A Conclusion Lesson: Definition, Parts, & Examples

Lesson Overview

• Why Conclusions Matter
• One Conclusion Per Essay
• How Long Should a Conclusion Be?
• Parts of a Strong Conclusion
• Step-by-Step: How to Write a Conclusion 
• Common Mistakes to Avoid

Imagine you just told a great story or explained an idea, and then you simply stopped talking. Your audience would be confused! Every piece of writing – whether it's a story or an essay – needs an ending. In writing, this ending is called a conclusion. A conclusion is the final paragraph (or section) of your writing that wraps up everything. It summarizes the main points and restates the main idea so the reader isn't left hanging. Think of it as the grand finale where you remind readers what your piece was about and why it mattered.

In simple terms, a conclusion means "the end." But a good conclusion is more than just the last sentence – it's a meaningful finish that gives the reader a sense of completion. It's your last chance to leave an impression on the reader. 

Why Conclusions Matter

Conclusions are important for several reasons:

• They provide closure: A conclusion signals to the reader that the discussion is ending. It wraps up your writing neatly, so the reader isn't wondering "Is that it?" or looking for more.
• They summarize key ideas: In a conclusion, you briefly remind the reader of the main points you made. This helps reinforce the information or argument you presented.
• They highlight the significance: A strong conclusion often answers the question "So what?" – in other words, why does all this matter? It might explain why your topic or argument is important in a broader sense (for you, for the reader, or for the world).
• They echo the thesis: The conclusion brings the reader back to the main idea (thesis) of the essay, but in different words. This helps the reader remember the central message.
• They leave an impression: Just as the first impression (introduction) is important, the last impression (conclusion) is what readers take away. A good conclusion can make your essay memorable and satisfying, while a weak conclusion can leave the reader confused or unconvinced.

Example: Think about watching a movie. If the movie just stopped randomly, you'd be upset, right? Instead, a good movie ending might show how the hero solved the problem and learned a lesson. Similarly, your conclusion should show how the "problem" or question in your writing was resolved and what was learned from it.

One Conclusion Per Essay

In any essay or literature response, you should have one conclusion paragraph at the end. You do not write multiple conclusions. One well-written concluding paragraph is sufficient to effectively wrap up your ideas. Having more than one conclusion would be repetitive and could confuse the reader. For a standard 5-paragraph essay (which 6th graders often write), the conclusion is usually the fifth paragraph – the last paragraph of the essay.

Take This Quiz:

Reading Comprehension Conclusion Quiz

How Long Should a Conclusion Be?

Typically, a conclusion for a short essay is about 3-5 sentences long. It should be proportional to your overall writing. If your essay is very short, the conclusion might be 2-3 sentences. If it's a longer essay, the conclusion might be a bit longer. The key is that it's concise – it should briefly cover the main points without going on and on.

Parts of a Strong Conclusion

A strong conclusion paragraph usually contains four key parts (elements). These parts work together to bring your essay to a smooth finish:

1. Restatement of the Main Idea (Thesis): Remind the reader of the central idea or argument of your essay, in fresh words. This is not a copy-paste of your thesis sentence from the introduction, but a rephrasing of it.
2. Summary of Major Points: Briefly summarize the key points or arguments you made in the body of the essay. You don't need to list every detail, just the big ideas or findings that support your thesis.
3. Reflection on Importance (the "So What?"): Explain why the points you made matter. This could be a final insight, the significance of the topic, or what you learned. It answers questions like, "Why should anyone care about this topic?" or "What can we take away from this?" Sometimes this includes a personal connection – for example, something the writer realized or how the writer (or reader) is affected by the information.
4. Closing Thought or Call to Action: End with a final sentence that gives a sense of completion. This might be a suggestion for the future, a call to action (especially in persuasive writing), or a final thought that relates back to the essay question. It could even be a rhetorical question or a hopeful statement that leaves the reader thinking. The closing thought should connect to your topic but introduce no entirely new concept that needs elaboration.

These four parts don't have to be strictly separate sentences, but your conclusion should include all of them in some form. Essentially, a conclusion restates what you said, why it was important, and leaves the reader with something to think about.

Step-by-Step: How to Write a Conclusion 

You can follow these steps in order when drafting your conclusion paragraph:

Take This Quiz:

Putting It All Together (Conclusion Structure Example)

Here's a quick example of a conclusion using the steps above. Suppose the essay was about the benefits of daily reading for students. The thesis was that reading every day improves academic performance, creativity, and empathy. Here's how a concluding paragraph might look:

In conclusion, reading on a daily basis significantly enriches a student's mind and character. (Transition + restated thesis in fresh words – main idea that daily reading has big benefits.) By regularly diving into books, students can expand their vocabulary and knowledge, stimulate their imagination, and even learn to understand others' feelings better. (Summary of key points: academic performance -> vocabulary/knowledge, creativity -> imagination, empathy -> understand others.) These advantages show why a simple habit like reading is so important beyond just getting good grades. (Reflection on importance – answers "so what?", pointing out broader significance beyond grades.) Ultimately, if more young people pick up a book each day, we might build a more educated, creative, and compassionate future generation. (Closing thought – a hopeful look to the future, which also acts as a mild call to action encouraging the habit of reading.)

We can break that example into its components in a table to see the structure clearly:

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Here's an easy chart:  

Take This Quiz:

How To Write A Conclusion Quiz