🧠 Analytical Paragraph Writing – Class 10 English (Complete Notes)
✍️ What is an Analytical Paragraph?
An Analytical Paragraph is a short piece of writing that explains and interprets the information given in a chart, graph, table, or diagram.
It’s not just describing numbers — it’s about finding trends, comparisons, and patterns in data.
📘 In simple words:
You study the given data → understand what it says → write about it clearly in a paragraph.
🧩 Purpose of an Analytical Paragraph
- To present facts and figures in a simple, readable way.
- To show analysis — not just description.
- To make comparisons and draw conclusions based on data.
🗂️ Structure / Format (CBSE Pattern)
1️⃣ Introduction
Explain what the data is about:
- What type of chart/graph/table is given
- What the topic is
- What time period it covers
- What the overall trend or idea is
🟢 Example (Introduction):
“The bar graph shows the percentage of time students spend on different leisure activities such as watching TV, reading, sports, and using social media during a week.”
2️⃣ Body Paragraph(s)
Describe and analyze the data:
- Mention key features (highest, lowest, similarities, differences).
- Use comparing words: whereas, while, compared to, however, in contrast.
- Avoid copying numbers blindly — explain what they show.
- Write in present tense for facts.
🟢 Example (Body):
“Watching TV takes up the most time, with around 40% of students choosing it. Using social media comes next at 25%. Only a small percentage of students, about 10%, spend time reading books. Sports are preferred by 15% of students, showing that physical activity is less popular than digital entertainment.”
3️⃣ Conclusion
Summarize the overall trend or key idea in one or two lines.
Avoid personal opinions or suggestions — just conclude the analysis.
🟢 Example (Conclusion):
“In conclusion, most students prefer screen-based activities like TV and social media over reading or outdoor sports.”
🧾 Full Example (With Question & Answer)
Question:
The following pie chart shows the preferred modes of transport used by students to reach school. Write an analytical paragraph in about 120 words.
Answer:
The pie chart illustrates how students travel to school using different means of transport. The majority of students, about half of them, prefer going by the school bus. Around 25% of students use bicycles, showing that cycling is quite popular. Only 15% walk to school, while 10% use private cars. The data clearly shows that public transport, such as school buses, is the most common and convenient option for students. In contrast, walking and private vehicles are less preferred. Overall, it can be seen that students rely more on shared and environment-friendly modes of transport.
📖 Useful Vocabulary & Phrases
| Function | Useful Words & Phrases |
|---|---|
| Introduction | The graph shows…, The table illustrates…, The chart represents…, The data compares… |
| Comparison | whereas, while, on the other hand, in contrast, compared to, similarly, however |
| Trend | increases, decreases, rises, drops, remains stable, fluctuates, grows steadily |
| Conclusion | overall, in conclusion, to sum up, it can be seen that, generally, as a whole |
🧭 How to Write Effectively
✅ Begin with a short overview — what the data is about.
✅ Describe main features (not every small number).
✅ Write in formal tone — no personal comments.
✅ Use simple present tense and linking words.
✅ Keep it within 100–120 words.
✅ Focus on clarity, logic, and order.
🚫 Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Writing too many numbers or copying the graph directly.
❌ Giving opinions like “I think” or “I feel”.
❌ Forgetting to include a conclusion.
❌ Using informal words (cool, awesome, etc.).
❌ Writing in points instead of paragraph form.
📝 Practice Question Ideas
- A bar graph showing students’ favorite subjects.
- A line graph showing mobile usage hours from 2015–2025.
- A table showing population growth in different cities.
- A pie chart showing how students spend their pocket money.
- A graph showing literacy rates of boys and girls from 2000 to 2020.
🌟 Quick Recap
| Step | What to Do | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | Introduce the data | “The chart shows how students travel to school.” |
| 2️⃣ | Analyze main features | “Most use the bus, few walk.” |
| 3️⃣ | End with a conclusion | “Public transport is the most popular mode.” |
🧩 Summary
- Write in one paragraph.
- Stick to facts from the data.
- Use connectors and comparative language.
- Keep your writing clear, neat, and focused.
- Don’t memorize — just understand the pattern.
