CONCLUDING SENTENCE

A.    Defenition of Concluding Sentence

            A Concluding Sentence is the last sentence of a paragraph(s), it summarizes everything that you just wrote about and it is some what like your Introduction Sentence.

Usually, your concluding sentence will say something like "In conclusion," or "Therefore," or "To summarize."

Basically, when writing a formal paper, we have three steps -- "Tell them what we're going to tell them" (the Introduction), "Tell them" (the Body), and "Tell them whatwe just told them" (the Conclusion

Conclusions are just as important as introductions. The conclusion closes the essay and tries to close the issue. The aim is to convince the reader that your essay has covered all the most important arguments about the issue and that your main premise is the best position on the issue. You should not present any new arguments in your conclusion.

B.     The Purpose of a Conclusion

The purpose of a conclusion is to tie together, or integrate the various issues, research, etc., covered in the body of the paper, and to make comments upon the meaning of all of it. This includes noting any implications resulting from your discussion of the topic, as well as recommendations, forecasting future trends, and the need for further research.

The conclusion should:

1.      Be a logical ending to what has been previously been discussed. It must pull together all of the parts of your argument and refer the reader back to the focus you have outlined in your introduction and to the central topic. This gives your essay a sense of unity. 

2.      Never contain any new information. 

3.      Usually be only a paragraph in length, but in an extended essay (3000+ words) it may be better to have two or three paragraphs to pull together the different parts of the essay. 

4.      Add to the overall quality and impact of the essay. This is your final statement about this topic; thus it can make a great impact on the reader.

The conclusion should not:

1)      just sum up

2)      end with a long quotation

3)      focus merely on a minor point in your argument

4)      introduce new material

C.    The structure of the conclusion

Like introductions, it is best to keep to a simple structure. Begin with a sentence that refers to the main subject that was discussed in the body in the essay. Make sure that this sentence also links to the preceding paragraph, or uses words such as In conclusion to signal that these are your final words on the subject.

Then, you may give a brief summary of your argument and identify the main reasons/causes/factors that relate to the question you have been asked to address. If there are two or more parts to the question, be sure to include responses to each part in your conclusion.

Finally, it is a good idea to add a sentence or two to reinforce the thesis statement which was used in your introduction. This shows the reader that you have done what you said you would do and gives a sense of unity the essay.

Additional elements that may be added include recommendations for future action and speculations on future trends. Generally, although a short pithy quote can sometimes be used to spice up your conclusion, the conclusion should be in your own words. Try to avoid direct quotations, or references to other sources.

The conclusion (ending or closing) of your writing is what wraps it all up for the reader. Stop writing when you have said it all, but the conclusion should tie up all loose ends. Do not leave the reader hanging. Leave him/her with something to think about. Do not insult the reader by telling him/her what you have written about. Also, do not use the lead as the conclusion; you can restate what you wrote in the lead, but do not just repeat it. NEVER end with "...and it was all a dream." That has been overdone. Below are some ideas on how to write a good conclusion. Remember that not every type of lead will work for every writer or for every piece of writing. You'll have to experiment. Be sure to have a least three sentences in your conclusion, whatever type it may be.

To make our conglusion look like interest, we can use :

Question

Close with a question that involves the reader. You can answer the question, or leave it for the reader to decide based on what you wrote. The question must relate to the main idea. Example: It was the worst experience of his life. Andrew decided that it was the last time he would ever go on a roller coaster. Who can blame him?

Strong Statement

Close with a statement that forcefully states your opinion. Example: A criminal, no matter his/her age, should be dealt with according to the crime. The legal system is too lenient when it comes to juvenile offenders. Laws need to be rewritten immediately so that no more hard core criminals go free just because they are juveniles.

Summary

Close with a summary of your main ideas. However, do not repeat yourself word for word; say it in a different way. Also, remember not to insult the reader by saying, "I wrote about..." The reader is smart enough to know what he/she just read. Example: As you can see, it is not important to know everything, but it is important to know how to find the answer. There will not always be a teacher nearby with the answer. You have to learn how to research, how to dig through sources to find what you need to know.

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Personal Comment

Close with a personal comment or response to what you have written. It is not the same thing as an opinion. It is more like a personal conclusion you have reached or a lesson you have learned because of the experience you wrote about in your paper. Example: Riding a roller coaster with someone who is a "chicken" is something I will certainly never do again. I should have listened when Sheila told me she did not want to ride it. I should have let her take the "chicken exit." Next time I will know better.

Mystery

Close with a statement that shows some things will never be resolved. However, be sure to do this in a way that the reader does not think you just forgot to end your story or paper. Example: We watched Adam walk down the road until he became just a tiny speck and then disappeared altogether into the dust of twilight. Just as he appeared, he was gone. That was the last time any of us ever saw him.

Beginning of New Story

When writing a story or personal narrative, you can close with a hint of things to come, or the beginning of a new story--a sequel of sorts. Example: He was exhausted. It had been a long and difficult week. Javier closed his eyes and thought of the many other adventures that lie ahead.

Well Known Quotation or Quotation from a Famous Person

Close with a quotation that is well known or from a famous person. Be sure to put quotations around the quotation and give credit to the person who said it if you write it word for word. Of course, the quotation must be directly related to your topic. A good source is a book of quotations. Look in the library or ask your teacher. Example: According to Senator Bob Dole, in order to be a citizen, all Americans must be able to speak English. In theory this seems like a good policy. However, what will become of the citizens who never learn to speak English?

Quotation Not from a Famous Person

Close with a quotation from a person that is not famous. It could be a character from the story or someone you know personally. You still must put it in quotation marks and give credit to the person who said it if you write it word for word. Example: "You're going to regret this." Those were Sheila's last words as I pulled her into the roller coaster seat. I now know she was not kidding.

Open Conclusion

Close with an ending or statement that lets the reader draw his/her own conclusion. It is like a "fill in the blank" type of conclusion. Remember to give the reader enough information in the body of your paper that he/she can draw a conclusion. Example: Some statistics show that drivers under the age of 16 are more dangerous. On the other hand, some statistics show that they are no more dangerous than drivers 16 to 25. Therefore, whether drivers under the age of 16 are more dangerous than those over 16 is still debatable.