Writing the Conclusion

English I
How long should the conclusion be?
For this class, a conclusion paragraph should
be approximately four to six (4-6) sentences.
One sentence should restate your thesis.
One sentence should restate your plan of attack.
Two to four sentences should provide a final
statement on the topic.
Restate the Thesis
You can NOT simply cut-and-paste your thesis
statement from the introduction paragraph.
You must say the same idea, but use a different
sentence structure and slightly different word
choice in order for the thesis to feel fresh at the
end of the paper.
Example of Restatement of Thesis
Original:
By giving the characters conflicts to face that end
with a surprising twist in the resolution, these
stories address contrasting ideas of selflessness and
selfishness.
Restatement:
Although their authors highlight lessons about
opposite sides of human nature, The Gift of the
Magi and The Necklace both give readers insight
into lessons about selflessness and selfishness that
people learn through everyday conflicts.

Restate the Plan of Attack
You can NOT simply cut-and-paste your plan of
attack sentence from the introduction
paragraph.
You must say the same idea, but use a different
sentence structure and slightly different word
choice in order for these ideas to feel fresh at
the end of the paper.

Example of Restatement of Plan of
Attack
Original:
These authors both use carefully chosen plot
elements to express the themes in these stories.
Restatement:
O. Henry and Guy de Maupassant both used
character conflict and surprise resolutions to
illustrate their storys themes.
Final Statement
These sentences are where you can explain why
what youve written about matters; explain the
significance of the subject.
Include a final statement about the literature
and also a final statement about its application
to real life.
This section should be at least two sentences
long.
Final Statement
Example:
The Dillinghams and the Loisels represent the
struggles of the everyday person. Through
their experiences and choices, readers learn to
live according to a path of selflessness, which
ultimately leads to greater happiness.
Compare Intro to Conclusion
There are many lessons to be
learned; sometimes it takes
facing consequences to learn
them. Both The Gift of the
Magi by O. Henry and The
Necklace by Guy de
Maupassant contain important
life lessons for the reader. These
authors both use carefully
chosen plot elements to express
the themes in these stories. By
giving the characters conflicts to
face that end with a surprising
twist in the resolution, these
stories address contrasting ideas
of selflessness and selfishness.

Although their authors highlight
lessons about opposite sides of
human nature, The Gift of the
Magi and The Necklace both
give readers insight into lessons
about selflessness and selfishness
that people learn through everyday
conflicts. O. Henry and Guy de
Maupassant both used character
conflict and surprise resolutions to
illustrate their storys themes. The
Dillinghams and the Loisels
represent the struggles of the
everyday person. Through their
experiences and choices, readers
learn to live according to a path of
selflessness, which ultimately leads
to greater happiness.