Concluding Paragraphs

Make it clear to your reader that you are at the end of your essay. Consider using a transition signal: In conclusion, … In summary, … In the end, … When all things are considered, … Although some teachers don’t like these, thinking they are too common, I recommend that you try them and leave them out if you are told to. If you don’t use a transition signal, make sure that you use a sentence that clearly indicates that you have come to the end of you essay.

Concluding Sentence: Try paraphrasing your thesis statement. Make it significantly different, but you don’t have to change EVERY word. Try reversing the order of the topic and controlling idea. Don’t summarize the main ideas of your essay with three or four sentences. The reader has already seen these ideas. Don’t introduce a new idea that people will want to know more about. Refer to an example, fact, or statistic from the introductory paragraph. End with a question that leaves the reader thinking about the essay. End with a comment on the future or a suggestion.

After a thorough examination of the facts, it is difficult to understand how any intelligent person can support the death penalty. If we want to protect innocent members of society, we must ensure that every member of our society understands the rules and knows that breaking those rules will result in serious prison time. While we must not let people “get away with murder,” we cannot brutalize others in an attempt to save ourselves.

The End