Conclusion: Finishing your Essay Northwestern High School English Language Arts 9 (

Conclusion  This will be the easiest paragraph in your essay.  It is the VERY last paragraph in your essay.  All you have to do is wrap up the essay in 3-4 sentences.

What if you found out you only had six months to live? Millions of people every year find out that they, or someone they love, are dying of cancer as a result of the dangers of smoking. Most people that smoke do so in order to relieve stress, escape from peer pressure, and some people do it for both reasons. The awful truth is that even though smoking may seem cool to some people, or relive stress for others, the dangers of smoking are severe; smoking causes poor oral health, cancer, and in most cases, a slow death. Most people don’t realize that there is more to cigarettes that what manufacturers advertise. Even though most people smoke to relive stress, the bad habit eventually adds more problems, including poor dental health. Many habitual smokers end up with rotten teeth, gum diseases, and even cancer of the mouth, which can be life threatening. Speaking of life threatening diseases, most cigarettes companies will deny that fact that smoking causes cancer. However, studies have proven that smoking does indeed cause various types of cancer, all of which are extremely life threatening. Many people who have smoked at one point or another in their lives are now suffering the consequences, and are dealing with throat, stomach, and oral cancers. The more unfortunate of these consequences are that some people aren’t even alive to warn others to abstain from smoking or quit, because their lives were ended prematurely from smoking. Often, a person who knows someone who smokes, will notice subtle chances in that person’s behavior. The reason they change is due to chemical imbalances in the brain caused by a substance in the cigarettes called nicotine. Tobacco, which is also a main ingredient of cigarettes, is a big part of this problem. Smoking destroys brain cells, slowly but surely, which slows down brain activity. Both substances are highly addictive, and both substances increase the risk of heart disease and other deadly conditions. Cancer, poor oral health, and slow death are all the horrible but very real effects of smoking. Scientists have researched how smoking causes cancer and has devastating effects on cigarette users. Scientists have also found that some gum and tooth decay diseases have been caused by smoking, as well as brain damage and heart disease. The lesson to be learned is that smoking cigarettes is dangerous and that no on is safe when it comes to indulging in the habit, because death does not discriminate.

You still need a topic sentence though!  It is okay for the topic sentence of your conclusion to start with “In conclusion,”  In conclusion, my grandfather has done numerous things to better my life.

You MUST…  Restate your thesis either the first or second sentence of the paragraph.  ex. In conclusion, my mom is wonderful. My mom is the person I admire the most because she is unselfish, loving, and encouraging.  You must remind the reader of the most important ideas in your essay.

However, do NOT  Do NOT give any new information.  Do NOT include any more examples/supportive details  Do NOT add any clichés  ex. “What goes around comes around”  Keep it brief (short).

Your concluding sentence to your concluding paragraph  Your last sentence should be strong.  It will be the last thing the reader reads, so make it good!  A good way to start it IF you are having trouble coming up with your last sentence, is by starting it with…  “As you can see, it is obvious my mom truly is noteworthy.

The last sentence can be tricky!  Ways to make it easier: 1) Make a prediction about what might happen if something is not done For ex: “If the American people don’t stand up for their right to vote today, they will not have those rights tomorrow.”

Another idea… 2) Provide a question that will let the readers make their own predictions For ex: “Think about it: what will we do when the air is so polluted, even birds can’t breathe?”

One more way… 3) Your recommendations to solve a problem For ex: “Something must be done to fix the terrifying financial crisis many Americans face today; the best way to do this is through bigger tax breaks.” It's up to you to decide!

Take a bow…you’re almost done!