Avoid the most common mistakes made in conclusions

Conclusions are one of the most important things in essays, and they're also one of the things that candidates seem to get wrong. Here are some commonly made mistakes:

1) Using the linker 'Finally' to introduce the conclusion. This linker is used to introduce the final main idea in an essay, or is used to introduce the final supporting idea in a body paragraph. Starting the conclusion with this linker will make the examiner think that there is no conclusion, and that the conclusion itself is another body paragraph. This will dramatically bring down the band mark for TA.

From the official band descriptors

These linkers are appropriate for starting conclusions:  'To conclude', and 'In conclusion'.

2) Adding new information in the conclusion is another common mistake. The conclusion is just the place for summarising information, or referring to something that has already been stated. Many candidates make the mistake of explaining their opinion within the conclusion, without any mention of it within the body of the text.

Sometimes exam-takers worry that they haven't reached the word count, so they start to write about new ideas within the conclusion. This can be avoided if they learn how to recognise what 250 words look like on paper. Also, writing 10 words per line will give them the ability to count the words very quickly and avoid this mistake.

3) Many exam-takers make the mistake of using linkers for the conclusion that are too informal. Stick with formal linkers like 'In conclusion' and 'To conclude', and avoid informal linkers like:  'All in all', 'In a nutshell', 'In brief', and  'On the whole'.

4) Contradicting information within the introduction and body of the text is a very common mistake. Consistency of opinions throughout the essay is very important. Any contradiction could lead to Task Achievement and Cohesion and Coherence being limited to a band 6, and when 2 of the 4 criteria are a 6, it becomes extremely difficult to get an overall 7. This is one of the main reasons candidates get a band 6.5 after many attempts. Getting a band 7 with two 6s means that two 8s are necessary (6+6+8+8)/4=7. Getting two 8s is a very difficult task for most candidates.

From the official band descriptors

For a band 7 in CC, there can't be any contradictions in the essay. There needs to be a logical progression throughout the whole essay.

From the official band descriptors

5) Repeating phrases and vocabulary from the body and introduction within the conclusion might limit Task Achievement to a 6. Try to avoid repetition as much as possible.

From the official band descriptors

To summarise, this is the list of things to keep in mind when writing a conclusion:

1) Don't use the linker 'Finally'.
2) Don't add new information in the conclusion.
3) Use a formal linker.
4) Make sure there are no contradictions in the conclusion.
5) Avoid repetition.

For more information on how to write great conclusions, watch this video.

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