Websink Prep UKKS3 EnglishYear 7 chaptersEnglish textbooksReceptionYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5Year 6Year 7Year 8Year 9Browse allPast papersFind a tutorBecome a tutor
KS3 English · Year 7Chapter 6 · Comparing texts
Year 7 · Chapter 6

Comparing texts

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

  • Name a theme that runs through several texts, with evidence from each
  • Compare the perspective and viewpoint of two texts
  • Compare how different texts use dialogue, imagery, evidence and structure
  • Support a comparison with accurate quotations from two texts
  • Build on another person's point in a discussion, and respond to a challenge

You should already know

  • Inference, evidence and summary (Chapter 1 of this book)
  • Imagery, structure and effect in poetry and prose (Chapters 2 and 3 of this book)

Where this leads

  • Spoken language: presenting, discussing and Standard English (Chapter 12 of this book)
  • Writing to argue, persuade and analyse (Chapter 11 of this book)

National Curriculum for England, Key Stage 3 English, Year 7. Content: Compare writers' ideas, themes and perspectives across texts of the same and different types (KS3 reading, R5), Use evidence from two texts, quoted accurately, to support a comparison (KS3 reading, R7), Compare the methods used by different writers, and the effect of each (KS3 reading, R5), Discuss a comparison with others, building on their ideas and responding to challenge (KS3 spoken language, S2).

Exercise P  Do you remember?

1
FWrite the word for the viewpoint from which a story is told, using the pronouns I or we. Write the words.
2
FWhich figure of speech compares two things using as though? Write one word.
3
FWrite one word for the central idea that runs through a text. Write the word only.
4
FWhat is the name for the speech or words that characters say in a story? Write one word.
5
FWrite the word for the person who takes part in a discussion and responds to what others say. Write one word.
6.1

Shared themes across different texts

Year 7
Compare writers' ideas and themes across texts of different types (KS3 reading, R5)
Video lesson: Shared themes across different textsComing soon
Story. Three texts sit on the same table: a story, a poem and an article. Each one is about the things people keep, and what happens when they let them go.

When you compare texts, look for a theme, an idea that runs through a text. Then show how each text develops that theme, with evidence from the words of each text. Texts of different types may explore the same theme in very different ways.

Text A: The blue tin (original story)

1Every Sunday, Grandma opened the blue tin on the windowsill and let Nadia choose one button. There were hundreds of them: horn buttons from a winter coat, tiny pearl ones from a wedding dress, and a single gold one that had no match.

2Nadia always picked the gold button, and Grandma always said the same thing: 'That one has been waiting for a long time.' This Sunday, the tin was lighter. Grandma had given most of the buttons to the new charity shop on the corner, but she had kept back the gold one.

3Nadia said nothing. She held the gold button in her pocket all afternoon, feeling its small weight, and wondered what had been waiting for so long.

Text B: The thimble (original poem)

My mother keeps the thimble in her drawer,
dented on one side from years of use.
When she sews a hem she wears it still,
as though the cloth could not be trusted without it.

I took the thimble home and set it down
beside the kettle, where the steam could reach it.
It was warm, the way a hand is warm
that has been holding something for a long time.

Text C: Why we keep things (original article)

1Many families keep objects that have little value in money: a teapot, a letter, a worn scarf. Historians who study homes say that such objects help people link the present to the past.

2Some people feel that possessions are reminders of the people and the times in our lives. This is one reason why clearing a home after a death can be so painful. Others find that keeping too much makes a home feel crowded, and that letting things go can bring relief.

3The article does not claim that every object matters. Its advice is to choose what to keep by asking whether an object is used, loved or needed.

Key ideas

  • A theme is an idea that runs through a text, not only a topic.
  • Compare by showing the same theme in each text, with evidence from each.
  • Different types of text may develop the same theme differently.
Worked example 6.1.1
What theme do Texts A, B and C share?

Method. Find what each text keeps and why it matters.

  1. Text A. Nadia keeps the gold button, which has a past.
    gold button
  2. Text B. The speaker keeps the thimble, which has a history.
    thimble
  3. Text C. Objects link the present to the past.
    present to the past
  4. Name the theme. All three texts explore memory and the past.
    memory and the past
  5. Write the answer.
    memory, and the things that link us to the past

Check. The theme is shared across the three texts. ✓

Worked example 6.1.2
How does Text C develop the same theme, in a non-fiction way?

Method. Look at what the article says about the theme.

  1. Find the claim. Historians say objects link the present to the past.
    link the present
  2. Find the reason. Some possessions remind people of the people they have lost.
    reminders
  3. Name the approach. The article explains the idea, rather than showing it through a character.
    explains the idea
  4. Write the answer.
    it explains why people keep objects that link to the past

Check. The article explains the idea. ✓

Worked example 6.1.3
Which text shows the theme most directly through one character's feelings? Choose one: Text A or Text C.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. Nadia holds the button and wonders about the waiting, so her feelings show the theme.
    Text A fits
  3. Reject the other choices. Text C explains the theme in general terms, rather than through one character.
    Text C do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    Text A

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a theme is an idea, not a topic. "Buttons" is a topic; "memory" is a theme.

Exam tip

Exam tip. When you compare, write the shared theme first, then give one piece of evidence from each text.

Exercise 6A  Practice: shared themes

1
FWhat theme do all three texts explore? Write two or three words.
2
FWhich text is a story? Write the letter.
3
FWhich text is a poem? Write the letter.
4
FWhich text focuses most on a child's feelings? Choose one: Text A, Text B or Text C.
5
RExplain how the gold button in Text A and the thimble in Text B both show memory.
6
FCopy the words Grandma says about the gold button.
7
FCopy the phrase that says some objects help people link the present to the past.
8
FWhich text states that keeping too much can make a home feel crowded? Choose one: Text C, Text A or Text B.
9
RWhich text presents the idea in the most personal way? Give one reason.
10
FAnswer both parts about the themes of the texts.
(a)Which object in Text A has no match? Write the words from the text.
(b)Which object in Text B is dented? Write the word.
11
RDoes Text C agree that every object matters? Answer yes or no.
12
RExplain how the three texts differ in how they treat keeping things: which is the most balanced, and why?
6.2

Perspective and viewpoint

Year 7
Compare the perspective and viewpoint of different texts (KS3 reading, R5)
Video lesson: Perspective and viewpointComing soon
Story. Each text speaks from a different place. One follows a child, one speaks as a daughter, and one stands back and advises the reader.

The perspective is the position from which a text is told, and whose feelings shape it. The viewpoint is the grammatical person: I or we (first person) or he, she or they (third person). A text can be objective (balanced, outside) or personal (inside one voice).

Key ideas

  • Perspective: whose position or feelings shape the text.
  • Viewpoint: first person (I, we) or third person (he, she, they).
  • Objective texts stand back; personal texts speak from inside one voice.
Worked example 6.2.1
From whose perspective is Text A told?

Method. Look at the pronouns and the focus.

  1. Find the pronouns. Text A uses she and her, and names Nadia.
    she
  2. Find the focus. The narrative follows Nadia's feelings.
    follows Nadia
  3. Name the perspective. The perspective is Nadia's, in the third person.
    Nadia, in the third person
  4. Write the answer.
    Nadia, in the third person

Check. The pronouns show third person. ✓

Worked example 6.2.2
Whose perspective is Text B?

Method. Look at the pronouns.

  1. Find the pronouns. The poem uses I and my mother.
    I and my mother
  2. Find the relationship. The speaker is the daughter of the mother.
    daughter
  3. Name the perspective. The perspective is the daughter's, in the first person.
    the daughter
  4. Write the answer.
    the speaker, a daughter, who uses I

Check. The speaker is the daughter. ✓

Worked example 6.2.3
Which text takes an objective, outside view? Choose one: Text C, Text A or Text B.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. Text C speaks about people in general, and considers different views.
    Text C fits
  3. Reject the other choices. Texts A and B are told from inside one character or speaker.
    Text A and Text B do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    Text C

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: "we" and "our" in Text C include the reader. Do not call it personal just because it uses a pronoun.

Exam tip

Exam tip. Compare perspective by naming whose view shapes each text, then the viewpoint, then the effect on the reader.

Exercise 6B  Practice: perspective and viewpoint

1
FWhich pronoun shows the speaker's perspective in Text B? Write the word.
2
FWhich text is written in the third person? Choose one: Text A, Text B or Text C.
3
RHow does the perspective of Text C differ from the perspective of Text B?
4
PSWhich text is the most emotional? Choose one: Text A, Text B or Text C.
5
RWhose feelings does Text A show most directly? Quote one phrase.
6
FCopy the phrase that shows the thimble is still used.
7
FWhich text uses we and our to include the reader? Choose one: Text A, Text B or Text C.
8
RWhy might Text A use the third person, rather than the first person? Give one reason.
9
FWhat is the name of the character in Text A? Write one name.
10
FAnswer both parts about pronouns.
(a)Which pronoun in Text C includes the reader and writer together? Write the word.
(b)Which pronoun in Text A refers to Grandma? Write the word.
11
RExplain how the speaker of Text B feels about the mother, with one piece of evidence.
12
RCompare the perspectives of Text A and Text B: which shows a more personal memory? Explain.
6.3

Comparing methods: dialogue, imagery, evidence and structure

Year 7
Compare the methods used by different writers, and the effect of each (KS3 reading, R5, R3)
Video lesson: Comparing methods: dialogue, imagery, evidence and structureComing soon
Story. A writer chooses a method for each text. A story uses dialogue, a poem uses imagery, and an article uses evidence. The reader must notice how each method works.

A method is the way a writer creates effect: dialogue in fiction, imagery in poetry, evidence and examples in non-fiction, and structure (the order of ideas) in all three. Compare methods by saying what each does, and what effect it has on the reader.

Key ideas

  • A method is the way the writer creates an effect.
  • Compare methods by naming each one and its effect on the reader.
  • Different text types use different methods to explore one theme.
Worked example 6.3.1
Which text uses dialogue to show the characters' feelings?

Method. Look for speech in the text.

  1. Find speech. Text A has Grandma's words, in quotation marks.
    quotation marks
  2. Explain the method. Dialogue shows Grandma's attitude to the button.
    attitude
  3. Name the text. Text A uses dialogue.
    Text A
  4. Write the answer.
    Text A

Check. Text A has dialogue. ✓

Worked example 6.3.2
Name the device in as though the cloth could not be trusted without it, from Text B.

Method. Look for like or as.

  1. Find as though. As though compares two things.
    as though
  2. Name the device. A comparison with as is a simile.
    simile
  3. Explain the effect. It shows the mother needs the thimble.
    needs the thimble
  4. Write the answer.
    simile

Check. The comparison is a simile. ✓

Worked example 6.3.3
How does Text C use evidence differently from Text A?

Method. Look at where each text gets its ideas.

  1. Text C. Historians who study homes say the objects help.
    Historians
  2. Text A. Text A is a story and offers no outside evidence.
    no outside evidence
  3. Compare. Text C uses an outside source; Text A relies on the story.
    outside source
  4. Write the answer.
    Text C refers to historians; Text A uses no outside evidence

Check. The difference in evidence is explained. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: comparing methods is not listing them. Say what each method does, and compare the effect.

Exam tip

Exam tip. For comparison, use "whereas" or "in contrast" to link two texts, and name the method and its effect in each.

Exercise 6C  Practice: comparing methods

1
FWhich text uses dialogue? Choose one: Text A, Text B or Text C.
2
FName the device in as though the cloth could not be trusted without it. Write one word.
3
FWhich text uses an outside source of evidence? Choose one: Text C, Text A or Text B.
4
RCompare how Text A and Text B use the object. Which uses sensory detail most? Explain.
5
FWhich text uses a list of three to describe objects? Choose one: Text A, Text B or Text C.
6
RWhy does Text C avoid claiming that every object matters? Explain.
7
FWhich text is a poem with stanzas? Write the letter.
8
RDescribe the structure of Text A: how does it move from the Sunday ritual to the ending?
9
FWhich two texts both use the phrase "a long time"? Choose one: Text A and Text B, Text B and Text C or Text A and Text C.
10
RWhich method is most effective for showing that an object matters? Explain your choice.
11
RCompare the endings of Text A and Text B. Which leaves the reader more unsettled?
6.4

Using evidence from two texts

Year 7
Use evidence from two texts, quoted accurately, to support a comparison (KS3 reading, R7)
Video lesson: Using evidence from two textsComing soon
Story. A student writes a comparison of two texts for a class discussion. She quotes from each text, and checks every quotation against the words on the page.

A strong comparison uses evidence from both texts. Quote short, exact phrases, in quotation marks, and say what each quotation shows. Then link the two quotations with a comparison word, such as whereas or in contrast.

Key ideas

  • Use one quotation from each text, exact and in quotation marks.
  • Link them with a comparison word: whereas, in contrast, similarly.
  • Say what each quotation shows before you compare.
Worked example 6.4.1
Give one quotation from Text A and one from Text B that show something is kept for its meaning.

Method. Find a quotation from each text, then say what it shows.

  1. Text A. The gold button is kept, waiting for a long time.
    waiting for a long time
  2. Text B. The thimble is still worn by the mother.
    wears it still
  3. Link them. Both objects are kept because of their history.
    their history
  4. Write the answer.
    "waiting for a long time" and "wears it still"

Check. Both quotations are exact. ✓

Worked example 6.4.2
Which quotation from Text B is accurate? Choose one: dented on one side from years of use, dented from years of use or dented from long use.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. The poem says dented on one side from years of use, word for word.
    dented on one side from years of use fits
  3. Reject the other choices. The other two change or leave out words, so they are not accurate.
    dented from years of use and dented from long use do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    dented on one side from years of use

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Worked example 6.4.3
Paraphrase the advice in Text C in your own words.

Method. Keep the meaning, and change the words.

  1. Find the advice. The article asks whether an object is used, loved or needed.
    used, loved or needed
  2. Paraphrase. Keep an object if you use it, love it, or need it.
    use it, love it or need it
  3. Write the answer.
    choose what to keep by asking if an object is used, loved or needed

Check. The paraphrase keeps the meaning. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a quotation must be exact. Check each word against the text, including small words such as the and a.

Exam tip

Exam tip. Quote one phrase from each text, then link them with whereas or similarly. Name the shared idea.

Exercise 6D  Practice: evidence from two texts

1
FWhich quotation from Text B is accurate? Choose one: dented on one side from years of use, dented from years of use or dented from long use.
2
FCopy the words that show the gold button was kept back.
3
RUse one quotation from Text A and one from Text B to show that objects hold memories.
4
RParaphrase the advice in Text C about choosing what to keep. Write one sentence.
5
FDoes Text B quote Text C directly? Answer yes or no.
6
FCopy the phrase that says letting things go can bring relief.
7
FWhich text gives a reason why clearing a home is painful? Choose one: Text C, Text A or Text B.
8
RLink the idea in Text C, that objects are reminders of people, to a detail in Text A.
9
FAnswer both parts about the quotations.
(a)Copy the phrase in Text B that shows the thimble is still used.
(b)Copy the word in Text A that shows Grandma kept the button.
10
REvaluate which quotation is the most effective evidence for memory. Explain your choice in one sentence.
11
RWrite one sentence that compares Text A and Text C, using one quotation from each.
6.5

Building on other people's ideas in discussion

Year 7
Discuss a comparison with others, building on their ideas and responding to challenge (KS3 spoken language, S2)
Video lesson: Building on other people's ideas in discussionComing soon
Story. In a class discussion, four pupils compare the three texts. Each one must build on the point before, and respond fairly when someone challenges them.

A good discussion builds on other people's points. A participant says what they agree with, adds a new reason or piece of evidence, and responds to a challenge with a reasoned answer. This section is written, so you can plan what you would say.

PurposeSentence starter
Agree and extendI agree with ..., and I would add that ...
Build on a pointBuilding on what ... said, I think ...
Challenge politelyI want to challenge that, because ...
Respond to a challengeYou may be right that ..., but the text shows ...

Key ideas

  • Build on: refer to the point before, and add a new reason or quotation.
  • Challenge politely: name the point, then give a reason and evidence.
  • Respond with evidence, not with a repeat of your first point.
Worked example 6.5.1
Write a response that builds on the idea of memory, using Text A.

Method. Refer to the point before, then add evidence.

  1. Refer to the point. Sam said that the objects hold memories.
    Sam said
  2. Add evidence. The button has been waiting for a long time.
    waiting for a long time
  3. Build. So the button shows memory across years.
    across years
  4. Write the answer.
    Building on what Sam said, the gold button shows memory

Check. The response builds on the point. ✓

Worked example 6.5.2
Which response best builds on a classmate who said Text B is personal? Choose one: Building on that, the first person makes the thimble feel personal, as in "I took the thimble home"., I do not agree, because the sky is blue. or Next question..

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

  1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
  2. Test the choice. It refers to the point and adds a quotation as evidence.
    Building on that, the first person makes the thimble feel personal, as in "I took the thimble home". fits
  3. Reject the other choices. The other responses either ignore the point or add no evidence.
    I do not agree, because the sky is blue. and Next question. do not fit
  4. Write the answer.
    Building on that, the first person makes the thimble feel personal, as in "I took the thimble home".

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Worked example 6.5.3
A classmate says the article is too general. Write a reply with one reason, that responds to the challenge.

Method. Name the challenge, then answer it with a reason from the text.

  1. Name the challenge. The classmate says the article is too general.
    too general
  2. Answer with a reason. Text C gives advice on what to keep.
    advice on what to keep
  3. Respond fairly. You may be right that it is general, but it gives a balanced view.
    balanced view
  4. Write the answer.
    You may be right that it is general, but it gives a balanced view and advice

Check. The reply responds to the challenge. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: building on a point is not repeating it. Add a new reason, quotation or example.

Exam tip

Exam tip. In a discussion, refer to the speaker's point first, then add one new reason with evidence.

Exercise 6E  Practice: building on ideas

1
FWhich sentence starter shows that you disagree politely? Choose one: I want to challenge that, because ..., Yes, I agree, and ... or Next question..
2
PSWhich response builds on the point before? Choose one: Building on that, the gold button shows memory, as in "waiting for a long time"., I have a dog. or Who wants to go first?.
3
RWrite a response that agrees with a classmate who said Text A shows loss. Add one new reason.
4
PSRespond to a challenge: a classmate says Text C does not really help. Write one reasoned reply.
5
PSWhich response is most respectful of a speaker? Choose one: You are wrong, and your point is silly., You may be right, but the text shows something different. or Nobody cares what you think..
6
FWhich phrase in a discussion refers back to another speaker? Write the word that begins the phrase.
7
RWhy is it useful to refer to what another person has said? Give one reason.
8
PSBuild on the idea that objects can be reminders, using a quotation from Text A.
9
PSWhich response would make a discussion stall? Choose one: Building on that, the thimble is still used., I have nothing to add. or I want to challenge that, because the text shows the opposite..
10
RWrite a closing sentence for a discussion that sums up the shared theme of the three texts.

Chapter summary

SkillMethod
ThemeAn idea that runs through a text; show it in each text with evidence.
Perspective and viewpointWhose view shapes the text, and whether it uses first or third person.
MethodsDialogue, imagery, evidence and structure; compare each method by its effect.
Evidence from two textsOne exact quotation from each text, in quotation marks, linked by a comparison word.
Building on ideasRefer to the point, add a new reason or quotation, and respond to a challenge with evidence.

Can you…?

  • I can name a theme shared by texts of different types, with evidence from each
  • I can compare the perspective and viewpoint of two texts
  • I can compare the methods writers use, and their effects
  • I can support a comparison with exact quotations from two texts
  • I can build on a point in a discussion, and respond to a challenge politely

Key terms

theme
an idea that runs through a text
perspective
the position from which a text is told, and whose view shapes it
viewpoint
the grammatical person used, such as first person or third person
objective
balanced and from outside, rather than personal
method
the way a writer creates an effect, such as dialogue or imagery
build on
to refer to someone's point and add a new reason or evidence

Exercise 6Z  Check-up

1
What theme do all three texts explore? Write two or three words.
2
Which text is a story? Write the letter.
3
Which text is written in the first person? Choose one: Text A, Text B or Text C.
4
Which text takes an objective, outside view? Choose one: Text C, Text A or Text B.
5
Name the device in as though the cloth could not be trusted without it. Write one word.
6
Compare how Text A and Text B use the object. Which uses sensory detail most? Explain.
7
Copy the phrase that says the article does not claim that every object matters.
8
Use one quotation from Text A and one from Text B to show that objects hold memories.
9
Which response builds on a point, rather than repeating it? Choose one: Building on that, the thimble shows care, as in "wears it still"., I said that already. or Next..
10
Compare the endings of Text A and Text B in one sentence.

Total 23 marks. Allow about 23 minutes.

Exercise 6X  Practice test questions

1
RRead these two phrases, one from a story and one from a poem: "That one has been waiting for a long time" and "It was warm, the way a hand is warm". Name the theme they share.[2 marks]
2
RRead this sentence from a story: "Nadia said nothing." Explain what the sentence shows about Nadia.[2 marks]
3
RRead this sentence from a poem: "I took the thimble home and set it down beside the kettle." What viewpoint does the poem use, and why does it matter?[2 marks]
4
RRead this sentence from a non-fiction article: "This is one reason why clearing a home after a death can be so painful." Name the feature of non-fiction it shows, and explain its effect on the reader.[3 marks]
5
RRead this sentence from a story: "She held the gold button in her pocket all afternoon." Name one method the writer uses, and explain its effect.[2 marks]
6
RRead this sentence from a poem: "as though the cloth could not be trusted without it." Name the device, and say what it shows about the mother.[2 marks]
7
PSUse one quotation from Text A and one from Text C to show a link between the two texts. Write one sentence.[3 marks]
8
PSRead this sentence from a story: "Grandma had given most of the buttons to the new charity shop." Explain what this tells the reader about the tin.[2 marks]
9
PSBuild on a classmate's point: they say the thimble shows care. Write a response that adds one new reason from Text B.[3 marks]
10
RWhich text gives the most balanced view of keeping things? Name the text, and give one reason from the text.[2 marks]
← Chapter 5: Reading non-fiction: fact, opinion, bias and summaryChapter 7: Word classes, clauses and sentence structure →

Websink Prep UK is an independent site. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR, WJEC, Eduqas, CCEA, SQA, GL Assessment, CEM or the Department for Education. All exam board names and trademarks belong to their owners. Past papers are linked from the exam boards' own websites and are not hosted here.

About Websink Prep UK · Find a tutor · Privacy · Terms · Cookie settings