Analytical Paragraph Writing Class 10

1What is an analytical paragraph?

Analytical Paragraph writing – An analytical paragraph is a form of descriptive

writing which is written on the basis of a given chart, graph, data, outline,
clues, table, etc. When writing an analytical paragraph, one should remember
to describe the facts in the best possible manner and to cover the information
provided.

The analytical paragraph has to be written in around 100-120 words. So the

paragraph must use clear and crisp language along with providing complete
details of the chart given in the question. There will be an internal choice
given.

You need to attempt one question out of the two questions of analytical
paragraphs given as a choice. The question carries 5 marks.

Features of an analytical paragraph writing-

– It describes the given chart, table, data, graph, cues etc.

– It should be brief and comprehensive (include complete information) at
the same time.
– It should state facts that are provided by the chart.
 – It is necessary to make use of simple and accurate language.
– It should mention figures and quantities appropriately.
– It is appropriate to use the same tense throughout the analytical
paragraph.
– No personal observation or response should be provided.
– It would be preferable to use the passive form of the verb.

FORMAT OF ANALYTICAL PARAGRAPH

An analytical paragraph shall be divided into three parts-

– Introduction
– Body of the paragraph and;
– Conclusion

Format of Analytical paragraph writing

Introduction
(explain in one or two lines the subject of the graph given)
Body
(explain in detail what the graph is about, use relevant figures, explain trends,
make comparisons and contrasts, divide into sub paragraphs, if required)
Conclusion
(conclude the paragraph giving the overall view or summary of the graph)

Let us discuss each of these in detail –

1. How Do You Start An Analytical Paragraph?

 1. The introduction

The introduction is the first paragraph that should describe in brief what the
graph is about. It should be like an opening paragraph that introduces the
reader to the context of the chart given. When writing the introductory
paragraph, you need not go into the details. You just need to mention what is
clearly evident from the chart or the graph given in the question. It is best to
write the introduction in one or two lines.

2. The body of the paragraph

This part of the analytical paragraph should contain details of the graph/chart
given in the question. It should contain all the important information. It is
extremely important to choose the significant details that should be included in
the paragraph.
The body can be broken into two or three sub-paragraphs depending on the
information extracted from the graph. Breaking the body into subparagraphs
makes it easy for the reader to understand.
i. Organizing information: You should look for the large differences that
are very prominent. You can mention the aspect which is the smallest
or the largest in the data given. Any aspects that are similar should
be mentioned next. You should further mention about the aspect that
has remained unchanged or constant throughout.
ii. Comparing information: If the chart mentions two different parties, for
example, men and women, refer to both of them in the analytical
paragraph. If there is any contrast or comparison that could be drawn,
you must present it effectively. If the chart is about a particular time
 period or highlights trends of several years, mention each year in a
concise manner. If any comparison or contrast can be done for two or
more years, you should write about it too.
iii. Mentioning quantities: When including numbers and figures, their
accuracy must be ensured. There are a number of ways that can be
used to describe quantities, for example- percentage, fraction, ratios,
etc.
iv. Connecting sentences: If different information or ideas are there, you
should use connectors or linking phrases to link them logically. The
sentences of the paragraph should be sequential and connected
rationally.

3. The conclusion

The last paragraph should summarise the idea mentioned and the information
in general. It should be concluding in nature and act as the closing statement.
One should keep in mind that one must not include any personal opinions,
conclusions, or observations. You should simply stick to the facts.
You need not dispose of the information to write a good analytical paragraph.
The key is to choose wisely the important information, organize it well, state
correct facts and summarise it properly.

Useful tips for writing an analytical paragraph

For an introduction, you can start with the following phrases-
The chart given above describes
The table suggests
The line graph shows
The data given provides information about
The pie chart illustrates, etc.
For describing trends, use phrases and words like- a pattern of growth, rapidly
doubled, skyrocketed, striking increase, peaked, soaring rates, declined,
plummeted, leveled off, stagnated, fluctuate, starting to rise, starting to fall, drop
down, slightly, etc.
For describing quantities, use various styles like- 48% of, one-third of, nearly
one-fourth of, almost 80%, majority, on average, twice as much, almost equal,
the highest, the lowest, very close to 2%, roughly, approximately 5% of, just
under three percent, etc.
For establishing a relationship or contrast, use phrases and words like-
relationship between, similarly, in contrast with, in comparison to, but in the
opposite case, however, whereas, when it comes to, as opposed to, while,
striking difference, noticeable difference, etc.
For the conclusion and other connecting phrases use- overall, subsequently, in
all, in a nutshell, for the chart given, in short, striking changes, including,
therefore, etc.

Analytical Paragraph Examples, samples

Example Question 1: Below is a graph given showing birth and death rates in
a country from 1901 to 2101. Write an analytical paragraph (100-150 words).
Graph

Answer 1:

The graph shows birth and death rates starting from 1901 till 2101.

Since 1901, the birth rate has remained more than the death rate until 2041.
Birth rate was 20000 in 1901 and started increasing gradually. It peaked in
1961 to around 65000. From 1961, birth rate has fluctuated multiple times
between 50000 and 60000. It is expected to decline for the coming years
reaching approximately 42000 by 2101.

On the other hand, the death rate stood at around 10000 in 1901 and then
has increased steadily. It is expected to rise strikingly from 2021 before
levelling off to approximately 60000 between 2061 and 2081. The graph
indicates a slight decline in deaths in the year 2101.

The graph shows the huge gap between birth rate and death during 1961 to
2001. However, this gap is expected to reduce in the later years. Overall, as
opposed to the prevailing trends, the death rate will be more than the birth rate
in the later half of the 21st century.

Example Question 2: The chart shows the division of household tasks by

gender in Great Britain. Write an analytical paragraph describing the chart given
in not more than 200 words.

The house
Answer 2:

The chart shows the number of minutes per day spent by British men and
women in doing household tasks. On an average, the women spend about four
hours doing household tasks whereas the men spend less than two and half
hours.

The tasks on which women spend more time than men include cooking,
cleaning house, taking care of the children and laundry. In doing all these
tasks, women spend approximately 200 minutes which is almost three times the
time spent by men in these tasks. On the other hand, men spend twice the
time than women in doing tasks like gardening and maintenance of odd jobs in
the house. Men spend the highest time, almost 50 minutes, in gardening and
petcare. While the women spend only 30 minutes for these tasks. The time
spent by men in washing, ironing and sewing clothes is as low as 2 minutes
per day as opposed to 25 minutes spent by women.

In short, women spend far more time doing household chores than men whilst
men prefer to do gardening, petcare and maintaining odd jobs.

Example Question 3: The pie chart shows the proportion of people from
different households living in poverty in the UK in 2002. Write an analytical
paragraph to describe the information in 100-120 words.
Answer 3:

The given pie chart illustrates seven different categories of households living in
poverty in the UK in 2002.

It is clearly evident from the pie chart that 26% of the total poverty-stricken
households are those of sole parents. Single people without children account
for the second highest proportion with 24%. In contrast to couples without
children that accounts for just 9%, couples with children account for 15% of the
poor households. Single aged persons and aged couples proportion for 12%
together for poor households.
Overall, 14% of all households in the UK were living under poverty. The
younger generation had a greater poor percentage than their aged counterparts.
Couples without children had better economic conditions than those with
children.

Example Question 4: The following table shows details about the internet
activities for six categories for different age groups. Write an analytical
paragraph for the table given in around 150-200 words.

Age group

Answer 4:
The given table suggests the internet activities of seven age groups ranging
from teens to those in their seventies for six different kinds of activities. The
table shows that the younger generation is more interested in online games
and news, while the older generation spends time on the internet to research
and buy products.

It is evident from the table that teens mainly use the internet for games (as
high as 81%), news and downloads and are interested in searching for people
or friends or doing any product research. The middle-age group (people in 20s
to 60s) is highly interested in getting news, doing product research and buying
products, the percentage ranging from 70-80%. The internet activity which gets
the least time is searching for people. All the age groups spend less than 30%
of their internet time on the same. The amount of time spent on downloads
decreases with age and gets as low as 6% (for people in 70s).

Overall, the table suggests that teenagers are most likely to spend time playing
games and doing downloads. On the other side, older people are interested in
researching and buying products. People spend the least amount of time
searching for other people online.

Question 5: Below given are three pie charts showing consumption habits of
India, China and World overall in 2008. Write an analytical paragraph
describing the pie charts (100-120 words).
Types of food

Answer 5:

The three given pie charts depicts types of food consumption in 2008 as
compared in two countries- India and China. In general, processed food is the
major type of food eaten.

Processed food comprises as high as 41% of the global consumption. In China

and India as well, processed foods are consumed the most, the rate of
consumption being 34% and 39% respectively. On an average, vegetables and
fruits constitute 29% of consumption. In China, vegetables and fruits comprise
32% of food consumption which is 9% more than that of India. For Indians,
animal food accounts for 27% of their diet, exceeding Chinese food
consumption by a striking 12%. However, nuts and seeds comprise almost one-
fifth of Chinese food habits. This is way more than the global consumption of
4% and 11% of India.

Overall, world food consumption largely comprises processed food. Chinese

consumption of nuts and seeds is unbelievably higher than the average
percentage.

Question 6: The graph given shows estimated sales of gold in Dubai in 2002.
Write an analytical paragraph describing the line graph in around 150 words.

Millions of dirharms

Answer 6:
The line graph depicts the estimated sales of gold in Dubai for a period of
twelve months in 2002 in millions of Dirhams.

In January 2002, the sales stood at 200 million Dirhams. It steadily increased
through the next month and peaked to 350 million Dirhams in the third month
of the year. However, the gold sales started to plummet over the next three
months and hit 110 million Dirhams in the month of July. Unexpectedly, the
sales doubled in August before coming down to the same level as in July for
the month of September. For the next two months of the year, the gold sales
levelled off to 180 million Dirhams and then slightly increased in December.

Overall, the estimated gold sales fluctuated in 2002. The sales were the
highest in the month of March and lowest in the months of July and
September. The sales at the end of the year were almost the same as they
were in the beginning of the year.

Here we conclude the topic of Analytical paragraphs. As it is a new topic

added to the syllabus of Class 10, students need to prepare it well.

Q. What are the key characteristics of an analytical paragraph?

Ans. The key characteristics of an analytical paragraph are as follows:
1. It conceptualizes the information given in graphs, tables, and charts.
2. It should contain only the analytical information – nothing more or less.
3. The information in the paragraph should match the given information.
4. The language need not be complex.
5. The same tense is preferred throughout the analytical paragraph.
6. The paragraph should not have the personal opinion or observation of the
writer.

Q. Describe briefly the different types of analytical paragraphs.

Ans. The different types of analytical paragraphs that can be asked in the
examination are as follows:
a) Data-orientated – In this, students need to analyze and understand
the information given in charts, tables, and graphs. This is the
most common type of analytical paragraph.

b) Information-orientated – In this, students need to analyse

information given in a short paragraph along with some analytic
data like charts, graphs, and tables.

c) Process-description-orientated – In this, students need to analyze

information given in flowcharts, diagrams, and infographics and
convert it into a brief paragraph.

Q4. What is the format of an analytical paragraph?

Ans. An analytical paragraph has three sections – Introduction, body, and
conclusion.

Introduction

Body
Conclusion

Q. What should the introduction of an analytical paragraph contain?

Ans. The introduction of an analytical paragraph contains the subject of the
analytical paragraph and its purpose. It can be written in just one or two lines.

Q. What should the body of an analytical paragraph contain?

Ans. The body of an analytical paragraph contains the necessary details of the
given data. It explains trends, compares two aspects or objects, and establishes
a relationship between them. It gives the same facts as in the question in a
descriptive and analytical manner.

Q. What should the conclusion of an analytical paragraph contain?

Ans. The conclusion of an analytical paragraph, as the name suggests,
concludes the paragraph by giving an overall statement about the given data.
We can use phrases like – overall, in all, in a nutshell, in short, therefore, etc.
Be careful not to give any personal observations or opinions.

Q. Mention what phrases one can use to describe trends in analytical

paragraphs.
Ans. One can use these phrases and words to describe trends in an analytical
paragraph:
– A pattern of growth/decline
 – Skyrocketed
– Stagnated
– Fluctuate
– Levelled off
– Plummeted
– Peaked

Q. Mention what phrases one can use to describe quantities in analytical

paragraphs.

Ans. One can use these phrases and words to describe quantities in an
analytical paragraph:
– One-third of
– Majority of/minority of
– Twice/thrice
– Highest/lowest
– Very close to/just under 2%
– Roughly/approximately

Q. Mention what phrases one can use to establish a relationship or comparison

between two trends or quantities in analytical paragraphs.
Ans. One can use these phrases and words to establish relationships or
compare two trends or quantities in an analytical paragraph:

– Similarly
– In contrast with
– In comparison to
– But in the opposite case,
– However
– Whereas
– Stricking/noticeable difference