A few people have asked me about these phrases. Do they have the same meaning? When is each one used?
By contrast / In contrast
I often use these two phrases in both writing task 1 and 2. They are exactly the same, and are used in a similar way to "however" or "on the other hand" to introduce a contrast / comparison. Put "By / In contrast" at the beginning of a sentence, with a comma after "contrast".
Example
Unemployment rose in the UK. By contrast, the number of unemployed people in Canada fell.
On the contrary
I don't think you'll need this phrase for any part of the IELTS test. It doesn't mean the same thing as "by / in contrast". We use "on the contrary" to deny that something is true, and to explain that the opposite is true.
Example
- Person 1: "You had some problems with your hotel, didn't you?"
- Person 2: "On the contrary, the hotel was great, but the airline lost my suitcase."
But sir, I have a question.Is it true that "on the other hand" can not be used in writing task 1 because it shows the opposite side of the argument.Writing task 1 is not argumentative essay.
Posted by: Pachu | March 09, 2019 at 11:29
Pachu, we may use it to mention the opposite trend......
Example: the unemployment rate rose in the UK, on the other hand, the number of unemployed people in Canada fell in the same year.
Posted by: Raju | March 09, 2019 at 16:56
Example: the unemployment rate rose in the UK in 2001, on the other hand, the number of unemployed people in Canada fell in the same year.
Posted by: Raju | March 09, 2019 at 16:57
It's not a related question, but..
is it okay to write "21st"?
Posted by: anais | March 09, 2019 at 19:23
I am afraid I don't understand why we shouldn't use on the contrary. Can you explain, please?
Posted by: Valentina | September 12, 2019 at 07:03