UNIT 4: WRITING THE CONCLUDING SENTENCE

Lesson focuses:
 Definition of the concluding sentence
 End-of-paragraph signals
 Ways to conclude a paragraph
Time allocation table: 4 periods

Order Contents Time

1 - Definition 1 and 2nd period
st

- End-of-paragraph signals
- Ways to conclude a paragraph
2 - Practice on writing the concluding 3rd and 4th period
sentence

a. Definition([1], pp.26& [2], pp.9)

The concluding sentence or the final sentence of a paragraph is the one that
reminds the reader of the topic together with the controlling idea of the paragraph
and also restates the main idea.

Examples:
(1)
- Topic sentence: I love the red color.
- Concluding sentence: I like to live life in a strong way, so I think I will always
admire the color red.
(2)
- Topic sentence: Synonyms, words that have the same basic meaning, do not
always, have the same emotional meaning.
- Concluding sentence: Therefore, you should be careful in choosing words
because many so-called synonyms are not really synonymous at all.

Activity 1: Read the examples of the concluding sentence above and state which of
the following the function of the concluding sentence is:
- Reminding the reader of the topic and the controlling idea of the paragraph
- Restating the main idea

Activity 2: Read the topic sentence below. Write SS next to the supporting sentences
and CS next to the concluding sentence.

PARAGRAPH 1

The best way to see San Francisco is by walking.

( ) When you explore San Francisco by foot, you can experience all the city has to
offer.

( ) When you walk, you experience the different smells of the restaurants, the plants
and sometimes the ocean.

( ) You can stop and look in the windows of shops or sit on a bench for a short while
and look at interesting people.

( ) In a car or a bus, you cannot stop easily if you see something interesting because
parking is difficult.

PARAGRAPH 2

An egg taco takes only five minutes to make.

( ) Your delicious egg taco is ready to eat in just a few minutes.

( ) Heat a flour tortilla in a small amount of water.

( ) Scramble two eggs with a little salt and pepper.

( ) When the eggs are done, slide them into the warm tortilla and fold it over.

PARAGRAPH 3

My paper is late because something happened to my computer.

( ) I was almost finished writing my paper, and I was checking it for error.

( ) Suddenly, my computer screen went black, and the power was gone.

( ) The accident made me lose many hours of work, so I could not turn in my essay on
time.

( ) Later, I learned that a squirrel got on the power line and disrupted the electricity.

PARAGRAPH 4

I enjoy the river walk in San Antonio.

( ) The river walk is lower than the streets of the city.

( ) You can walk down stairs to a canal with a stone path and plants on each side.

( ) There are many shops, restaurants and hotels along the path.
( ) The river walk is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon or evening in San Antonio.

Activity 3: Read the paragraph below. Then read the concluding sentences that
follow and circle the one you think is the best concluding sentence for each
paragraph.

There they are!

I feel happy whenever I am standing beside a train track because I am waiting for
someone who is close to me. I was the youngest child in my family, so my older brothers
and sisters left home before I did. However, they always returned for vacations and
holidays. My mother and father and I were always at the train station to greet them. I
enjoyed the smell of the train and the roaring noise it made as the big black engine pulled
into the station. I would jump up and down trying to see while everyone crowded around
the doors.” There they are!” my mother would cry. I would run to jump into the arms of
my beloved brother or sister………….

a. In conclusion, I always had an enjoyable visit with my brothers and sisters.

b. In conclusion, my whole family likes train stations.

c. Now I am an adult, but I still feel joy when I go to the train station to meet
someone I love.

A Wise Shopper

A consumer can save a lot of money by shopping wisely. This means he is always
looking for sales and collecting coupons, but it also means the person is not a compulsive
shopper. In other words, the wise consumer does his research and makes a plan so that he
knows what he is looking for. He is not tempted by attractive products that are not
necessary. Sometimes he goes home without purchasing anything. He might think he
wasted his time but he knows he did not waste his money.
a. In conclusion, a compulsive shopper can never be a wise shopper.
b. In conclusion, a wise shopper also keeps a budget so that he knows how much he
can spend.
c. In conclusion, a wise shopper finds ways to save money on the price and to avoid
buying what he does not need.
Activity 4: For each paragraph, two of the three concluding sentences are not
chosen. Say why.

1.2 . End-of-paragraph signals([1], p.26)

Activity 5: List all the words you know that can be used to end the paragraph

1.1. Ways to conclude a paragraph([1], p26 & [2], p.9)

The paragraph can be end with
- A restatement of the main idea
- A summary of the main supporting points
- A warning
- A prediction
- Further idea about the topic

Activity 6: Circle the word that best describes each of the concluding sentences
below.
1. If you follow these steps, you will never lose your keys again.
a. prediction b. opinion c. warning d. summary e. restatement
2. Students who are not careful with credit cards can go into debt quickly.
a. prediction b. opinion c. warning d. summary e. restatement
3. Venice, Italy, is the most beautiful city in the world.
a. prediction b. opinion c. warning d. summary e. restatement
4. You will be able to produce a beautiful paper crane with only a little bit of practice.
a. prediction b. opinion c. warning d. summary e. restatement
5. There are many reasons why movie starts make poor politicians.
a. prediction b. opinion c. warning d. summary e. restatement
6. The desert is a beautiful but dangerous place to hike, so do your research and take
time to prepare carefully.
a. prediction b. opinion c. warning d. summary e. restatement
7. Dolphins are so intelligent and helpful, in fact, that the U.S Navy is training them to
become underwater bomb disposal experts.
a. prediction b. opinion c. warning d. summary e. restatement
8. Gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.
a. prediction b. opinion c. warning d. summary e. restatement
9. There is nothing but extraordinary beauty in the face of Marie.
a. prediction b. opinion c. warning d. summary e. restatement
10. Not everyone can win a medal, so they must possess the inner strength to live with
defeat.
a. prediction b. opinion c. warning d. summary e. restatement

Activity 7: Write the concluding sentence for each of the following paragraph.
Paragraph 1
You can be a good conversationalist by being a good listener. When you are
conversing with someone, pay close attention to the speaker’s words while looking at his
or her face. Show your interest by smiling and/ or nodding. Furthermore, don’t interrupt
while someone is speaking; it is impolite to do so. If you have a good story, wait until the
speaker is finished. Also, watch your body language; it can affect your communication
whether you are nervous hand and foot movements. Be relaxed and bed your body
slightly forward to show interest in the person and the
conversation………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………..............

Paragraph 2
Modern communication technology is driving workers in the world’s corporates
crazy. They feel buried under the large number of messages they received daily. In
addition to telephone calls, office workers receive dozens of E-mails and voice mail
messages daily. In one company, in fact, managers receive an average of 100 messages a
day. Because they don’t have enough time to respond to these messages during office
hours, it is common for them to do so in the evenings or on weekends at
home……………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Paragraph 3
Even simple study habits can improve your grades. In college, I learned how
important it is to get good sleep. When you are well-rested, it is easier to learn. Research
shows that when people don’t get enough sleep, their memories are not as effective. If
students are really tired, they might even fall asleep in class!
….…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………...

Paragraph 4
I will never eat dinner at the Little French Bistro again. The restaurant is not very clean.
You can see dust in the corners and on the shelves. The food is expensive, but the
positions are small. I never feel full after I’ve finished eating. In addition, the waiters are
not very friendly……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………

Paragraph 5
I admire my friend Ken because he doesn’t give up. When Ken wanted to enter a good
university, he studied hard to pass the examination. The first time he took the exam, he
did not do well, and he felt very discouraged. But he knew he wanted to study at that
university, so he studied more. The next year, he tried taking the exam again. The second
time, he did very well, and now he is studying engineering………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………...

Activity 8: State how you concluded the paragraphs.

 HOME WORK

Exercise 1: Continue exercise 3 of unit 3.

Write the concluding sentence for your paragraph.

Exercise 2: Peer-editing
Exchange your paragraph with a partner for editing. The feedbacks focus on the
following points:
- Format
- Structure: does the paragraph have three parts?
- Topic sentence: does it have 2 parts?
- Supporting sentences: do they explain the topic sentence?
- Concluding sentence: does it remind of the topic and the main idea, or restate, or
warn the reader, or predict, or give further opinion about the topic?
- Sentence writing: find and locate the errors in the sentences
References:
[1]Oshima, A.&Hogue,A. Introduction to Academic Writing.(2nded). Longman. 1997
[2]Savage.A.& Shafield, M. Effective Academic Writing 1: The Paragraph. Oxford
University Press. 2007