Conclusion Sentences Study GuideQuiz on Thursday, May 19th

Notes from Class:

The conclusion sentence is the final sentence of a passage, paragraph, or essay.

The purpose of a conclusion sentence is to wrap it all up; to signal to the reader that the passage or essay is ending

Strong conclusions are similar to the topic sentence, but not TOO similar

Strong conclusions focus on the BIG IDEA of the paragraph/passage; not on one

of the minor details

Conclusion sentences stay on topic

Re-state the topic sentence but use synonyms to say it in a different way Don't start with "That's why…" or “That's what I learned…" or “These are the

reasons…" Don't add a specific detail or include a new idea.

Let’s review. The concluding sentence is a good example of a restatement of the topic

sentence.

My Aunt Marie’s recipe for Disappearing Cookies is easy for anyone to

follow. First, gather all the ingredients onto the counter and turn the oven on. Second, mix the ingredients in a large bowl. Next spoon the batter onto cookie

sheets in small mounds. After that, bake the cookies in the oven. Finally, after the cookies have cooled, call in the family and watch them disappear. Following

the recipe is easy, and eating them is even easier.

It’s helpful to visualize the topic sentence and the concluding sentence together to understand

the close relationship they have:

My Aunt Marie’s recipe for Disappearing Cookies is easy for anyone to follow. Following the recipe is easy, and eating them is even easier.

Concluding paragraphs restate the topic sentence, remind the reader of the general nature of

the paragraph, and may contain synonyms of words used in the topic sentence.

Topic Sentence Concluding Sentence

…is easy for anyone to follow Following the recipe is easy…

My family likes to take short

vacations every weekend.

These short vacations are happy days that

we enjoy together over the weekend.

You can learn to make egg rolls by following these easy steps.

Making egg rolls is easy if you follow these steps and practice often.

Dogs make the best house pets for

most Americans.

For a great house pet and loving companion,

Americans can’t beat having a dog.

Sample Questions on Quiz: Read the topic sentence and then read the possible conclusion sentences. Some of them are good conclusions and some of them are not. Please choose the BEST conclusion sentence using the guidelines discussed in class.

1. Topic sentence: When I get hungry, I try to choose a healthy snack.

Conclusion:A. A healthy snack is always a good choice.B. In fact fruit is my favorite snack.C. But in conclusion, I do have dessert sometimes.D. I try to choose a healthy snack when I’m hungry.

2. Topic Sentence: El Dorado Hills, a suburb of Sacramento, is a wonderful place for families.

Conclusion:A. El Dorado Hills, a town near Sacramento, is a beautiful place.B. All in all, El Dorado Hills is a great place for families.C. A suburb of Sacramento, El Dorado Hills, is a great place for people.D. Families should definitely think about living in El Dorado Hills.