ANALYTICAL PARAGRAPH

An analytical paragraph is a form of descriptive writing

which is written on the basis of a given chart, graph,
data, outline, cues, 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. It requires analysis and comparison of the given
facts and drawing conclusion based on the given data.

Types of Analytical Paragraphs

1. Data Based

In this, some data is presented in the form of a pie

chart, a bar graph, line graph or a table. Students
have to analyze the data making comparisons and
drawing conclusions.

2. Problem and Solution Based

Here, a problem is presented and students have to

suggest some solution based on some logic. Their
solution must be supported with arguments, reasons and
data.

3. Process Description Based

In this, students have to analyze the information

presented in the form of a flow chart, a diagram, a visual
or an info graphic.
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4. Information Based

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This has some information presented as an input.
Students are required to process and understand the
given information and then describe it in the form of a
paragraph.

5. Map Based

In this, a set of two maps is presented as an input with

significant differences in a piece of land or a building plan
showing some additions and alterations. Students have
to analyze these changes and summarize them in the
form of a paragraph.

GUIDELINES FOR WRITING AN ANALYTICAL

PARAGRAPH
• Read the data carefully and understand the topic on which
analytical paragraph to be written.

• It should be brief and comprehensive (include complete

information) at the same time.

• There is no need of a title because the purpose is

analysis not publication.

• Give a clear introduction and conclusion.

• Carefully study the trends, figures and information given for

analysis.

• Use the trends as an evidence to support your statement.

• 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.
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 • No personal observation or response should be provided.
Try to avoid repetition of information.

• Convey ideas convincingly using appropriate language.

• Organize the content and structure the ideas

logically and sequentially

• Use a wide range of vocabulary and sentence structure

appropriate to the content and context.

• Use of functional language to show comparison, contrast,

emphasis, conclusion etc.

• The analytical paragraph has to be written in about 100-120

words

FORMAT OF AN ANALYTICAL PARAGRAPH

• Introductory sentence- explain in one or two lines the subject of
the graph/table/cue/data given.

• Body Paragraph- explain in detail what the graph, data, outline is

about. Use relevant figures, explain trends, make comparisons
and contrasts.

• Concluding line- conclude the paragraph giving the overall view or

summary of the graph, table, cue, data etc. state main inference
from the data provided.

ANALYTICAL PARAGRAPGH – HINTS

Key Characteristics Of An Analytical Paragraph

 It should be brief; around 120-150 words.
 It should be precise and well directed
 Clear and crisp language should be implemented
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  The entire paragraph should be written using a single tense
 Personal opinions should not be included in the paragraph
 It should clearly portray the stated facts
 The use of first-person pronouns should be omitted

1. What are the phrases used in the analytical paragraph?

Some of the useful phrases used in an analytical paragraph are:-
1. Significant increase
2. Steady decline
3. Remarkable surge
4. Gradual shift
5. Sharp decrease

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.
Q6. 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.
Q7. 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.
 Consequently…

 Therefore…
 Thus…
 To reiterate, this analysis highlights the importance of…
To sum up, it is evident that…

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Q8. 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
9. 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
Q10. 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

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MODEL ANSWER
1. The graph below shows population figures for India and
China since the year 2000 and predicted population growth
up until 2050. write a paragraph analyzing the given data by
selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.

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The graph shows how the populations of India and China have
changed since 2000 and how they will change in the future. In
2000, there were more people living in China than in India. The
number of Chinese was 1.25 billion, while India's population was
about 1 billion. Between 2000 and 2010, there has been a 0.2
billion rise in the number of Indian citizens. Over the same period,
China's population has increased by 0.1 billion to reach over
1.35 billion. According to the graph, the population in India will
increase more quickly than in China, and experts say that by
2030, both countries will have the same population of 1.45 billion.
After this, China's population is likely to fall slightly to 1.4
billion in 2050, while India's population will probably increase and
reach 1.6 billion. Thus, over the 50- year period, India is going to
experience steady growth in its population and it will overtake
China. On the other hand, China's population will peak in 2030
and then begin to fall.

2. : Below is a graph given showing birth and death rates in a country

from 1901 to 2101. Write an analytical paragraph (100-120 words).

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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.

3. 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 100-120 words.

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 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 pet care.
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, pet care and
maintaining odd jobs.
4. 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.

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 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.
5. 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 100-120 words.
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 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, news and downloads and are interested in
searching for people or friends or doing any product research.
The middle-age group is highly interested in getting news, doing
product research and buying products. 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. 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.

6. Read the following excerpt from an online post of a website on

educational practices.
Kids who appreciate how much effort, time and care goes into growing
food will understand how important farmers are, and why it's important to
take care of our Earth. In the world of today, gardening needs to be given
more importance than sports, music and dance in all schools because it
creates environmental stewards and outdoor learning laboratories that
help the child and community for years to come.
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Write a paragraph in 100-120 words to analyse the given argument.
You could think about what alternative explanations might
weaken the given conclusion and include rationale / evidence
that would strengthen / counter the given argument.
Argument FOR the subject of the statement:
In the world of today, gardening needs to be given more
importance than sports, music and dance in all schools. While
sports, music and dance contribute towards personal growth, the
current times mandate attention towards an issue that is global
---nature and natural processes. With growing food wastage in
many homes today and the urban young believing that
vegetables are grown, harvested at the super markets, the efforts
of the farmers are discredited. Gardening at school will open a
world of first- hand learning experiences of sowing, watering and
harvesting processes. Waiting for the saplings to grow will
inculcate sensitivity, patience, empathy, gratitude and value for
one’s hard work. They will feel accountable for their piece of
Mother Earth, resulting in making them efficient and enterprising
environmental stewards. Unlike sports, music or dance,
gardening goes beyond just enjoyment to create aware and
responsible citizens of the future.
Argument AGAINST the subject of the statement:
Gardening, certainly, should not be given precedence over
sports, music and dance in all schools. Gardening at school
requires good planning with hands-on guidance and continued
supervision by the teachers. Students tend to lose interest due to
the slow and natural growth progress of plants as well as the
investment of continuous hard work. Small targets or goals would
be missing whereas the danger of destruction of their work due
to rains, intrusion of grazing animals or a pest attack is like to set
in a feeling of defeat. It may be noted that sports, music and
dance are uplifting activities which display faster results, are
enjoyable and inculcate team spirit, collaboration and confidence.
Unlike gardening, setbacks in these activities can be addressed
with some sense of personal control. These activities help
students express and de-stress successfully. So, maintaining
their due importance in the school’s co-curriculum is imperative.
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7. Speeding towards the Unknown

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Self-driving cars are designed for travel without a human
operator. Instead of a driver, the car will use a combination of
sensors, cameras, radar, and artificial intelligence to travel
between destinations. They are going to revolutionize the
transport industry by enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of
vehicles. However, this change is happening too rapidly, and self-
driving cars pose more problems than solutions. There are
several concerns with regard to the safety of such vehicles, as
well as their potential impact on employment. Write a paragraph
in about 120 words analyzing the argument surrounding self-
driving cars. You can think about what alternative explanations
might weaken the given conclusion and include
rationale/evidence that would strengthen/counter the given
argument.
You may begin like this: I believe self-driving cars offer more
solutions than problems/I believe self-driving cars offer more
problems than solutions. You may end like this: For these
reasons, I believe that self-driving cars are more helpful than
problematic/I believe that self-driving cars are more problematic
than helpful.
Supporting self-driving cars
I believe self-driving cars offer more solutions than problems.
Since these cars would be using the latest technology and
advanced sensors and radars, they would be able to greatly
reduce road accidents caused due to human error. Additionally,
since people would not be actively engaged in driving, they could
use their commute time for other activities. Currently, only those
who have the experience and skill of driving a car can do so. But,
with a self-driving car, anyone can have access to a vehicle
irrespective of their skill. However, technology does also
malfunction at times, which is why clear safety protocols and
guidelines would need to be put in place before these cars can be
on the roads. Thus, with proper regulations and planning, I
believe self-driving cars can be more helpful than problematic.
Opposing self-driving cars-
I believe self-driving cars offer more problems than solutions. While there
are potential benefits associated with self-driving vehicles such
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as reduced road accidents, there are more significant concerns.
One of the main worries is the safety of self-driving cars, as
they heavily rely on complex

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 sensors that may fail in certain scenarios. Another aspect of this
safety is that like any electronic device, a car could then be
hacked into and tampered with, leading to accidents.
Additionally, the widespread adoption of self-driving cars may
lead to job loss for millions of professional drivers, causing
economic and social challenges. Moreover, the infrastructure
required to support self-driving cars, such as advanced road
systems may not be readily available in many regions. Therefore,
I believe self-driving cars are more problematic than helpful.
8. Gurmeet Kaur is an aspiring candidate for a public- funded
engineering college in the suburbs. She belongs to a nearby
village, has minimal technological skills and exposure, has the
required cut-off percentage and is looking for a complete or
partial scholarship.
Write a paragraph in about 100-120 words analyzing her SWOT
notes to support your stand on whether she should /not join the
college.

In support of the decision:

The given information illustrates the options Gurmeet would

weigh in order to take the right decision about her admission in a
public-funded engineering college. With availability of strong
curriculum, quality faculty and vibrant Activity Clubs, she will be
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assured of an enriching educational journey. Though hostel
facility is unavailable, she may take up accommodation in the
suburbs or choose to travel daily from her village.

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Good opportunities of practice-based research, partnership with
professional companies and international students exchange
program will enhance her professional and interpersonal skills.
Hard work, responsible behaviour and prudent decision-making
could help Gurmeet thrive in the college even though it has a rigid
and conventional culture. The strengths and opportunities work in
favour of Gurmeet. Taking this opportunity will allow her to mend
the incorrect public perception towards public-funded colleges
and students’ outlook towards technical subjects.

Against the decision:

The given information indicates Gurmeet’s dilemma about

seeking admission in a public- funded college. Though equipped
with a strong curriculum, engaging activity clubs and an able
faculty, the college lacks diversity and good conduct among the
students, giving rise to concerns of safe environment for a novice
like Gurmeet. Underutilization of IT services will be further
detrimental to the progress of Gurmeet’s educational journey and
add to extra costs related to research work. If she does not qualify
for a complete or partial scholarship, arrangement of own
accommodation and additional expense of students exchange
programme will increase her expenditure, too. Such a college
environment may dampen her endeavouring spirit. The weakness
and threats outweigh the strengths, in case of Gurmeet. So, it is
recommended that Gurmeet does not apply for admission to the
said college.

1. Global weather is warming leading to Arctic meltdown. Study the following pie chart
and write a brief paragraph on factors affecting global warming, in about 120 words.

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2. The chart below shows the reasons why people travel to work by bicycle or by
car. Taking idea from the pie chart below write a paragraph in about 120 words.

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3. The pie chart below shows the main reasons why agricultural land becomes less
productive. The table shows how these causes affected three regions of the world
during the 1990s. Taking idea from the pie chart below write a paragraph in about 120
words.

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Answer-

The pie chart shows that there are four main causes of farmland becoming
degraded in the world today. Globally, 65% of degradation is caused by too
much animal grazing and tree clearance, constituting 35% and 30%
respectively. A further 28% of global degradation is due to over-cultivation of
crops. Other causes account for only 7% collectively.These causes affected
different regions differently in the 1990s, with Europe having as much as 9.8%
of degradation due to deforestation, while the impact of this on Oceania and
North America was minimal, with only 1.7% and 0.2% of land affected
respectively. Europe, with the highest overall percentage of land degraded
(23%), also suffered from over-cultivation (7.7%) and over-grazing (5.5%). In
contrast, Oceania had 13% of degraded farmland and this was mainly due to
over-grazing (11.3%). North America had a lower proportion of degraded land at
only 5%, and the main causes of this were over-cultivation (3.3%) and, to a
lesser extent, over-grazing (1.5%). Overall, it is clear that Europe suffered more
from farmland degradation than the other regions and the main causes there
were deforestation and over-cultivation.

QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE

1. You are Nisha/Nishant. As Secretary of the Literary Club of your school, you have been
asked to write a paragraph on the importance of reading. The following histogram clearly
states how irrelevant reading has become to the present generation. Taking ideas from
the histogram, write the paragraph in about 120 words.

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2. The line graph below shows changes in the amount and type of fast food consumed by
Australian teenagers from 1975 to 2000. Summarize the information by selecting and
reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. Write a paragraph in
not more than 100-120 words.

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