Writing can be a fun and creative process for skilled writers who know how to beautifully express their ideas, thoughts, and stories in written form using literary devices and proper grammatical constructions. But in many cases, students who have not had much exposure to writing may experience some issues when composing and structuring their essays. In this article, you will learn how to write a good conclusion paragraph for your essay. As strange or unlikely as it may be, the sad truth is that there are students who may still experience problems with clearly understanding the meaning of a conclusion wondering, "What does a conclusion mean?" So, let's begin by getting such basic questions out of the way. The answers may even give you some insights into the world of academic writing that you've never had previously.
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What is a conclusion? There are several meanings of the word. According to the Longman Online Dictionary of Contemporary English, it has meaning in the following senses:
- Something you decide on after considering all the information you have.
- The end of the final part of something.
- The final arrangement of an agreement, a business deal, etc.
The Cambridge Dictionary also gives its meaning as being "the final part of something". The Oxford Living Dictionary also refers to it in several similar senses but also includes the meaning "end or finish of an event, process, or text". Consequently, in the context of writing, the meaning of a conclusion that concerns finality is what is relevant and applicable. So, when we talk about writing a good conclusion paragraph, we mean how to close, end, or finalize your piece of writing.
What is the Purpose of the Conclusion in an Essay?
Now, when we have some grounding on the meaning of a conclusion specifically as it relates to writing, let's explore in this section why a conclusion is important in an essay. The main purpose of a conclusion is to reiterate the key ideas or information in a piece of writing. When people read essays and writings that are lengthy, they can easily get lost in the different ideas, arguments, counterarguments, and evidence all interspersed within paragraphs. A conclusion paragraph helps them have a mental refresh of the whole text. Take, for instance, an argumentative essay. In such essay type, the conclusion serves to restate the central argument and repeat the key ideas or evidence presented to buttress the argument of the thesis statement. That said, it isn't merely a mechanical task of summarizing and rehashing the central points. The essence of doing so is more meaningful and powerful. To master it, you need either to really get into all the specifics or simply order your custom paper from professionals!
A conclusion can help readers understand and draw connections between the issues you discussed and some related or broader issues in their lives. In other words, you can use your conclusions to expand the frame of reference and thinking of your readers by transitioning them to relevant ideas or points they may never have considered previously.
Similarly, a conclusion should serve to heighten the reader's appreciation of the issue discussed in your essay, perhaps leaving them thinking differently and wanting to read more of your work. This would be the best evidence that you have effectively stimulated and engaged the reader!
In light of the above points, it should be evident to you now that knowing and mastering how to write a good conclusion paragraph is a literary skill that will serve you well throughout your academic years irregardless of whether you are a student or a teacher. Even in your professional life and likewise, you have an opportunity to gain a lot of new knowledge by learning how to write a concluding paragraph and essays in general. For example, imagine that you are asked at work to write a business proposal or article about how your company differentiates itself from competitors and is positioned to be the most formidable player in its market over the coming decade. You will do a great job writing such texts if you have mastered the aforementioned skills. Speaking of mastery, as in many other endeavors in life, it takes practice to become an expert in writing. You will be well pleased by the increase in the level of your writing skills that you will experience if you commit yourself to write regularly. Try practicing by composing daily, every week, or even a specific number of essays or articles within a specific period of time. This improvement often happens by actively spotting your deficiencies and learning how to close the gaps. In addition, you learn from others who have written similar pieces with the great public admiration of their writing skills.
Good Ways to Start a Conclusion Paragraph
A concluding paragraph, by way of its purpose, should help readers get a mental refresh of the entire piece of writing. Alright, but how do we then introduce the ending paragraph? There are no conventional rules that universally apply to every instance. But, below are some ways you can begin your essay conclusion.
- Use a transition: this means introducing the conclusion in a way that feels sequential, expected, or as "a natural next step". The transition could be a phrase of varying length that somehow mentions the previous ideas or points.
- Creatively reiterate or introduce your thesis statement without being verbatim. Consider the following for example.
In light of the above anecdote clearly expressing facts from a 'horse's own mouth', not many should read this with surprise as to why the idea of being patient and persevering in abusive relationship, hoping that change is around the corner, is a misplaced figment of human imagination, a mirage that quickly reveals it nature as you move further down the dangerous path!
The highlighted part is the creative restatement of the thesis statement. The actual thesis statement can be as follows:
There is a substantial reason as to why certain individuals remain with an unrepentant and perpetually abusive partner or spouse.
Hopefully, at this point, you not only have learned how to start writing a good conclusion paragraph, but you feel confident enough to work on yours.
How to End an Essay - Get Some Useful Insights
Writing the closing part of an essay is as much a creative task as introducing it. As such, there are varying ways to end an essay while ensuring you maintain the already discussed points that characterize a conclusion paragraph. You can even get more useful insights about writing a conclusion paragraph by reading the tips given further below.
Considering that there are many forms of writing and even more types of essays, it would be hard to say there are specific rules that apply universally. Here are some techniques you may use.
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- End with a question: Closing on a high note is a powerful way to keep your reader pondering and motivated to keep looking into the issues raised. One good way to do so is ask a question that invites them to think beyond what you have discussed. The question could be a rhetorical one that serves to highlight the importance or strength of your argument. Consider, as an example, the following ending questions.
Would you have let your child, still at least 5 years from being an adult, be subjected to such strenuous labor in a bid to 'make ends meet'?
If by any estimation, it feels okay or normal in a relationship, how about you allow yourself or your sister be on the receiving end of such physical and verbal abuse?
- Introduce a relevant but not-so-obvious idea. This will help create that effect of surprise, reveal something new, and - as has been mentioned previously - expand the reader's frame of reference on the issue. Consider the sample ending sentence below.
Given its application in space travel and abundance of water on earth (70% of the earth consists of water bodies), hydrogen as a fuel source could hold the key to the future of clean transport on earth within the next three decades!
Tips for Writing a Conclusion Paragraph
- Do not introduce unrelated trains of ideas in your concluding paragraph. If they must be brought in, they should be relevant and connectable to the issues discussed in a way that surprises your reader because it reveals something newfangled.
- Ensure you mention the main, central, or important ideas that underpin much of the writing. This could be the main argument or thesis statement.
- Make the conclusion be a connection of your main paragraphs or ideas therein as opposed to a simple summary of them. Do not attempt to write too many long sentences in a bid to reiterate the key points. It should be obvious that you are finalizing your writing. Also, you don't have to bring in all the ideas discussed in the paragraphs.
- Avoid repeating ideas or sentences word for word. This will bore the reader and create the impression that you lack in literary flexibility. Also, doing so would make your conclusion seem like a simple task of copying sentences and pasting them into the concluding paragraph.
- Don't dwell on minor points. Your conclusion is by nature a summary. Hence, you don't have all the space to write. That constraint should help you pick the best parts of your main writing to send home your message.
- Create multiple outlines for your concluding paragraph. This will serve as the foundation or skeleton upon which you will write the actual content. Having several of those allows you the flexibility of trying different ways to organize the final paragraph.
- Write two or three different versions of your concluding paragraph and assess which of them best embodies the flow of the main body of the essay, places the central idea within the first two sentences of the paragraph, and summarizes the other points in a refreshing manner. Another good way to go about this assessment is to have a different person read it and give you an appreciably unbiased judgment.
Conclusion Paragraph Outline - The General Idea
To help you flesh out how the content of your concluding paragraph will be organized, it is useful to create an essay conclusion outline. It serves as a guide on how you will structure the sentences. For what it's worth, being able to write conclusion outlines - and doing so quickly - can help you develop and master the writing skills for creating well-structured endings. Consider the following as an example:
- Transition: With a good sequence, mention the key idea or thesis.
- Connection: Pick a sentence or two from the body of the essay that can support the key idea and logically demonstrate their connection to validate the thesis.
- Closing Words: Expand the issue by asking a related question or mentioning a fact that is not so obvious.
The above example clearly serves as a foundation upon which the actual paragraph can be creatively written with much ease. Given the structure of the above outline, the actual conclusion can easily contain from 5 to 7 sentences.
Concluding Paragraph Example
In light of the above anecdote of Tracy Wayan clearly expressing facts from the 'horse's own mouth', not many should read this with surprise as to why the idea of being patient and persevering in an abusive relationship, hoping that change is around the corner waiting to happen, is a misplaced figment of human imagination, a mirage along a dangerous path that quickly reveals it nature as you move further. If only Tracy knew to be cautious and heed the advice of her worried mother, who in great fear for her safety called the Police on her husband, Ted, after being told of the physical abuse she was subjected to, today she would be walking with both legs! The same can be said of emotional pains some of the victims endure silently over time. Unable to bear such suffering or end the relationship in fear of the social stigma of a failed marriage, others like Jane chose to end their promising lives by committing suicide. If any doubt still exists about this issue, take some minutes in the quiet and calm of your mind to ask yourself, "Would I rather have a dead daughter or sister who died in great sadness or pain, or a divorced and single daughter or sister who is happy and living her best life without the regret of ending an abusive relationship?"
So, there you have it! At this point, it is reasonable to expect that you can confidently craft your own conclusion using all you have learned by reading this article. Also, do not forget that creating a compelling ending to your essay will not happen in the blink of an eye. Just keep practicing by writing. With such sustained effort, over time you will improve and master the art of writing. What's more? Suffice it to add that if you have any difficulty with creating your essay or are short on time to do so, we offer you the expertise of our skilled writers who are ready and happy to write a custom essay for you using your requirements. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any other questions or need to know more. We are available 24/7 via our support service. As always, we are looking forward to your success!