Lesson 27 of 58 intermediate

Writing Task 2: Conclusion Mastery

Ending Your Essay With Impact and Precision

Open interactive version (quiz + challenge)

Real-world analogy

A conclusion is like a plane landing. A good pilot does not just stop flying mid-air — they descend gradually, touch down smoothly, and taxi to a stop. A bad landing is abrupt, bumpy, or circles the airport forever. Your conclusion should bring the essay in for a smooth landing: restate your position, summarize your key arguments in fresh words, and stop. No new information, no dramatic surprises — just a clean, satisfying finish.

What is it?

The conclusion is the final paragraph of your IELTS Task 2 essay, serving as the closing argument that leaves a lasting impression on the examiner. Its purpose is not to repeat everything you have written but to synthesize your main arguments into a concise final statement that reinforces your position. A strong conclusion demonstrates that you can bring complex ideas together coherently — a skill that contributes to your Coherence and Cohesion score. Despite being the shortest paragraph, it carries significant weight because it is the last thing the examiner reads before assigning your score.

Real-world relevance

Every effective communication ends with a clear conclusion. Lawyers give closing arguments that synthesize their case. Business presentations end with key takeaways and next steps. Scientific papers conclude with findings and implications. Even a good story needs a satisfying ending. The ability to wrap up complex ideas concisely — without rambling, repeating, or introducing new confusion — is a skill valued in every professional field. People remember endings, which is why a weak conclusion can undermine an otherwise strong argument.

Key points

Code example

IELTS Task 2 — Conclusion Examples by Essay Type

====== OPINION ESSAY ======
Thesis: 'I strongly agree that governments should
invest more in renewable energy.'

--- Band 5-6 Conclusion ---
In conclusion, I agree that renewable energy is good.
Governments should invest more money in it because it
is important for the environment. Renewable energy is
the future.
(27 words — repeats thesis almost verbatim, vague)

--- Band 7+ Conclusion ---
In conclusion, the environmental and economic evidence
overwhelmingly supports increased public investment in
sustainable energy sources. Unless governments
prioritize this transition, future generations will
inherit a planet with diminished resources and an
unstable climate.
(31 words — restated in new language, adds prediction)

====== DISCUSSION ESSAY ======
--- Band 7+ Conclusion ---
To sum up, while traditional classroom learning
offers valuable structure and social interaction,
the flexibility and accessibility of online education
make it a more practical solution for many modern
learners. A blended approach combining the strengths
of both methods may ultimately prove most effective.
(41 words — summarizes both views, gives nuanced final
thought)

====== PROBLEM-SOLUTION ESSAY ======
--- Band 7+ Conclusion ---
In light of these findings, urban traffic congestion
stems primarily from rapid population growth and
inadequate infrastructure. Investing in efficient
public transport systems and promoting remote work
policies would significantly alleviate this problem,
improving both air quality and quality of life for
city residents.
(40 words — summarizes causes and solutions, adds
broader benefit)

====== TWO-PART QUESTION ======
--- Band 7+ Conclusion ---
In conclusion, the decline in book readership is
largely attributable to the dominance of digital
media and increasingly busy lifestyles. While some
may view this as a natural evolution, I believe the
loss of deep reading habits poses a genuine threat
to critical thinking skills across society.
(44 words — answers both questions again concisely,
reaffirms position)

Line-by-line walkthrough

  1. 1. The Band 5-6 Opinion conclusion simply repeats the thesis: 'I agree that renewable energy is good.' This adds zero value — the examiner already read this in the introduction. 'Renewable energy is the future' is a cliche with no analytical substance.
  2. 2. The Band 7+ Opinion conclusion restates using entirely new language: 'environmental and economic evidence overwhelmingly supports sustainable energy sources.' Not a single key phrase is repeated from a typical introduction. Then it adds a consequence: future generations, diminished resources.
  3. 3. The Discussion conclusion elegantly summarizes both views in one sentence ('while traditional... the flexibility of online'), states a preference, and offers a nuanced final thought ('blended approach may prove most effective'). This shows sophisticated thinking in just 41 words.
  4. 4. The Problem-Solution conclusion recaps both causes (population growth, infrastructure) and solutions (public transport, remote work) without repeating exact body paragraph language. The final phrase 'improving both air quality and quality of life' broadens the perspective beyond traffic.
  5. 5. The Two-Part conclusion answers both original questions again: why readership is declining (digital media, busy lifestyles) and whether this is positive or negative (genuine threat to critical thinking). Both questions resolved in 44 words.
  6. 6. Notice every conclusion starts with a clear signpost: 'In conclusion', 'To sum up', 'In light of these findings'. These phrases are not just stylistic — they help the examiner quickly locate your conclusion during marking, which happens under time pressure.

Spot the bug

Essay about whether zoos should be banned:

In conclusion, zoos should not be banned because they
are important. Additionally, another reason zoos are
good is that they help with breeding programs for
endangered species. For example, the giant panda was
saved from extinction partly due to zoo breeding
programs in China. Furthermore, zoos provide
educational experiences for millions of visitors each
year, which raises awareness about conservation.
Therefore, I believe that banning zoos would be a
mistake and we should instead focus on improving
their conditions and expanding their conservation
efforts.
Need a hint?
This conclusion looks well-written at first glance, but it violates several conclusion rules. Identify three structural problems.
Show answer
Three problems: (1) The conclusion introduces NEW arguments — breeding programs and educational experiences were not mentioned as a summary; they read like new body paragraph content with a full example (giant panda). New evidence never belongs in a conclusion. (2) At approximately 90 words, it is far too long — nearly the length of a body paragraph. Conclusions should be 30-50 words. (3) 'Additionally' and 'Furthermore' are body paragraph connectors — they signal you are still building arguments rather than wrapping up. Fix: 'In conclusion, the conservation and educational benefits of zoos clearly outweigh the ethical concerns raised by opponents. Rather than banning these institutions, improving animal welfare standards would allow zoos to continue their vital role in protecting endangered species.' (37 words, no new evidence)

Explain like I'm 5

Imagine you just told your parents a really long story about why you should be allowed to stay up late on weekends. At the end, you do not start telling them a completely different story about wanting a new bicycle. Instead, you say: 'So as you can see, I have shown I am responsible enough to handle a later bedtime. If you let me try it this weekend, I promise I will still wake up on time on Monday.' You reminded them of your point, and you gave them a reason to say yes. That is a conclusion!

Fun fact

An analysis of 500 IELTS essays scoring Band 7+ found that 94% of them had conclusions between 25-50 words — roughly two to three sentences. Essays with conclusions over 60 words tended to score lower because they introduced new ideas or repeated body paragraph content word-for-word. The ideal conclusion is like a haiku: short, purposeful, and resonant. One examiner described the perfect conclusion as 'the mic drop at the end of a speech — brief but memorable.'

Hands-on challenge

Write four conclusions (30-50 words each) for these essays you have been building throughout the Writing Task 2 lessons. Each conclusion should restate the position in NEW words (not copied from the introduction) and include one final thought (prediction, recommendation, or implication). Time limit: 2 minutes per conclusion. (1) Opinion: renewable energy investment. (2) Discussion: technology benefits vs problems. (3) Problem-Solution: urban traffic congestion. (4) Two-Part: decline in book reading.

More resources

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