Writing a Concluding Statement That Supports Your Argument

Why Conclusions Matter: A Brief History

People have been trying to persuade each other for thousands of years. From ancient Greek speeches to modern blog posts, writers and speakers have always known that how you end matters just as much as how you begin. A strong conclusion is the last thing your reader sees—and it shapes what they remember most.

Here's the big question this lesson answers: How do you write a conclusion that doesn't just repeat what you said, but actually makes your argument stronger? That's what we're going to figure out together.

Core Principles of a Strong Conclusion

A concluding statement (or concluding section) is the final part of your argumentative essay. It wraps up your writing by reminding the reader of your main claim and leaving them with something to think about. There are four key principles that make a conclusion work well.

The Anatomy of an Argument (Visual Guide)

Let's look at how an argumentative essay is built from top to bottom—and where the conclusion fits in. Notice how the conclusion connects to every part above it, not just the introduction.

See those dashed green arrows? They show that your conclusion follows from every part of the essay. It pulls ideas from the introduction (your claim), the body paragraphs (your evidence and reasons), and then supports the argument by tying them all together in one final statement. If your conclusion mentions something that isn't in the body paragraphs, those arrows would be broken—and so would your essay's logic.

How to Build a Conclusion: The Step-by-Step Process

Writing a strong conclusion isn't about having magical writing talent. It's a process you can learn and practice. Here's a simple method you can use every time you write an argumentative essay.

Let's break down each piece of this formula so you know exactly what to write.

Step 1 — Restate Your Claim (in New Words)

Go back and read your thesis statement (the sentence that tells your reader what you believe). Now rewrite that idea using different words. Don't copy it exactly—rephrase it. This reminds your reader of the main point without sounding robotic.

Step 2 — Briefly Touch on Your Key Reasons

Look at the main reasons from your body paragraphs. Mention them briefly (you don't need to give all the details again). This shows the reader that your conclusion connects to everything you already proved. This is the "follows from" part.

Step 3 — End With a Final Thought

This is where you leave your reader with something memorable. You have several options here. You could ask a question that makes the reader keep thinking. You could suggest what should happen next (a call to action). You could explain why the topic matters in a bigger way. Or you could end with a short, powerful statement that drives your point home.

Notice how each step builds on the one before it. You start by reminding the reader of your claim, then you connect it to your evidence, and finally you leave them with something that makes your argument feel complete. That's the "follows from and supports" standard in action.

Strong vs. Weak Conclusions: A Detailed Breakdown

One of the best ways to understand what makes a conclusion work is to compare examples. Let's look at what strong conclusions do right—and what weak conclusions get wrong.

Let's see this in action with a real example. Imagine you wrote an essay arguing that schools should start later in the morning.

❌ Weak Conclusion

See the problems? It just repeats the thesis, doesn't mention any of the evidence from the body paragraphs, and ends with a vague statement that doesn't leave an impression.

✅ Strong Conclusion

This version restates the claim in a new way, references two key reasons from the body paragraphs (test scores and car accidents), and ends with a call to action directed at school boards. That's a conclusion that follows from and supports the argument.

Worked Example: Writing a Conclusion Step by Step

Let's walk through writing a conclusion for a complete essay. Read the setup below, then follow each step.

Common Strengths and Pitfalls

Now that you know the process, let's talk about the most common mistakes students make—and the habits that strong writers have. Knowing what to avoid is just as important as knowing what to do.

Beyond 7th Grade: Where This Skill Takes You

Writing a strong conclusion isn't just a 7th grade skill—it's something you'll use all the way through high school, college, and even in your career. Here's how this idea grows as you grow.

The core idea stays the same at every level: your conclusion must follow logically from your argument and make it stronger. Right now you're building the foundation, and every essay you write from here on will use this skill. The better you get at conclusions now, the easier persuasive writing will be in the future.

Practice Problems

Time to practice! Work through these five problems. They start simple and get more challenging. Click "Show Answer" when you're ready to check your thinking.

Lesson Summary