Class 10 English Writing Skills: Formal Letter and Analytical Paragraph Guide

The writing section is the most scoreable part of the Class 10 English paper, because the marking follows a clear format. Check the 2026-27 sample paper for the exact tasks and marks.

Formal letter

Format:

1. Sender's address
2. Date
3. Receiver's designation and address
4. Subject line
5. Salutation (Sir/Madam)
6. Body: an opening paragraph (purpose), a middle paragraph (details), a closing paragraph (request or action)
7. Complimentary close (Yours faithfully), name

Common types: letter to the editor, complaint, enquiry, placing an order.

Tips: keep to the word limit, stay formal throughout, and make the purpose clear in the first two lines.

Analytical paragraph

You're given data (a chart, table or graph) or a cue, and you write a paragraph that analyses it.

Structure:

1. Introduction: what the data shows, in one or two lines.
2. Body: key trends, comparisons and the highest and lowest values, using the actual numbers.
3. Conclusion: the overall picture in one line.

Tips: use comparison words (increased, declined sharply, remained steady, in contrast). Don't add opinions that aren't supported by the data.

Common mistakes

• exceeding or falling far short of the word limit
• an informal tone in formal letters
• describing every number instead of the main trends