Different Types of Closure Sentences

Different Types of Closure Sentences for Your Conclusion


You can conclude the last sentence of your paper in several ways:

1. Ask a question: What should a society do when one person’s rights infringe on another person’s rights? (If you use this technique, only ask ONE question. Do not ask question after question. This is a writing style for conclusions. Do not write more than one or it loses its kick.)
2. Offer a quotation at the very end to leave your readers thinking about something poignant: As William Schaeffer wrote, “Without freedom, there is no hope for the world” (par. 13).  
• Are you looking for a catchy quote? Click HERE.
3. Provide an ironic twist, a surprising observation, or a clever ending: Smoking is legal, and one could even see it as a personal right; however, don’t let one person’s freedoms encroach on another person’s rights.
4. Throw out a personal challenge: Consider quitting now and becoming part of the movement to stop secondhand smoke in public places.
5. Make a prediction or recommend actions for the readers to take: Next time a state’s ballot contains legislation banning secondhand smoke in public places, please vote yes.

Whichever type of conclusion you choose, you want to say something powerful and memorable so that the readers walk away thinking about what you wrote. 

Always remember to write in 3rd person voice—UNLESS you are given specific allowances for 1st person voice by the instructor.



Note: Make sure the word conclusion does not appear above your concluding paragraph.  A reader should know it is your concluding paragraph based on how it is structured, its content, and the 'feeling' of it.  You should not 'need' to label your conclusion paragraph.

Create a conclusion that tidies up the essay, without introducing new points or fully rehashing the points made in the essay. 

Think of a conclusion as if it was the end of a telephone conversation.

(It is not the exact same thing. This is just an illustration, a simile.)

OK, well I’m glad that you are feeling better. I look forward to seeing you next week at church. Tell Sam "hi," and be sure to keep pushing fluids until you are completely recovered. 

See how the main conversation points were addressed (feeling better, see you at church, tell Sam "hi,"), and the conversation was ended with a final culminating thought (keep pushing fluids until all better)? 

OK, well I’m glad that you are feeling better. I look forward to seeing you next week at church. Tell Sam "hi," and be sure to keep pushing fluids until you are completely recovered. 

This is just like how an essay works!  Try this tactic in your own conclusion.