Provide Concluding Statement for Argument - 6th Grade Writing

SECTION 1

Why Conclusions Matter: A Brief History

People have been writing arguments for thousands of years. From ancient Greek philosophers to modern newspaper writers, every strong argument needs a strong ending. A concluding statement (the final sentences or paragraph that wraps up your argument) is like the final buzzer in a basketball game — it signals that you're done and reminds everyone of the score.

~400 BCE • Aristotle's Rhetoric

The Greek philosopher Aristotle taught that every speech needs a beginning, middle, and end. He said the ending should remind the audience what you proved.

1700s • Persuasive Pamphlets

Writers like Thomas Paine used strong conclusions in pamphlets like "Common Sense" to inspire readers to take action after reading their arguments.

1900s • The Five-Paragraph Essay

Schools began teaching the five-paragraph essay format, which always ends with a concluding paragraph that restates the thesis and summarizes key points.

2010 • Common Core Standards

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were adopted. Standard W.6.1.e specifically asks 6th graders to write conclusions that follow logically from their arguments.

Throughout history, the best writers have known one thing: if your ending is weak, your whole argument feels weak. So how do you write a conclusion that leaves your reader convinced? That's exactly what this lesson will teach you.

SECTION 2

Core Principles of a Strong Conclusion

A conclusion is not just repeating everything you already said. It has a specific job: to tie your argument together and leave the reader with a clear understanding of your position. Let's look at the key principles that make a conclusion work.

Restate Your Claim

Remind the reader of your main argument, but use different words than your introduction. Don't just copy and paste your thesis — rephrase it.

Summarize Key Reasons

Briefly touch on the main reasons or evidence you presented. Think of it as a quick highlight reel, not a full replay.

Follow Logically

Your conclusion must connect to everything you wrote. Don't introduce brand-new ideas or evidence here. The ending should feel natural, not surprising.

Leave a Lasting Impression

End with a final thought that makes your reader keep thinking. You can use a call to action, a thought-provoking question, or a strong closing statement.

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KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of your conclusion like the bow on a gift. The gift is your whole argument — the claim, the reasons, and the evidence. The bow doesn't change what's inside the box, but it wraps everything up neatly and makes it look complete. Without the bow, the gift feels unfinished. That's what a conclusion does for your essay.

SECTION 3

Visualizing the Argument Essay Structure

Before we dig deeper into conclusions, it helps to see where the conclusion fits within the bigger picture of an argument essay (an essay where you pick a side and try to convince the reader). The diagram below shows the whole structure, with the conclusion highlighted at the bottom.

This diagram shows the full structure of an argument essay. Notice how the conclusion sits at the very bottom and wraps up the whole essay. Everything in your conclusion should connect back to what you already wrote above it.

As you can see, the conclusion doesn't come out of nowhere. It "follows from" everything above it. The word "follows" is important in the Common Core standard — it means your ending should feel like it naturally grows out of the argument you already made.

SECTION 4

How a Conclusion Works: The Three-Part Formula

Writing a conclusion can feel tricky, but there's a formula you can follow. Think of it as three building blocks that stack on top of each other. Let's break each one down.

Part 1: Restate the Claim

Your claim (your main argument or opinion) was stated in your introduction. Now you need to say it again, but in a fresh way. If your original claim was "Schools should serve healthier lunches," your conclusion might say "It's clear that healthier lunch options would benefit every student." Same idea, different words.

Part 2: Sum Up Your Reasons

You don't need to repeat every detail from your body paragraphs. Just quickly remind the reader of your strongest points. Think of this like a movie trailer — you're showing the highlights, not the whole film. One or two sentences is usually enough.

Part 3: Leave a Lasting Impression

This is your chance to make your reader feel something or think about your topic after they stop reading. You have several tools for this. You can use a call to action (tell the reader what to do), a thought-provoking question, or a big-picture connection that shows why your topic matters beyond your essay.

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WATCH OUT!

A common mistake is starting your conclusion with "In conclusion" or "In summary." While this isn't technically wrong, it can feel boring and repetitive. Try jumping straight into your restated claim instead. Your reader already knows it's the conclusion because it's the last paragraph!

SECTION 5

Conclusion Strategies: Choosing the Right Ending

Not all conclusions look the same. There are different strategies you can use for that final lasting impression. The diagram below shows four popular strategies, along with examples of what they look like in practice.

Four popular conclusion strategies, each with an example sentence. Notice the shared traits at the bottom — every good conclusion connects back to the claim and avoids introducing new evidence.

You can mix and match these strategies. For example, you could circle back to your introduction and add a call to action. The key is to choose a strategy that fits your topic and makes your reader feel like your argument is complete.

SECTION 6

Worked Example: Writing a Conclusion Step by Step

Let's walk through writing a conclusion for a real argument essay. Imagine you wrote an essay arguing that students should have longer recess. Your claim was: "Elementary schools should extend recess to at least 30 minutes every day." Your body paragraphs covered two reasons: (1) longer recess improves focus in class, and (2) it helps students stay physically healthy.

Writing a Conclusion for "Longer Recess"

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Step 1 — Restate the Claim in New Words

Don't copy your thesis word for word. Find a fresh way to say the same idea. Original claim: "Elementary schools should extend recess to at least 30 minutes every day." Restated: "Giving students more time for recess is one of the smartest changes a school can make."

"Giving students more time for recess is one of the smartest changes a school can make."
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Step 2 — Briefly Summarize Your Reasons

Touch on your two main reasons in one or two sentences. Keep it short — just the highlights. "Research shows that longer breaks help kids focus better in class. On top of that, active play keeps students healthier and more energetic throughout the day."

Two sentences summarizing the two body paragraphs.
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Step 3 — Choose a Strategy for Your Lasting Impression

Let's use the "call to action" strategy. We want to tell the reader to do something. "If you believe students deserve to do their best, talk to your school board about making recess longer — every kid deserves that chance."

A call to action that connects directly to the claim.
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Step 4 — Put It All Together

Now combine all three parts into one smooth paragraph. Here is the final conclusion:

"Giving students more time for recess is one of the smartest changes a school can make. Research shows that longer breaks help kids focus better in class. On top of that, active play keeps students healthier and more energetic throughout the day. If you believe students deserve to do their best, talk to your school board about making recess longer — every kid deserves that chance."

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PRO TIP

Read your conclusion out loud. Does it feel like a natural ending? If it feels like the essay just stops suddenly, you probably need a stronger final sentence. If it feels like it goes on and on, you may need to cut some words.

SECTION 7

Dos and Don'ts of Concluding Statements

Now that you know what to include in a conclusion, let's look at common mistakes students make — and what you should do instead. The table below compares strong conclusion moves with weak ones.

✅ DO This	❌ DON'T Do This
Restate your claim using different words.	Copy and paste your thesis from the introduction.
Briefly mention your key reasons.	Retell every single detail from the body paragraphs.
End with a call to action, question, or big-picture connection.	End with "And that is why I think…" and stop.
Keep your conclusion connected to your argument.	Bring up a brand-new argument or evidence.
Use a confident, strong tone.	Use weak phrases like "I guess" or "I might be wrong."

Comparison of strong and weak conclusion habits

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KEY TAKEAWAY

Imagine your conclusion is the closing argument in a courtroom. The lawyer doesn't bring in a new witness at the very end. Instead, they remind the jury of the strongest evidence they've already heard and say, "Based on everything you've seen, there's only one fair decision." That's exactly the energy your conclusion should have — confident and connected to everything that came before.

SECTION 8

Beyond 6th Grade: How Conclusions Grow Up

The skills you're learning now will keep growing with you. As you move through middle school and into high school, conclusions get longer and more complex. Here's a peek at how conclusions change as you advance.

Feature	6th Grade (You Are Here!)	8th Grade & Beyond
Length	3–5 sentences in one paragraph	A full paragraph or even a concluding section with multiple paragraphs
Claim Restatement	Restate your claim in different words	Restate your claim and show how your argument proved it
Counterargument	Not usually addressed in the conclusion	May acknowledge the other side one more time and explain why your argument is still stronger
Lasting Impression	A question, call to action, or connection	Deeper analysis of implications, connections to larger social or ethical issues

How conclusions grow more complex as you advance in school

Don't worry about getting to that advanced level right now. If you can master the three-part formula — restate your claim, summarize your reasons, and leave a lasting impression — you'll have a strong foundation for every argument essay you write in the future.

SECTION 9

Practice Problems

Now it's your turn! Try these five problems. They get harder as you go. For each one, think about the principles you learned: restate the claim, summarize reasons, and leave a lasting impression.

Question 1: CONCEPTUAL

What are the three main parts of a strong concluding statement for an argument essay? List them in order.

Show answer

The three parts are: (1) restate your claim in different words, (2) briefly summarize your key reasons or evidence, and (3) leave the reader with a lasting impression, such as a call to action, a thought-provoking question, or a big-picture connection. These three parts work together to wrap up your argument in a way that feels complete and convincing.

Question 2: BASIC

Read this conclusion: "Pets should be allowed in school. Dogs are fun. Cats are cute. I like animals." What is wrong with this conclusion, and what is it missing?

Show answer

This conclusion has several problems. First, the claim ("Pets should be allowed in school") looks like it was copied straight from the introduction instead of being rephrased. Second, the sentences "Dogs are fun" and "Cats are cute" don't summarize specific reasons or evidence from the body paragraphs — they are vague opinions. Third, there is no lasting impression at the end. A stronger version would restate the claim in new words, briefly mention the essay's main reasons (like reducing student stress or teaching responsibility), and finish with a call to action or question.

Question 3: INTERMEDIATE

Imagine you wrote an argument essay with the claim: "Students should be allowed to use tablets in class." Your two reasons were: (1) tablets give students access to more learning resources, and (2) typing on tablets is faster than writing by hand. Write a concluding statement that follows from this argument.

Show answer

Here is an example of a strong conclusion: "Allowing students to use tablets in the classroom is a smart step toward better education. With access to thousands of books, videos, and websites, students can learn in ways that a single textbook never allows. Tablets also save time, since students can type their thoughts much faster than writing them by hand. Schools that want to prepare students for a technology-driven world should embrace tablets as an everyday learning tool." This conclusion restates the claim, summarizes both reasons, and ends with a big-picture connection about preparing students for the future.

Question 4: APPLIED

Read the following conclusion and identify which parts match the three-part formula (restate claim, summarize reasons, lasting impression). Then explain whether any new evidence has been introduced and why that would be a problem: "Clearly, our town needs a new public library. The current building is too small for our growing population, and the outdated computers make it hard for students to do research. Also, a recent study from Harvard University found that towns with better libraries have higher graduation rates. Our community deserves a space where everyone can learn and grow — let's make it happen."

Show answer

The first sentence ("Clearly, our town needs a new public library") restates the claim. The second sentence summarizes two reasons from the body paragraphs: the building is too small and the computers are outdated. However, the third sentence introduces brand-new evidence — the Harvard University study — which should NOT appear in a conclusion. New evidence belongs in the body paragraphs, not the ending. The final sentence ("Our community deserves a space where everyone can learn and grow — let's make it happen") is a strong lasting impression that combines a big-picture connection with a call to action. To fix this conclusion, the writer should remove the Harvard study sentence or move it to a body paragraph.

Question 5: CRITICAL THINKING

A classmate asks you: "Why can't I just end my argument essay after the last body paragraph? The reader already knows what I think." Write a paragraph explaining to your classmate why a concluding statement is important and what it does that the body paragraphs don't.

Show answer

You could explain it like this: "Ending after the last body paragraph is like telling a joke but forgetting the punchline — the audience is left waiting for something more. Your body paragraphs each focus on one specific reason, but they don't step back and look at the big picture. The conclusion is your chance to pull everything together and remind the reader of your main argument in a fresh way. It also gives you one final moment to make an impression, whether that's inspiring the reader to take action or asking a question that sticks with them. Without a conclusion, your essay feels unfinished, and the reader might forget your strongest points. A good conclusion tells the reader, 'Here's why all of this matters,' and that's something a body paragraph can't do on its own."

SUMMARY

Summary: Wrapping Up Your Argument with Confidence

Summary

A strong concluding statement for an argument essay has three key parts. First, you restate your claim using different words than your introduction. Second, you briefly summarize your key reasons — just the highlights, not every detail. Third, you end with a lasting impression that makes the reader keep thinking. You can do this with a call to action, a thought-provoking question, a big-picture connection, or by circling back to your opening hook.

Remember: your conclusion must follow logically from your argument. That means no new evidence, no new arguments, and no sudden changes in direction. Think of it as tying a neat bow around the gift of your essay. When you master this skill, every argument you write will feel complete, convincing, and worth remembering.