A concluding sentence is not absolutely necessary. In fact, a concluding sentence is not customary for every paragraph in a multiparagraph essay. However, for single paragraphs, especially long ones a concluding sentence is helpful to the reader because it signals the end of the paragraph and because it is a reminder of the important points.

A concluding sentence serves three purposes:

1. It signals the end of the paragraph.
2. It summarizes the main points of the paragraph
3. It gives a final comment on the topic and leaves the reader with the most important ideas to think about.

End-of-paragraph signals

Use one of the following end-of-paragraph signals to introduce your concluding sentence:

These are followed by a comma:

Finally,                  As a result

In conclusion,          Indeed,

In summary,           In brief,

Therefore,         In short,

Thus,

 

These are not followed by a comma:

 

We can see that...

It is clear that...

These examples show that…

There can be no doubt that...

The evidence suggests that...

Sample Concluding Sentences

The examples that follow demonstrate two different types of concluding sentences. The first one paraphrases the topic sentence; that is, the concluding sentence repeats the main idea of the topic sentence in different words. The second example summarizes the two main points of the paragraph, which were not specifically stated in the topic sentence.

Synonyms

Synonyms, words that have the same basic meaning, do not always have the same emotional meaning. For example, the words stingy and frugal both mean "careful with money." However, to call a person stingy is an insult, while the word frugal has a much more positive connotation. Similarly, a person wants to be slender but not skinny, and aggressive but not pushy. Therefore, you should be careful in choosing words because many so-called synonyms are not synonymous at all.

 

Gold

Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. Gold never needs to be polished and will remain beautiful forever. For example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was minted twenty-three centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science. For many years, it has been used in hundreds of industrial applications. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts' suits. Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection outside spaceships. In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.