IELTS Writing Task 2
How to write an IELTS essay conclusion
The conclusion is the shortest paragraph in your Task 2 essay and the easiest to get right once you know its single job. It restates your position and summarises your main points in one or two sentences, adds nothing new, and confirms to the examiner that your argument reached a clear end.
In short
- Restate your position and summarise your main points in one or two sentences.
- Add no new ideas, examples, or arguments; the conclusion only confirms.
- A missing conclusion hurts Coherence & Cohesion and Task Response, so always leave time for it.
What a conclusion is for
A Task 2 conclusion has exactly two functions. First, it restates your overall position, the view you set out in your introduction. Second, it briefly summarises the main reasons you used to support that view. That is all. It is not a place to introduce a fresh argument, a new example, or a statistic you forgot to use earlier.
Think of it as closing a circle. The introduction made a claim; the body paragraphs proved it; the conclusion confirms that the claim still stands. When an examiner reaches your final sentence, they should be able to state your position back to you without re-reading the essay.
Because the essay must reach at least 250 words and you have roughly 40 minutes, the conclusion is the shortest paragraph: one or two sentences, around 25 to 40 words. Anything longer usually means you have started a new idea, which works against you.
A simple two-part formula
You do not need a clever closing line. A reliable conclusion follows a fixed pattern: a signpost phrase, a restated position, then a short summary of your reasons.
- Signpost. Open with "In conclusion", "To conclude", or "In summary". These are accepted and tell the examiner the essay is closing.
- Restated position. Say your view again in fresh words, not copied from the introduction. Paraphrasing shows control of Lexical Resource.
- Summary of reasons. Name your two main supporting points in a single clause each, with no new development.
Put together, a model conclusion reads like this, for an essay arguing that remote work benefits employees:
"In conclusion, remote work clearly benefits most employees, because it removes the cost and stress of commuting and gives people greater control over their daily schedule. Employers who embrace it are likely to retain staff for longer."
Do and do not in your conclusion
Most conclusion problems come from a handful of habits. The table contrasts the moves that protect your score against the ones that quietly lower Coherence & Cohesion and Task Response.
| Do | Do not |
|---|---|
| Restate your position in new words | Copy the introduction sentence by sentence |
| Summarise the two reasons you already gave | Introduce a third reason or a new example |
| Keep it to one or two sentences | Write a long paragraph that reopens the debate |
| Use a clear signpost like "In conclusion" | Leave the essay with no closing paragraph at all |
| Stay consistent with the view you argued | Hedge or switch sides at the last moment |
The single most damaging habit is skipping the conclusion under time pressure. An essay that stops after the second body paragraph reads as unfinished, which weakens Coherence & Cohesion and leaves your overall position unconfirmed. Always reserve the final two minutes to write one.
IELTS essay conclusion FAQs
What should an IELTS essay conclusion contain?+
Two things only: a restatement of your position and a brief summary of your main points. One or two sentences is enough. Do not add new ideas, examples, or arguments. The conclusion confirms what you have already proven across the body paragraphs.
Can I start my conclusion with 'In conclusion'?+
Yes. 'In conclusion' is fully accepted by examiners and signals the closing clearly. Other safe options are 'To conclude' and 'In summary'. The phrase itself is fine; what matters is that the sentence after it restates your view rather than repeating the introduction word for word.
How long should an IELTS Task 2 conclusion be?+
One to two sentences, roughly 25 to 40 words. Task 2 essays run to at least 250 words, so the conclusion is the shortest paragraph. A long conclusion usually means you are adding new ideas, which lowers your score rather than raising it.
Does a missing conclusion lose marks?+
Yes. An essay with no conclusion reads as unfinished, which hurts Coherence & Cohesion because the argument lacks a clear progression to a logical end. It can also weaken Task Response, since you have not confirmed your overall position. Always leave two minutes to write one.
Can I add a recommendation or prediction in the conclusion?+
A short prediction or recommendation is acceptable only if it flows directly from your argument, not as a brand-new idea. Keep it to a clause, after you have restated your position. The safest approach is simply to restate and summarise, then stop.