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Two Parts:Preparing for the ConclusionStarting Your Conclusion

A conclusion paragraph is the summation and closure of the ideas presented in a piece of writing. Its goal is to leave the reader feeling satisfied with the piece. You can learn how to start a conclusion paragraph by following these writing tips.


Part 1 of 2: Preparing for the Conclusion

  1. 1
    Think about your purpose and tone. When writing a conclusion, it is important to think about the purpose of your essay. Why did you write it? Was it to inform, persuade, entertain, or present findings? This dictates how you set up your conclusion. The tone also needs to match the rest of the paper.[1]
    • If your paper was to inform, you want to remind the reader what you explained to them.
    • If your paper was to persuade, you want to give your reader a final thought about why they should agree with you instead of the opposing sides.
    • If your paper was humorous, a serious conclusion will not provide cohesion to the essay or adequately conclude it.
  2. 2
    Ask yourself "so what?". This can help you begin to think about what should go into your conclusion. The conclusion should give the answer to the "so what" after finishing your paper. Also ask yourself, "Why should anybody care?" Answering those two questions in your conclusion can help you shape your final thoughts on your main points.[2]
    • For example, if your paper was about how soda machines should be taken out of schools, ask yourself the questions "so what?" and "why should anybody care?" After you decide on the answers, that will help you figure out what to say in your conclusion.
  3. 3
    Read your main essay several times before starting the concluding paragraph. You should have the introduction, as well as the body paragraphs, fresh in your mind. Your conclusion should logically transition from the introduction and body paragraphs into the conclusion. Having your essay in mind can help you keep your conclusion focused so it addresses the important points of your paper.
  4. 4
    Start your first draft with the words "In conclusion." This popular, but overused, transition phrase can help you get started writing a first draft of a conclusion paragraph.
    • Remove or replace "In conclusion" after your first draft. When polishing off and finishing your conclusion paragraph, you want to avoid "in conclusion," "in summary," "to conclude," or "in closing."[3]
  5. 5
    Pre-write your conclusion. Pre-writing is a good strategy that is often under utilized by students when writing essays. The pre-writing stage comes before the draft; this is the time for you to get your ideas down.
    • Free write 3 to 6 sentences where you explain the topic you have covered. After writing a whole essay, you may be able to instinctively conclude your essay.
    • When pre-writing, ask yourself "so what?" and "why should anybody care?" This can help you start to form your previous answers to those questions into clear sentences.

Part 2 of 2: Starting Your Conclusion

  1. 1
    Write the first sentence as a transition. This sentence should build a bridge between the body paragraphs and the ending thoughts. Use words and phrases from your topic to connect the sentence and conclusion paragraph to the rest of the essay.
    • This sentence does not restate your thesis or main points yet. It simply connects the topic of the essay to the conclusion paragraph.
    • If your paper is about the benefits of exercise, a transition sentence might look like: "Exercising five times a week, then, has several advantages."
    • If you are making the argument that camping is rewarding, you can start your conclusion with this sentence: "Although we went into the camping trip with different attitudes, we decided that it was a worthwhile way to spend the weekend."
    • Both of these sentences contain transitional words that are not "in conclusion," "in summary" or something similar. Instead, they use the the transitions "then" and "although."
  2. 2
    Start the conclusion with your topic. In the conclusion, restate your topic in different words than your introduction. After stating the topic, add a phrase or additional sentence about why the topic and points you made were important.[4]
    • If your paper is about the negative effects of bullying, a sentence that states the topic might look like: "Bullying has become commonplace in schools and needs to stop."
    • The next sentence to explain why the points or topic are important might look like: "Children don't treat their peers with the kindness and respect that they should."
  3. 3
    Restate your thesis. Early in the conclusion, remind the reader of your thesis, but don't restate the thesis word for word; find a new way to phrase it that demonstrates you have proven the thesis in your paper.[5]
    • If your thesis was about insulting stereotypes, a sentence that restates the thesis might look like: "Stereotypes such as the over-emotional woman, the ditzy blonde, and the partying college kid are incorrect and hurtful."
    • The conclusion should lend a feeling of finality for your thesis. The reader should feel as though they have taken a journey and ended it. The conclusion should logically follow the introduction and body paragraphs.
    • If you restate the thesis in your conclusion and it doesn't match the paper, you may need to revise your thesis.
  4. 4
    Use a linking phrase from the introduction. Think about starting your conclusion by linking it directly to the introduction with a shared phrase. Use an image, comparison, story, or phrase from the introduction to reiterate. This brings the theme or idea from the introduction back up, giving the reader a different perspective now that they have read the entire essay.[6]
    • For example, if you mention your first car which you call a "indestructible tank" in your introduction, then provide a thesis which reads, "Teenagers should not be given new cars when they first get their licenses," you can start your conclusion with a sentence like this: "Despite my first car being over twenty years old, that indestructible tank helped me learned from my mistakes as I became a better driver."
  5. 5
    Point out a comparison or contrast. If you wrote about two or three characters, groups of people, animals, or anything else, you can use the ideas your compared or contrasted in your essay to open your conclusion. Follow up the two compared or contrasted ideas with a single observation or statement relevant to the essay.
    • If your paper was discussing the differences in vacation spots, you might start your conclusion like: "Whether you are sunning on the beach in Florida or skiing the slopes in Aspen, vacations should be a relaxing and enjoyable experience."
  6. 6
    Start the conclusion with a statement. Offer a statement or opinion based on what you have argued or tried to persuade the reader of in your paper. This sentence will restate your topic and offer a way of thinking based on what you presented in the body paragraphs.
    • If your thesis was, "Morals sometimes lead individuals to make sacrifices that have no obvious benefit; instead, the sacrifice satisfies some intrinsic desire of what is right," then your statement might be: "Sacrifices people make don’t always make sense until the motives for making them are revealed."[7]
  7. 7
    Start the conclusion with a question. The use of a rhetorical question can be an effective strategy for emphasizing a point. This strategy may work if you have an argument paper. Make your question evocative to really drive your point home.
    • If your paper is on banning smoking from public places, your conclusion sentence might be: "Do some people have the right to intrude on the health of everyone around them?"

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Categories: Writing | Better Writing

In other languages:

Português: Começar um Parágrafo de Conclusão, Italiano: Scrivere una Conclusione, Español: empezar a escribir una conclusión, Deutsch: Einen Schlussabsatz anfangen, 中文: 写结尾段, Français: composer un paragraphe de conclusion, Русский: написать заключительный абзац, Bahasa Indonesia: Memulai Paragraf Kesimpulan

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