Writing a Concluding Statement
Learn to write a strong concluding statement that restates your claim, ties back to your reasons, and finishes your argument logically without new ideas.
What you'll do in this lesson
A voice-first session with the Crimsora tutor on Writing a Concluding Statement, then targeted practice and FRQs — with the tutor adapting to where you get stuck.
What this lesson covers
A concluding statement is your last chance to convince your reader. It wraps up everything you've said by reminding readers of your main claim and showing how your reasons prove it. But many students make the conclusion weaker by adding brand-new reasons, switching to vague praise, or writing something so general it could end any essay. This lesson shows you how to write a conclusion that actually closes your specific argument—the one you started, not a different one.
What a Concluding Statement Does
A concluding statement serves three key purposes. First, it restates your claim, but in fresh language, not by copying word-for-word from your introduction. Second, it ties that claim back to the specific reasons you gave in your body paragraphs. Third, it sends readers away feeling that your argument made sense and held together.
Think of your concluding statement as the final sentence or sentences that prove your essay isn't just a collection of separate thoughts—it's a complete argument where the claim is supported throughout. The reader should finish reading and think, "Yes, because of those reasons, the claim really does hold." A weak conclusion leaves readers confused about how everything connects, or it makes them think you ran out of ideas and just added words.
Think of your concluding statement as the final sentence or sentences that prove your essay isn't just a collection of separate thoughts—it's a complete argument where the claim is supported throughout. The reader should finish reading and think, "Yes, because of those reasons, the claim really does hold." A weak conclusion leaves readers confused about how everything connects, or it makes them think you ran out of ideas and just added words.
Restating the Claim Without Copying
The biggest mistake students make is restating the claim by using exactly the same words from the introduction. Your conclusion should say the same main idea but use different phrasing and vocabulary.
If your introduction says "Video games should be allowed during lunch period because they reduce stress and improve friendships," your conclusion might say "Permitting students to play digital games at lunch would give them mental breaks and strengthen their social bonds."
Notice the restatement keeps the same core claim but changes the wording. "Should be allowed" becomes "permitting," "video games" becomes "digital games," "reduce stress" becomes "mental breaks," and "improve friendships" becomes "strengthen their social bonds." This shows your reader you understand your own argument well enough to express it fresh—it feels thoughtful, not repetitive.
If your introduction says "Video games should be allowed during lunch period because they reduce stress and improve friendships," your conclusion might say "Permitting students to play digital games at lunch would give them mental breaks and strengthen their social bonds."
Notice the restatement keeps the same core claim but changes the wording. "Should be allowed" becomes "permitting," "video games" becomes "digital games," "reduce stress" becomes "mental breaks," and "improve friendships" becomes "strengthen their social bonds." This shows your reader you understand your own argument well enough to express it fresh—it feels thoughtful, not repetitive.
Tying Back to Your Reasons
Your conclusion must connect the restated claim directly to the specific reasons you presented. This is where your essay comes together as a unified whole. If you mentioned three reasons in your body paragraphs, your conclusion should acknowledge those same reasons, reinforcing how they support your claim.
For example: "Because gaming at lunch reduces stress and improves friendships, the school should create a games-allowed lunch period." Notice this conclusion doesn't just restate the claim—it explicitly ties the claim back to both reasons (stress reduction and friendship building). It uses words like "because" or "since" to show the logical connection. Without this tie-back, readers might wonder whether the conclusion is really based on the reasons you gave or if you're just repeating the claim from memory.
For example: "Because gaming at lunch reduces stress and improves friendships, the school should create a games-allowed lunch period." Notice this conclusion doesn't just restate the claim—it explicitly ties the claim back to both reasons (stress reduction and friendship building). It uses words like "because" or "since" to show the logical connection. Without this tie-back, readers might wonder whether the conclusion is really based on the reasons you gave or if you're just repeating the claim from memory.
What Not to Do: New Reasons and Vague Appeals
Two pitfalls sink many conclusions. The first is introducing a brand-new reason that never appeared in your essay. Your job is to wrap up what you've already argued, not to add a fourth pillar of support in your last sentence. If you write, "Schools should allow games at lunch because it will make students happier, reduce stress, build friendships, and also make the school more fun," that last reason—"make the school more fun"—is new. You never explained that in your body paragraphs, so it belongs in a new paragraph with evidence, not in your conclusion.
The second pitfall is drifting into a vague, general appeal that could end almost any argument. Statements like "In conclusion, education is important" or "We should all work together to make schools better" are so broad they don't connect to your specific claim about games at lunch. They sound like filler because they are. A conclusion is weak when it abandons your argument and reaches for something generic instead.
The second pitfall is drifting into a vague, general appeal that could end almost any argument. Statements like "In conclusion, education is important" or "We should all work together to make schools better" are so broad they don't connect to your specific claim about games at lunch. They sound like filler because they are. A conclusion is weak when it abandons your argument and reaches for something generic instead.
How to Write a Strong Concluding Statement
Start by clearly restating your claim using new words. Then, immediately show how your reasons support it. Use linking words like "because," "since," "therefore," "as a result," or "this shows that" to make the logic transparent.
Here's a simple structure: "[Restated claim] because [specific reason 1] and [specific reason 2]." Example: "Students will benefit from gaming at lunch because it gives them a mental break and helps them build stronger friendships." This is clear, tied to your specific reasons, and appropriately sized for a conclusion—it doesn't try to prove anything new, just to seal the argument you've already made. Your concluding sentence should feel like the natural endpoint of the journey you took your reader on, not a surprise detour or a deflated ending.
Here's a simple structure: "[Restated claim] because [specific reason 1] and [specific reason 2]." Example: "Students will benefit from gaming at lunch because it gives them a mental break and helps them build stronger friendships." This is clear, tied to your specific reasons, and appropriately sized for a conclusion—it doesn't try to prove anything new, just to seal the argument you've already made. Your concluding sentence should feel like the natural endpoint of the journey you took your reader on, not a surprise detour or a deflated ending.
Key terms
- Concluding statement.
- The final sentence or sentences of an argument that restates the claim in new words and shows how the reasons already given support it.
- Restating.
- Expressing the same idea again using different words and phrasing, rather than repeating word-for-word.
- Claim.
- The main point or position you are arguing for in an essay or argument.
- Tying back.
- Explicitly connecting your restated claim to the specific reasons you presented earlier, using linking words to show the logical connection.
- Linking words.
- Transitional words and phrases like "because," "since," "therefore," and "as a result" that show relationships between ideas.
- New reason.
- A supporting point introduced for the first time in the conclusion that was never discussed in the body paragraphs.
- Vague appeal.
- A general, broad statement so generic that it could end almost any argument and does not connect to the specific claim.
Worked example
You have written an argument that says "Students should be required to read at least one book per month outside of class." Your three reasons are: (1) reading improves vocabulary and writing skills, (2) reading reduces stress and is a good break from screens, and (3) reading helps students discover new interests and hobbies. Now write a concluding statement that restates the claim and ties it back to these reasons.
Step 1: Identify your exact claim and reasons.
Claim: Students should be required to read at least one book per month outside of class.
Reasons: (1) improves vocabulary and writing, (2) reduces stress and screens, (3) helps discover new interests.
Step 2: Restate the claim in new words. Don't copy the original. Instead of "Students should be required to read at least one book per month outside of class," try something like "Making reading a monthly habit outside school would benefit students in important ways."
Step 3: List your three reasons in a way that's fresh but recognizable. You might say "build their language skills," "provide them a healthy escape from technology," and "open doors to new passions."
Step 4: Connect them with linking words. Use "because" or "since" to show that the reasons logically lead to the claim.
Step 5: Write the concluding statement.
"Making reading a monthly habit outside school would benefit students in important ways because it builds their language skills, offers them a healthy escape from screens, and opens doors to new passions and interests."
Notice this conclusion restates the claim (a monthly habit benefiting students), ties it directly to all three specific reasons (using "because" to show the connection), and doesn't introduce anything new. It's the natural finish to the argument that came before it.
Claim: Students should be required to read at least one book per month outside of class.
Reasons: (1) improves vocabulary and writing, (2) reduces stress and screens, (3) helps discover new interests.
Step 2: Restate the claim in new words. Don't copy the original. Instead of "Students should be required to read at least one book per month outside of class," try something like "Making reading a monthly habit outside school would benefit students in important ways."
Step 3: List your three reasons in a way that's fresh but recognizable. You might say "build their language skills," "provide them a healthy escape from technology," and "open doors to new passions."
Step 4: Connect them with linking words. Use "because" or "since" to show that the reasons logically lead to the claim.
Step 5: Write the concluding statement.
"Making reading a monthly habit outside school would benefit students in important ways because it builds their language skills, offers them a healthy escape from screens, and opens doors to new passions and interests."
Notice this conclusion restates the claim (a monthly habit benefiting students), ties it directly to all three specific reasons (using "because" to show the connection), and doesn't introduce anything new. It's the natural finish to the argument that came before it.
Practice questions
You have argued that "The school cafeteria should offer plant-based meal options because many students have dairy allergies, and plant-based diets are better for the environment." Which sentence would be the strongest concluding statement for this argument?
- A. In conclusion, it is important to care about the environment and people's health.
- B. Adding plant-based meals to the lunch menu would serve students with allergies and support environmental goals, which is why the cafeteria should make this change.
- C. The school should also add vegan snacks to the vending machines and hire a nutrition counselor to help students.
- D. Plant-based eating is becoming more popular every day around the world.
Answer: B. Adding plant-based meals to the lunch menu would serve students with allergies and support environmental goals, which is why the cafeteria should make this change.
Choice B restates the claim in new words ("should make this change" instead of "should offer") and ties it directly back to the two specific reasons you gave (allergies and environment). It uses "which is why" as a linking word to show the logical connection. Choice A is too vague and generic—it could end almost any argument about health or environment. Choice C introduces a new reason (vending machine snacks) that was never part of your original argument, so it doesn't belong in a conclusion. Choice D is irrelevant to your argument and drifts into background information rather than closing your claim.
Read this argument: "Our school should extend lunch period from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. Students need more time to eat slowly and enjoy their meals. A longer lunch also gives students a chance to relax and talk with friends, which is good for their mental health." Write a concluding statement for this argument that restates the claim in new words and ties it back to both reasons.
Answer: A concluding statement might read: "By giving students 15 extra minutes at lunch, the school would let them eat without rushing and give them time to decompress with peers, which are both important for their well-being." Alternatively: "Extending the lunch period to 45 minutes would allow students to savor their food and build connections with classmates, supporting both nutrition and mental health."
Both examples restate the claim (extending lunch gives students benefits) without copying the original wording. Both tie the restated claim back to the two specific reasons: eating without rushing and time with friends. Both use linking language to show how the reasons support the claim. They avoid introducing new ideas (like adding healthier menu options, which might be interesting but wasn't part of the original argument) and avoid vague statements (like "lunch period is important"). The conclusion feels like the natural endpoint because it gathers up what was already said and closes it firmly.
FAQ
- Why can't I just copy my claim from the introduction into my conclusion?
- Copying word-for-word makes your conclusion feel lazy and repetitive. It tells your reader you don't fully understand your own argument well enough to say it a different way. When you restate using fresh language, you show that you have command of your idea and can express it flexibly. Also, restating keeps your conclusion from feeling like you're just filling space—it shows thought and care.
- What's the difference between restating my claim and introducing a new reason?
- Restating your claim means saying the same main point again using different words—the core idea stays exactly the same. Introducing a new reason means bringing up a supporting point that never appeared in your essay before. Your conclusion should do the first, never the second. If you have a fourth reason, it needs its own body paragraph with evidence, not a mention in your closing sentence.
- Do I have to mention all my reasons in the concluding statement?
- Not necessarily, but it's usually a good idea. Tying back to your main reasons reminds readers how your evidence supports your claim and makes your argument feel complete. However, if you have many reasons, you can mention the strongest ones or summarize them together (for example, "these reasons show that...") rather than listing every single one.
- How long should my concluding statement be?
- Usually one to three sentences is enough. A concluding statement isn't a new paragraph or a chance to expand your argument. It's a firm close that wraps up what you've already said. Keep it tight and focused so it feels like an ending, not the start of a new idea.
Learn this with a teacher, not a page
The Crimsora tutor teaches Writing a Concluding Statement live — explaining on a whiteboard, asking you questions, and adapting to where you get stuck.