Choose the best concluding sentence
key notes :
What is a Concluding Sentence?
- A concluding sentence is the last sentence of a paragraph that wraps up the main idea. It summarizes the information or gives a final thought about the topic.
Characteristics of a Good Concluding Sentence
- Summarizes the Main Idea: The concluding sentence should remind the reader of the main point of the paragraph without repeating it word-for-word.
- Gives Closure: It should make the reader feel like the paragraph is complete.
- Connects to the Topic Sentence: It should relate back to the topic sentence and reinforce the main idea.
How to Identify a Good Concluding Sentence
- The best concluding sentence will:
- Sum up what the paragraph is about.
- Not introduce any new ideas or details.
- Leave the reader with a sense of completion or a final thought on the topic.
Examples of Good Concluding Sentences
- Paragraph Topic: My Favorite Hobby
- Good Concluding Sentence: That’s why painting is the hobby I enjoy the most.
- (This sentence wraps up the paragraph by reinforcing the main idea.)
- Paragraph Topic: A Rainy Day
- Good Concluding Sentence: In conclusion, rainy days are perfect for quiet activities like reading.
- (This sentence sums up the paragraph’s main point about enjoying rainy days for reading.)
Steps to Choose the Best Concluding Sentence
- Reread the Topic Sentence: See what the paragraph is mainly about.
- Summarize: Choose a sentence that summarizes the main point without repeating the exact words.
- Avoid New Ideas: Do not pick a sentence that introduces new information or details.
How to Create a Strong Concluding Sentence
- Restate the Main Idea: Rephrase the topic sentence to remind the reader of the paragraph’s focus.
- Add a Final Thought: Include a thought that wraps up the paragraph.
Examples:
- Dogs are loyal and make great companions. (Good concluding sentence for a paragraph about dogs being good pets.)
- That’s why I love spending time with my dog. (Another strong conclusion for a personal paragraph about pets.)
Learn with an example
Read the paragraph. Then, add the better concluding sentence.
Nine-banded armadillos may be the strangest animals to roam the Americas. The word armadillo, which means ‘little armoured one’ in Spanish, perfectly describes what the small animals look like. Armadillos look like rats that put on suits of armour! The head, body and tail of armadillos are covered with scaly, leathery plates called scutes. Some people say that these scutes look like little interlocking shields. Others insist that the scutes look like pieces of armour that a knight would wear. But their strange appearance doesn’t end there. While many animals have long legs and short noses, the armadillo has a long nose and short legs. ______
- Because of their unique appearance, armadillos really are some unusual-looking creatures.
- In summary, nine-banded armadillos look like they’re wearing shields.
The paragraph describes what the nine-banded armadillo looks like. This is the better concluding sentence:
✔ Because of their unique appearance, armadillos really are some unusual-looking creatures. This concluding sentence summarises the paragraph’s topic.
This sentence is a detail:
x In summary, nine-banded armadillos look like they’re wearing shields. Only part of the paragraph talks about how armadillos look like they’re wearing armour.
Read the paragraph. Then, add the better concluding sentence.
New York City’s Grand Central Terminal is one of the most bustling transport stations in the world. It houses a railway called the MTA Metro-North and several underground stops. The terminal’s busiest time of day is between two and six in the afternoon, and its busiest day of the week is Thursday. However, the terminal is never quiet. More than 750,000 travellers pass through the station on an average day. It’s a popular place to shop or enjoy a meal. Around 10,000 people pass through every day just to grab a bite at one of the terminal’s many food shops, markets and restaurants. _____
- As a result, Grand Central Terminal has many places to eat.
- In sum, it’s hard to find a time when Grand Central Terminal is not full of people.
The paragraph talks about traffic through Grand Central Terminal. This is the better concluding sentence:
✔ In sum, it’s hard to find a time when Grand Central Terminal is not full of people. This concluding sentence summarises the paragraph’s topic.
This sentence is a detail:
x As a result, Grand Central Terminal has many places to eat. Only part of the paragraph talks about how Grand Central Terminal has many places to eat.
let’s practice!
Read the paragraph. Then, add the better concluding sentence.
Some people think of bats as pests, but bats are helpful in different ways. For one thing, most bats eat insects. That means fewer mosquitoes and other biting insects that can spread disease. It also means fewer insects to destroy farmers’ crops. When bats are around, farmers don’t need to use as many chemicals to keep insects away from crops. Also, some bats, such as the fruit-eating ‘flying fox’, spread the seeds of the plants they eat. Therefore, new plants continue to grow and provide food for both people and animals.
Results
#1. Read the paragraph. Then, add the better concluding sentence.
Read the paragraph. Then, add the better concluding sentence.
Tornadoes can be frightening, but there are steps you can take to keep yourself safe if a tornado is heading your way. First, get inside a sturdy shelter, if possible. Do not stay in cars or caravans, though. An underground storm shelter is best, but a well-built house or other building is fine, too. Whether you’re inside or outside, stay low and cover your head. If you’re outside, lie down in a low place, like a ditch. If you’re inside, go to the lowest floor possible and squat down against an inner wall, far away from windows. If you can, put on a helmet and cover yourself with a mattress.
Results
#1. Read the paragraph. Then, add the better concluding sentence.
Read the paragraph. Then, add the better concluding sentence.
The town of Longview, in the US state of Washington, believes in squirrel safety. In 1963, the town built its first ‘squirrel bridge’ so the small animals could safely cross a busy street. The bridge was named Nutty Narrows, and it’s believed to be the world’s first squirrel bridge. Made out of an old fire hose, this bridge stretches eighteen metres across the road and is just wide enough for squirrels. Since this first bridge, the town of Longview has built several more squirrel bridges. They even have a live webcam to watch the squirrels cross the bridges.
Results
#1. Read the paragraph. Then, add the better concluding sentence.
Read the paragraph. Then, add the better concluding sentence.
There’s a saying about climate and weather that goes, ‘Climate is what you expect, but weather is what you get.’ Both weather and climate have to do with what happens in the atmosphere, but they are not the same thing. Is it sunny outside, or raining? Is it windy, cloudy, hot or cold today? This is the weather. The weather can change often and sometimes quickly. Climate, though, is the average weather in an area over at least thirty years. Does it usually snow in winter where you live? Are the summers usually warm and wet or hot and dry? This is the climate.
Results
#1. Read the paragraph. Then, add the better concluding sentence.
Read the paragraph. Then, add the better concluding sentence.
A woman named Velma Johnson helped save America’s wild horses. In the 1950s, wild horses were being treated badly. They were being rounded up on public lands and sold for meat. Velma Johnson—known as Wild Horse Annie—wanted to stop this. So she started ‘The Pencil War’ and encouraged children across the United States to write letters to lawmakers. They asked the lawmakers to pass a law to stop the cruel treatment of wild horses. One group of young students from the state of Oregon even went to talk to lawmakers in the capital city, Washington, DC. Their letters led to a new law to protect wild horses in the United States.