusion
they have the same working culture

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 Now take a look at the following comparison and contrast writing using block method.

Vacationing in The Mountains or at The Beach

People are always looking forward to their vacation period. There are many options
where to choose. I think that the two most common places people choose for taking a
vacation are the mountains and the beaches. Both places offer a variety of fun activities.
The beach offers activities that the mountain cannot offer and vice versa. The mountain
and the beach are totally different. The purpose of this essay is to contrast the climate,
types of activities and locations of beaches and mountains.
I'm going to discuss mountains first. The three aspects I'm going to discuss are
climate, types of activities and location. Climate is always important in order to enjoy
vacations. If a person dislikes cold weather, he or she might have a hard time in the
mountains. The cold climate in the mountains is the first barrier to enjoying them, but the
climate and the temperature of these zones also determine the types of activities they
offer. Snow boarding, mountain climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and skiing are some
activities people can enjoy when going to the mountains. There are many regions that
have mountains where people can go and have a great vacation. Canada is a country
located in North America and contains many mountain vacation sites where people can go
and have fun.
I'm going to discuss the beach second. The three aspects I'm going to discuss are
climate, types of activities and location. Warm climate is one of the most important
features that the beach has. Sun and fun are two words that describe the beach. The
temperature in those places is always hot. The sea and the warm climate determine the
activities that are available at the beach. People can swim, play volleyball, play soccer,
and ride water bikes. In most coastal sites, there are discos and restaurants where people
can dance or party throughout the night. Mexico offers many amazing coastal sites to visit.
Acapulco and Cancun are two of the most beautiful and famous beaches in the world.
It doesn't matter what place a person decides to choose. The fun is 100%
guaranteed. People often choose one of these two options to spend their vacations.
Depending on what the person likes is what he or she will choose. I like the beach better
than the mountains, but sometimes it is better to take a risk and try a different place to
enjoy.

Point-by-Point Method
Point-by-point method (PBP) or also known as Slice Method, compares A and B one
point at a time. The topic sentence focuses on the point being used as the basis of
comparison rather than the item. For example you compare about Tokyo and Kyoto.
Your paragraph would be like the following table.
Tokyo and Kyoto are the two big cities in
Introduction Japan. Both have similarities and Explain the thesis statement
differences.
Body
Living cost in Tokyo & Kyoto
Paragraph 1
Explain the similarities and
Body
Working culture in Tokyo & Kyoto differences
Paragraph 2
Body
Tourism object in Tokyo & Kyoto
Paragraph 3
So, even though Kyoto is cheaper in living
Explain a brief summary of
Conclusion cost than Tokyo, they have the same
the whole text
working culture

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 Now take a look at the following compare contrast writing using point-by-point method.

Consuming Fresh Foods Instead of Canned Foods

Eating is an activity that we as humans do at least two times a day. We live in a world
where the variety of food is immense, and we are responsible for what we eat. We decide
what we are about to eat and how it will affect our bodies. The purpose of this essay is to
compare and contrast the differences between eating fresh foods instead of canned foods.
The three main differences are flavor, health benefits, and cost.
The most notable difference between these two kinds of foods is their flavor. Fresh
foods have great flavor and taste because they keep all their natural conditions. Canned
foods however, lack a lot of its flavor characteristics because there are some other chemical
products added to the natural foods. It is logical that the fresh foods will have a greater taste
and flavor when consumed just because of the time in which they have been prepared.
Comparing both types of foods we notice another difference. There is a health factor
that affects both of them. Canned foods lose some of the original fresh food nutrients when
stored, and also it has to be tinned with many conservatives and chemical factors that
prolong the shelf life and apparent freshness of the food but could also become toxic if
consumed too often.
Yet another difference between these two types of foods is the cost. Canned foods are
much more expensive than fresh foods. Here the benefit of buying tinned foods is that they
are easier to find, for example, in a supermarket instead of the market like the fresh foods,
and they require less work to prepare than fresh foods, just open and serve.
Here are the main three differences between buying fresh foods and buying canned
foods. As we can see it comes down to a personal choice, based on the time each person
has, the money and the importance he/she gives to his/her nutrition and health. Therefore it is
important that you consider your possibilities and choose the best types of foods for your
convenience and lifestyle.

Transition
Transitions used in comparison generally show similarity or addition, and transitions used in
contrast generally show difference or dissimilarity, but many transitions can be appropriate
in comparison or contrast depending on the content.
Common Transitional Devices Used for Comparison
also in addition furthermore
as a matter of fact in fact similarly
besides likewise
for instance moreover

Common Transitional Devices Used for Contrast

conversely nonetheless
however otherwise
instead on the contrary
nevertheless on the other hand

Example using transition:

There are some differences between cup and glass. First, a cup is smaller in size
however a glass is larger than a cup. Second, according to the volume, a glass obviously
can contain more water (around 5-10 ml) otherwise a cup is not more than 2-5 ml. Third,
according to usage, people tends to use cup to make formal drinks like coffee or tea.

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On the other hand, glass usually use for neutral like water, juice, milk or any other
drinks.

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Practice Exercise
1. Read the two passages below and decide whether the passages are using Block or
Point-by-Point method.
Passage A
Nowadays we have a vast array of
communication tools which can complete this
task. It’s ranging from email to instant
messaging and video calls comparing to the
traditional era where letters are the main tools
to communicate. While the present and
previous means of communication  are
similar  in general form, they  differ  in regard to
their  speed  and the  range of tools available.
One similarity between current and previous
methods of communication relates to the form
of communication. In the past, both written
forms such as letters were frequently used, in
addition to oral forms such as telephone
calls.  Similarly, people nowadays use both of
these forms.  Just as  in the past, written forms
of communication are prevalent, for example
via email and text messaging.
However, there are clearly many differences
in the way we communicate over long
distances, the most notable of which is speed.
This is most evident in relation to written  forms
of communication. In the past, letters would
take days to arrive at their destination.  In
contrast, an email arrives almost
instantaneously and can be read seconds after
it was sent. In the past, if it was necessary to
send a short message, for example at work, a
memo could be passed around the office, which
would take some time to circulate.
Another significant difference is the range of
communication methods. Fifty years ago, the
tools available for communicating over long
distances were primarily the telephone and the
letter.  By comparison, there are a vast array of
communication methods available today. These
include not only the telephone, letter, email and
text messages already mentioned, but also
video conferences via software such as Skype.
In conclusion, methods of communication
have greatly advanced over the past fifty years.
While there are some similarities, such as
the  forms of communication, there are
significant differences, chiefly in relation to
the  speed of communication  and the  range of
communication tools available.
Passage B
Traveling is a hobby which many people
now enjoy. It is a hobby which is becoming
more and more popular as opportunities for
travel become greater. These days there are
several ways to travel around the world; two of
the most common are backpacking and staying
in hotels. There are two main differences
between backpacking and staying in hotels;
cost and safety.
First, backpacking is quite different from
staying in hotels regarding costs and safety. To
begin with, backpacking has been popular for
many years with young people who do not have
a lot of money to spend on traveling. By
backpacking people can save a lot of money
and see many more places than if they spent
the same money staying in a hotel.
Furthermore, as backpackers will need to sleep
in a hostel or outside in a tent while
backpacking, there will always be an issue of
safety and security because backpackers sleep
in the same area as other people, many of
whom they do not know.
Second, staying in hotels, on the other
hand, differs from backpacking in terms of cost
and safety. Unlike backpacking, staying in
hotels requires a lot more money. Hotels are
one of the most comfortable ways of traveling,
but only if you have enough money. By staying
at a hotel people will spend much more money
than they would spend in a hostel. In addition,
a hotel provides a higher level of security to the
traveler. Hotels require specific security details
such as flight, credit cards or passport numbers
to ensure the correct identification of their
customers.
In brief, there are differences in cost and
safety between backpacking and staying in
hotels. The world is a much smaller place than
it used to be, many people have the opportunity
to travel and they have many ways in which to
travel. People should consider their budget and
take responsibility for their own safety and go
out and see the world.
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