The conclusion is the end of the essay. It is the last part of the essay and it is the part that the reader may remember most. It should be clear and avoid confusing the reader.
The reader expects the conclusion to do some or all of the following
- rephrase the question
- summarize the main ideas
- give your opinion, if you haven’t given it already
- look to the future (say what will happen if the situation continues or changes)
The reader DOES NOT expect new information in the conclusion. Never add a new idea just because you have thought of it at the end!
You must do all of this in just three or four sentences!
Vocabulary is Important
The conclusion is very similar to the introduction. However, you should avoid repeating the same words. This is why a few minutes spent at the start of the exam writing down synonyms (words with the same meaning) and related words is very helpful.
After all, if you only have a 250-word essay but use the same word 10 times, this will not show the examiner what you know.
Wrapping Paper
Another way to look at the Introduction and the Conclusion is to think about gift wrapping paper. Your intro and conclusion wrap around your essay like a piece of bright paper “wraps” a present. They are not the main part of the essay, but they do make your essay look good.
Your conclusion ‘wraps’ up the essay. We don’t put something valuable, like money or gold, hidden in the wrapping paper, so don’t put new information or important ideas in the conclusion.
What do you want to do now?
Look at examples of conclusions (recommended)