Cambridge School Dabra

Analytical paragraph writing

Class 10

Subject English

CBSE has introduced writing analytical paragraphs as a part of the revised

curriculum under the writing section.

What is an analytical paragraph?

An analytical paragraph is a form 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 choice. The question carries 5 marks.
Features of an analytical paragraph:

i.It describes the given chart, table, data, graph, cues etc.
ii. It should be brief and comprehensive (include complete information) at the
same time.
iii. It should state facts that are provided by the chart.
iv. It is necessary to make use of simple and accurate language.
v. It should mention figures and quantities appropriately.
vi. It is appropriate to use the same tense throughout the analytical paragraph.
vii. No personal observation or response should be provided.
viii. It would be preferable to use the passive form of the verb.

Format of an analytical paragraph

An analytical paragraph shall be divided into three parts-

i.Introduction
ii. Body of the paragraph and;
iii. Conclusion

Format of Analytical paragraph

 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)
IMAGE - FORMAT OF ANALYTICAL PARAGRAPH

Let us discuss each of these in detail -

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 which 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
sub paragraphs makes it easy for the reader to understand.
i. Organising 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 about 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 the 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, organise it well, state
correct facts and summarise it properly.

Useful tips for writing an analytical paragraph

▪ For 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- pattern of growth, rapidly
doubled, skyrocketed, striking increase, peaked, soaring rates, declined,
plummeted, levelled 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 per cent, etc.

▪ For establishing 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 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 paragraphs- Examples, samples

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).

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.
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.

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.
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.
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.

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).
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.
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.