How should we answer a compare and contrast question in our Language exam?

Approach this question as if you’re having an argument with yourself about what the author meant and why, in which neither side agrees or will budge. The stronger side will shine through. Do not panic!
Firstly, we are going to note all the similarities and the differences. Pick the two most important ones and shape the introduction around them. Connect terminologies to any concepts you identify in the text: this could be conventions, devices, or contexts. But we will go into them in more detail. Explain your interpretations; ask: why do I think this? Be selective in what you choose from the text and remember to use the PEEL structure (Point. Explain. Evidence. Link.)

JH
Answered by Jake H. English tutor

9609 Views

See similar English A Level tutors

Related English A Level answers

All answers ▸

How should I use incorporate secondary, critical quotations into my own responses to literature?


'Commonly, texts about husbands and wives present a violent story.' In respect to this, examine how Shakespeare portrays the dynamic between Othello and Desdemona in a given extract and elsewhere in the play.


How do you engage with critics in an essay?


How do I approach an unseen question in an exam situation?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning