IELTS Writing Task 2 Conclusions: Perfecting the Final Paragraph

In IELTS Writing Task 2, the conclusion is your final deliverable to the examiner. Just like closing out a major business project or deploying the final build of a mobile app, your essay needs a clean, definitive wrap-up. If you leave loose ends, introduce unexpected features, or simply abandon the task abruptly, your “Task Response” score will suffer.

Many candidates panic in the final five minutes of the exam and rush their conclusions, or worse, they copy their introduction word-for-word.

To secure a Band 7.0 or higher, your conclusion must be a concise, powerful summary that reinforces your core argument. This guide breaks down the exact two-sentence formula you need to close your essay perfectly every single time.

The Golden Rule: No New Ideas

The absolute strictest rule of the IELTS conclusion is that you must never introduce new information. Your conclusion is an executive summary of what has already been discussed. If you suddenly add a new advantage, a new solution, or a new example in your final paragraph, you violate the logic of your essay structure.

Bad Example (Band 5.5): “In conclusion, fast food is bad for your health. Also, it creates a lot of plastic waste that harms the ocean.” (The ocean was never mentioned in the body paragraphs!)
Good Example (Band 7.0+): “In conclusion, the overconsumption of fast food poses severe risks to public health, primarily due to rising obesity and heart disease rates.”

The Perfect 2-Sentence Blueprint

You do not need to write a massive paragraph. A high-scoring conclusion only requires two highly effective sentences.

Sentence 1: The Thesis Paraphrase

Your first sentence must restate your overall opinion or the main answer to the question. Do not use the exact same vocabulary you used in your introduction.

Introduction Thesis: “I firmly believe that university tuition should be completely free.”
Conclusion Paraphrase: “In conclusion, it is my absolute conviction that higher education should be state-funded and accessible to all.”

Sentence 2: The Core Argument Summary

Your second sentence should briefly summarize the main points you made in Body Paragraph 1 and Body Paragraph 2.

The Summary: “…This approach not only guarantees equal opportunities for lower-income families but also cultivates a highly skilled national workforce.”

Vocabulary: How to Start Your Conclusion

Keep your transition signals simple, academic, and direct. The examiner needs a clear signpost that the essay is ending.

Use these Band 7+ openers:

In conclusion,…
To conclude,…
To summarize,…

Avoid these informal or clunky openers:

In a nutshell,… (Too informal / idiomatic)
To sum up,… (Slightly too casual for Task 2)
In the end,… (Sounds like the end of a story, not an academic essay)
All in all,… (Too conversational)

Conclusion Templates by Essay Type

Different project requirements need different sign-offs. Match your conclusion structure directly to the essay type you were given.

For Opinion Essays (Agree/Disagree)

Remind the examiner of your firm stance and the two reasons you proved it.

“In conclusion, I completely agree with the assertion that [Topic]. This is primarily because it [Summary of Body Paragraph 1], and it also ensures [Summary of Body Paragraph 2].”

For Discuss Both Views Essays

Acknowledge the opposing side one last time, but firmly reiterate your winning side.

“In conclusion, while there are certainly valid arguments regarding the benefits of [View you disagreed with], I firmly believe that [View you agreed with] is the vastly superior approach due to [Summary of your main point].”

For Problem & Solution Essays

Summarize the root cause and your proposed fix.

“To conclude, although [Topic] is a severe issue driven largely by [Summary of the Cause], it can be effectively mitigated if governments and individuals collaborate to implement [Summary of the Solution].”

Top 3 Exam-Day Execution Strategies

Watch the Clock: Always leave yourself exactly 3 to 4 minutes to write your conclusion. If you only have one minute left, skip your final body paragraph sentence and jump straight to writing “In conclusion…” An essay without a conclusion will immediately lose heavy points.
Check Your Alignment: Before you write your conclusion, quickly glance up at your introduction. Does your final opinion match your first opinion? If your introduction says “I agree” and your conclusion says “I disagree,” your logic is broken.
Use Complex Grammar: The conclusion is a great place to use a complex concession clause (e.g., using Although, While, or Despite). This allows you to summarize two contrasting ideas in a single, high-scoring sentence.