what is an concluding sentence

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• Ending the Essay: Conclusions

So much is at stake in writing a conclusion. This is, after all, your last chance to persuade your readers to your point of view, to impress yourself upon them as a writer and thinker. And the impression you create in your conclusion will shape the impression that stays with your readers after they've finished the essay.

The end of an essay should therefore convey a sense of completeness and closure as well as a sense of the lingering possibilities of the topic, its larger meaning, its implications: the final paragraph should close the discussion without closing it off.

To establish a sense of closure, you might do one or more of the following:

• Conclude by linking the last paragraph to the first, perhaps by reiterating a word or phrase you used at the beginning.
• Conclude with a sentence composed mainly of one-syllable words. Simple language can help create an effect of understated drama.
• Conclude with a sentence that's compound or parallel in structure; such sentences can establish a sense of balance or order that may feel just right at the end of a complex discussion.

To close the discussion without closing it off, you might do one or more of the following:

• Conclude with a quotation from or reference to a primary or secondary source, one that amplifies your main point or puts it in a different perspective. A quotation from, say, the novel or poem you're writing about can add texture and specificity to your discussion; a critic or scholar can help confirm or complicate your final point. For example, you might conclude an essay on the idea of home in James Joyce's short story collection,  Dubliners , with information about Joyce's own complex feelings towards Dublin, his home. Or you might end with a biographer's statement about Joyce's attitude toward Dublin, which could illuminate his characters' responses to the city. Just be cautious, especially about using secondary material: make sure that you get the last word.
• Conclude by setting your discussion into a different, perhaps larger, context. For example, you might end an essay on nineteenth-century muckraking journalism by linking it to a current news magazine program like  60 Minutes .
• Conclude by redefining one of the key terms of your argument. For example, an essay on Marx's treatment of the conflict between wage labor and capital might begin with Marx's claim that the "capitalist economy is . . . a gigantic enterprise of dehumanization "; the essay might end by suggesting that Marxist analysis is itself dehumanizing because it construes everything in economic -- rather than moral or ethical-- terms.
• Conclude by considering the implications of your argument (or analysis or discussion). What does your argument imply, or involve, or suggest? For example, an essay on the novel  Ambiguous Adventure , by the Senegalese writer Cheikh Hamidou Kane, might open with the idea that the protagonist's development suggests Kane's belief in the need to integrate Western materialism and Sufi spirituality in modern Senegal. The conclusion might make the new but related point that the novel on the whole suggests that such an integration is (or isn't) possible.

Finally, some advice on how not to end an essay:

• Don't simply summarize your essay. A brief summary of your argument may be useful, especially if your essay is long--more than ten pages or so. But shorter essays tend not to require a restatement of your main ideas.
• Avoid phrases like "in conclusion," "to conclude," "in summary," and "to sum up." These phrases can be useful--even welcome--in oral presentations. But readers can see, by the tell-tale compression of the pages, when an essay is about to end. You'll irritate your audience if you belabor the obvious.
• Resist the urge to apologize. If you've immersed yourself in your subject, you now know a good deal more about it than you can possibly include in a five- or ten- or 20-page essay. As a result, by the time you've finished writing, you may be having some doubts about what you've produced. (And if you haven't immersed yourself in your subject, you may be feeling even more doubtful about your essay as you approach the conclusion.) Repress those doubts. Don't undercut your authority by saying things like, "this is just one approach to the subject; there may be other, better approaches. . ."

Copyright 1998, Pat Bellanca, for the Writing Center at Harvard University

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Concluding sentence: easy writing guide.

January 21, 2021

A concluding sentence should tie up an argument in a paragraph, essay, or paper. Unfortunately, many people make a mistake when writing essays and papers by leaving out this sentence. Others don’t even know what a conclusion sentence is and why it is important, leave alone knowing how to write it. So, let’s start by answering, what is a conclusion sentence?

What is a Concluding Sentence?

Every paragraph has a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence. But, what’s a concluding sentence? Well, this is the sentence that sums up all the information that has been presented in the paragraph. It tells the readers that you’re getting to the closure of the paragraph.

Essentially, this sentence completes a paragraph while restating the main argument or idea. Conclusion sentence starters include words and phrases like “thus”, “therefore”, “resulting”, “in brief”, “hence”, and “to sum up” are often used to start this sentence.

This sentence summarizes the main argument. It also ties the paragraph without rephrasing or your topic sentence. A concluding sentence in a paragraph wraps up the entire argument while guiding the readers regarding the information that you have provided.

How to Write a Concluding Sentence

The concluding sentence definition may vary. However, this sentence should serve its purpose effectively. To achieve this, you should learn how to write a good concluding sentence. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to write a conclusion sentence.

• Summarize Start by summarizing the paragraph’s content. Remember that this sentence should not introduce anything new to the paragraph. It should recap what you’ve shared with your readers in simple and few words. Essentially, this sentence should wrap up your main points briefly.
• Make your sentence short The concluding sentence words should be few. However, the length of this sentence should depend on the essay or paragraph size. For instance, two lines could be sufficient for a paragraph that has ten lines. Essentially, summarize everything without losing the meaning.
• Provide a closure In addition to summarizing a paragraph, this sentence should provide a solid closure to your readers. The importance of a solid close is less when composing a cliff-hanger only. Readers should feel at ease after reading your paper or essay. They should not be confused by the last sentence. Therefore, make sure that your sentence wraps up everything nicely.
• Read the sentence Learning how to make a concluding sentence alone is not enough. You should also ensure that this sentence serves its purpose. Therefore, check your sentence to ensure that it mentions the chief points. It should provide a sense of summarization to the paragraph by wrapping up and summarizing all the key points. It should also rephrase the thesis statement to enhance understanding. What’s more, it should restate your topic sentence. It should represent all the findings, data, figures, materials, logic, and facts.

When learning how to write concluding sentence, bear in mind that this is a final word on the topic. As such, it should leave readers with a sense of closure or completion. This should be the clincher instead of a summary. The essential points of your write-up should be presented in your essay conclusion. What’s more, this sentence should compel readers to focus on new views regarding the topic. And most importantly, it should end on a positive note.

How to Start a Concluding Sentence

There are many ways of starting this sentence. You can learn about these ways by checking out well written concluding sentence examples. For instance, you can use these concluding sentence starters:

• In conclusion ,
• In general ,
• Therefore ,

To understand how these starters can be used, check these conclusion sentence examples for essays.

Example 1 : In conclusion, marijuana may become recognized as a healing tool one day because it has more than recreational value.

Example 2 : Lastly, the widespread abuse of marijuana and its profitability should compel lawmakers to decriminalize its use in the U.S

Example 3: Therefore, marijuana should be availed to the general public due to its therapeutic benefits.

Example 4 : Clearly, a significant correlation between health risks and marijuana risks that explain why it should be decriminalized exist.

Example 5 : In general, marijuana should be legalized globally because its use is as old as the history of mankind.

The effective use of starters signals the beginning of this paragraph to the readers. It also ensures a smooth transition from the explanation of the main points to the end of the paragraph.

Concluding Sentence Transitions

You’ve probably read a good concluding sentence example and come across what seems like a transition word. Well, some of these sentences start with transition words. Here are examples of such transitions:

• In other words ,
• All in all ,

A writer can also include their final thought. This is very common in write-ups that do not provide a chance for writers to interject their opinion. Here is a concluding sentence essay sample that includes the final thought and a concluding statement.

In short, you can gain both stamina and muscle by following these steps though all exercise programs take time to achieve the desired results.

In this example, the writer starts the sentence with a transition, then moves on to the concluding statement before giving their opinion about the program’s results.

Useful Tips and Insights

In addition to using conclusion sentence examples, follow these tips:

• Add a summary – Include a summary of your essay or paper in the sentence to serve as the crux of your writing. Your final thought or judgment should be supported by the summary of the main point in this sentence.
• Call for action – This sentence should call readers to take action using an emotional and factual argument to evoke the desired response from the readers.
• Evoke a certain image – Make sure that your sentence has an impact on the readers by painting a vivid picture. You should convey your ideas and transfer your mental image into the mind of the readers.
• Make suggestions – Recommend beneficial changes to the surrounding and the audience.
• Add quotations – Starting or ending your paper or essay with a quotation can create a good impression. It can also leave a lasting effect on the reader. Therefore, consider using a quotation in your conclusion.

By reading a good conclusion sentence example, you will see how the author restates their thesis or topic sentence using the right synonyms. You will also learn to wrap up the paragraph with the right words. What’s more, a good example will show you the best way to use starters and transition words to signal the beginning of this paragraph.

The purpose of the last sentence in a paragraph is to remind the audience about the discussed topic. It also sums up all the information provided in that paragraph. Although you can use a concluding sentence generator, you should learn and practice writing it. This will enable you to give every paragraph that you write a great sense of completion or closure. Writing services may also come in handy here. In short, your readers will feel that you addressed the main point to its conclusion.

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How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay

You’ve done it. You’ve refined your introduction and your thesis. You’ve spent time researching and proving all of your supporting arguments. You’re slowly approaching the finish line of your essay and suddenly freeze up because—that’s right—it’s time to write the conclusion.

For many, the conclusion is the most dreaded part of essay writing . Condensing all the points you’ve analyzed in a tidy little package is certainly easier said than done. How can you make a good final impression while emphasizing the significance of your findings? 

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Learning how to write a conclusion for an essay doesn’t need to feel like climbing Everest. It is wholly possible to tie everything together while considering the broader issues and implications of your argument. You just need the right strategy.

What do you want to leave your readers with? Perhaps you want to end with a quotation that adds texture to your discussion. Or, perhaps you want to set your argument into a different, perhaps larger context. 

An effective conclusion paragraph should ultimately suggest to your reader that you’ve accomplished what you set out to prove.

How to write a good conclusion

As you set out to write your conclusion and end your essay on an insightful note, you’ll want to start by restating your thesis. Since the thesis is the central idea of your entire essay, it’s wise to remind the reader of the purpose of your paper. 

Once you’ve restated your thesis (in a way that’s paraphrased, of course, and offers a fresh understanding), the next step is to reiterate your supporting points. Extract all of the “main points” from each of your supporting paragraphs or individual arguments in the essay . Then, find a way to wrap up these points in a way that demonstrates the importance of the ideas. 

Depending on the length of your essay, knowing how to write a good conclusion is somewhat intuitive—you don’t want to simply summarize what you wrote. Rather, the conclusion should convey a sense of closure alongside the larger meaning and lingering possibilities of the topic. 

What your conclusion should include

Now that you know what a good conclusion encompasses, you can get into the finer details. Beyond restating your thesis and summarizing your points, what else should the conclusion include?

Here are some strategies for ending your essay in a savvy and thought-provoking way: 

Ask yourself: “So what?” 

At some point in your life, a teacher has probably told you that the end of an essay should answer the question “So what?” or “Why does it matter?” This advice holds true. It’s helpful to ask yourself this question at the start of drafting your thesis and come back to it throughout, as it can keep you in tune with the essay’s purpose. Then, at your conclusion, you won’t be left searching for something to say.

Add perspective 

If you’ve come across a fantastic quote in your research that didn’t quite make it into the essay, the conclusion is a great spot for it. Including a quote from one of your primary or secondary sources can frame your thesis or final thoughts in a different light. This can add specificity and texture to your overall argument. 

For example, if you’ve written an essay about J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, you can think about using a quote from the book itself or from a critic or scholar who complicates your main point. If your thesis is about Salinger’s desire to preserve childhood innocence, ending with a biographer’s statement about Salinger’s attitude toward his own youth might be illuminating for readers. If you decide to amplify your conclusion paragraph in this way, make sure the secondary material adds (and not detracts) from the points you already made. After all, you want to have the last word!

Consider the clincher

At the very end of the essay comes your closing sentence or clincher. As you think about how to write a good conclusion, the clincher must be top of mind. What can you say to propel the reader to a new view on the subject? This final sentence needs to help readers feel a sense of closure. It should also end on a positive note, so your audience feels glad they read your paper and that they learned something worthwhile. 

What your conclusion should not include

There are a few things that you should definitely strive to avoid when writing your conclusion paragraph. These elements will only cheapen your overall argument and belabor the obvious.

Here are several conclusion mishaps to consider:

• Avoid phrases like “in summary,” “in conclusion,” or “to sum up.” Readers know they’re at the end of the essay and don’t need a signpost. 
• Don’t simply summarize what’s come before. For a short essay, you certainly don’t need to reiterate all of your supporting arguments. Readers will know if you just copied and pasted from elsewhere.
• Avoid introducing brand new ideas or evidence. This will only confuse readers and sap force from your arguments. If there’s a really profound point that you’ve reached in your conclusion and want to include, try moving it to one of your supporting paragraphs. 

Whereas your introduction acts as a bridge that transfers your readers from their own lives into the “space” of your argument or analysis, your conclusion should help readers transition back to their daily lives. 

By following this useful roadmap, you can feel confident that you know how to write a good conclusion that leaves readers with a solution, a call to action, or a powerful insight for further study.

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Definition of conclude

transitive verb

intransitive verb

• round (off or out)

close , end , conclude , finish , complete , terminate mean to bring or come to a stopping point or limit.

close usually implies that something has been in some way open as well as unfinished.

end conveys a strong sense of finality.

conclude may imply a formal closing (as of a meeting).

finish may stress completion of a final step in a process.

complete implies the removal of all deficiencies or a successful finishing of what has been undertaken.

terminate implies the setting of a limit in time or space.

infer , deduce , conclude , judge , gather mean to arrive at a mental conclusion.

infer implies arriving at a conclusion by reasoning from evidence; if the evidence is slight, the term comes close to surmise .

deduce often adds to infer the special implication of drawing a particular inference from a generalization.

conclude implies arriving at a necessary inference at the end of a chain of reasoning.

judge stresses a weighing of the evidence on which a conclusion is based.

gather suggests an intuitive forming of a conclusion from implications.

Example Sentences

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conclude.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback .

Word History

Middle English, from Latin concludere to shut up, end, infer, from com- + claudere to shut — more at close entry 1

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4

Dictionary Entries Near conclude

concludable

Cite this Entry

“Conclude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conclude. Accessed 1 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of conclude, more from merriam-webster on conclude.

Nglish: Translation of conclude for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of conclude for Arabic Speakers

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Concluding Sentences: Writing Tips, Styles and Examples

Home / Blog / Concluding Sentences: Writing Tips, Styles and Examples

Good writing skills take years of hard work. Knowing the writing structure or having a strong vocabulary won't suffice. You need to know how to write a concluding sentence, keep the readers engaged and incorporate elements that invigorate your writing. In this blog, we will be focusing on how to make a concluding sentence more captivating and concluding sentence words.

Read on to get further insight.

What is the Concluding Sentence?

First, let us have a look at what is a concluding sentence before we delve deep into the subject matter. A concluding sentence acts as an indicator that the paragraph is coming to an end. Depending upon the placement of the paragraph, a concluding sentence may lead to another section, or conclude a particular ideology, angle of the topic.

The concluding sentence might be a summary of the previous discussion and not include any new information. But it should convey the essence of the paragraph to the readers. For example, concluding sentence words (starters) like thus, therefore, for this reason, consequently, finally, are often used.

Concluding Sentences for Different Types of Paragraphs

Now that you know the definition of the concluding sentence, it is time to check out the nuances of writing it. If you go through sample assignments, you will come across concluding sentences providing:

• A precise overview of the points discussed in the paragraph
• Reiteration of the main topic and support to the thesis statement of the essay and other papers
• Highlighting the angles covered in the previous sections

You must understand that the concluding sentence varies as per the genre of the text.  Narrative concluding sentences will be completely different from argumentative, compare and contrast and descriptions text.

While writing such texts, you have to keep in mind that concluding sentence for:

• Narrative paragraphs should convey and stress upon the moral lesson
• Descriptive paragraphs should amalgamate all the information to support the topic
• Compare and contrast paragraphs is used to juxtapose two topics to shed light on the similarities and dissimilarities
• Argumentative context should summarize your argument and reiterate why you are correct

Now that we are familiar with the different types of concluding sentences, we should examine how to make a concluding sentence.

How to Make a Concluding Sentence Interesting?

Since concluding sentences are wrapped up in one sentence, you need to have a proper strategy before you put pen to paper. If you go through the tips mentioned below, you would have a slight edge over your classmates as far as good paper writing  is concerned.

You should:

• Choose the concluding sentence words carefully
• Keep the sentence within 20 to 25 words
• Read the entire paragraph thoroughly to analyze what you have to write
• Keep an eye out for grammatical errors while writing the sentence
• Choose the key terms from the paragraph that supports your topic and rephrase it to form a coherent line
• Focus on the diction and incorporate attractive words to enhance the standard of writing

However, to know how to make a concluding sentence,   you must browse through examples, which has been discussed in details in the following section.

Concluding Sentence Examples That You Must Refer to

Unless you look for concluding sentence examples   and execute it in your writing , you will never be able to get a grasp of it. To make the process easier for you, certain examples have been discussed based on the style and perspective or context of the text.

For this, let us assume that the topic is ‘Music Production and Gears’. Here, a brief context would be helpful. Usually, expensive gears are supposed to make great music and simplify the process. But, with the advancement of technology, things are looking bright for people who can’t afford high-end gadgets.

• Restating the discussion in a different way

Example:  "Evidently, it can be seen that technique and knowledge are more important than having expensive gears in hand".

• Sharing an overview of the particular paragraph/topic

Instance: “Digital plugins are being used worldwide, and it offers serious competition to the analog counterparts and is extremely affordable."

• Expecting future changes/developments

Example: “ As a result of continuous developments, it can soon be expected that virtual software can be at par with the analog models."

• Stating Call to Action

Instance : "Therefore, you don't have any excuses today for not creating quality music as free software has started to rival quality products."

• Sharing Your View on the Matter

Example: “ In conclusion,   the best gear is the one you own now, and it is high time you start exploring it and achieve the best sound you can get".

Hopefully, you now have a clear picture as to what is a concluding sentence. The more you read, the more you will be able to understand it. In no time, you will start writing on your own.

How to Start a Conclusion and End it?

The conclusion is similar to a concluding sentence. But it wraps the entire essay, case study , research paper or thesis. Most importantly, a conclusion is succinct, and it is kept within one paragraph only, unless specified otherwise.

To answer your question, in short, a conclusion consists of the following points. You must include:

• A summary of the essay (key points)
• The thesis statement
• Limitations of the study
• Call-to-action for the readers
• Possibility of future scope of research

Now, we will take a glance at the things you must avoid in your conclusion. You should not:

• End with a modified thesis statement
• Introduce a new angle or subtopic
• Apologize for stating your views on the subject matter
• Conclude with only a sentence highlighting the final point

If you stick to the above-mentioned points, you will be able to write an impressive conclusion. Most importantly, you will get at writing concluding sentences.

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