Reliable Hints on How to Write an Essay Conclusion

Writing a conclusion is troubling for many students. Writing teachers tend to focus heavily on introductory techniques and body paragraphs, but they often neglect teaching students the different techniques for writing essay conclusions. Conclusions are the easiest paragraphs to write in any essay because all of the information that needs to be included in the paragraph already exists elsewhere in the essay.

Part One: Restate the Thesis

The first sentence of any conclusion should be a restated thesis sentence. The sentence should not begin with the words, “In conclusion.” Students should rewrite the thesis statement in different words, but not so different that the reader cannot see the connection between the concluding paragraph and the thesis.

Part Two: Reflect on the Main Ideas

The middle of the conclusion should include a restatement of the major ideas presented in the body paragraphs. A general rule of thumb is that there should be one major idea from each body paragraph. You do not need to write them all in separate sentences, especially since the ideas are all connected already. Use transitions wisely in these sentences so you can successfully show how these ideas are connected.

Part Three: Get Clever with the Actual Ending

The end of the conclusion is where you can get creative. Keep in mind that you are only writing one paragraph, so the last sentence or two can do a few different things. You could reconnect with the hook of the essay, so if you used a quote from a famous person, you could share a similar one. You could answer rhetorical questions you asked in the hook or you could end the anecdote. If you are writing a persuasive essay, you could leave the reader with a call to action. You should not present any new ideas, but you can leave the reader thinking about what is to come.

Here is the conclusion for this piece:

Writing a conclusion is nothing more than following a format. The format includes three unique sections in one paragraph. The first restates the thesis in new words. The middle section includes main ideas that come from each body paragraph. The last section will be determined by the hook or the style of the paper. Hopefully, you have learned how to write a conclusion so you can effective end every essay you write in the future.