This lesson looks at how to write an IELTS conclusion paragraph for an opinion essay given below. Before you practice the conclusion, make sure you have completed the other lessons for this topic:
Every one of us should become a vegetarian because eating meat can cause serious health problems.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
An IELTS conclusion paragraph should summarise the main opinion that you gave in your opinion essay – both in the introduction and the body paragraphs. The conclusion repeats the main points in brief and maintains your position.
This is the introduction for this essay: Eating meat is considered by some to damage our health and for that reason they believe all people should adopt a vegetarian diet. In my opinion, although a vegetarian diet is certainly a healthy option, having a balanced diet, which contains vegetables and some healthy meat, is the key.
The above introduction explains the main points and the position of this essay. Now you must restate the main points again for your conclusion paragraph. Use the tips below to help you.
Tips for an IELTS Conclusion Paragraph
- Paraphrase the main points introduced in your introduction
- Don’t put new main points in your conclusion
- Don’t change your opinion in the conclusion
- Don’t write over 40 words
- You can write either one or two sentences
- Can you have a concluding statement which is a predicting if you wish
Write your conclusion before you check the model. Model Conclusion
OR
To conclude, by balancing mainly vegetables with fish or chicken, people will be able to adapt to a healthier diet more easily rather than become vegetarian. If people are educated about eating healthily, there will be less health problems in the future.
Recommended Lessons
IELTS Video Lesson: IELTS Conclusion Linkers
IELTS Video Lesson: Using the official answer sheet
Hi Liz.
I noticed a lot of my students introducing new ideas in their conclusions – often students would relent from their argument to add the down the middle: “but there are two sides to every coin”.
I was preparing a lesson on essay writing tips to correct this habit.
But while researching, I was reading a IELTS prep book which states that a “good conclusion generally includes”:
1) general summary
2) a focused summary
3) something new/your opinion
I can hardly believe it! “Something new”! What is this abomination?
Can you shed any light? Would some IELTS essays benefit from adding a sprinkling of something new?
I suggest you stop using that book immediately. But let me give you some details first:
1) The conclusion must not include a new main point that has not been explained in the body paragraphs. If a student does this, they will struggle to get a high score in Task Response which is largely about expanding and supporting main points. That is the reason body paragraphs should be of equal length (more or less) – no main point should be less developed that another.
2) An IELTS essay is a short essay. It is usually between 13 and 15 sentences in length. The bulk of those sentences must be for the body paragraphs so that you sufficiently develop them. The introduction and conclusion provide specific functions only and should not be long. A long conclusion is not only a waste of time, it will lack focus which will lower your score. Adding more padding is great for IELTS Speaking and terrible for IELTS Writing.
3) The conclusion serves the function of restating (summarising) the main points you have already explained in the body paragraphs. This should be done in one sentence. It should be a very brief, focused summary.
4) You should not have two summaries of the same points – you do not have a general one and a focused one. You should have one only. One summarising statement. IELTS essays are all about each sentence being highly focused and highly relevant – without padding. A one sentence conclusion is 100% normal for IELTS.
5) It is possible to add a concluding statement, but it should not be a new main idea. If you are writing an opinion essay, which is all about your opinions, and then you add another new opinion in the conclusion, you will get a low mark in Task Response as I explained above.
6) If you are writing an essay without any opinion required at all, a concluding statement might actually be an opinion.
7) Most concluding statements are predictions. For example, “If XXX isn’t implemented soon, this problem is likely to continue or worsen.” This is not a new main point. It is simply an end of the conclusion which adds stress to what you’ve already said.
8) If students do not grasp the concept of a concluding statement and if they can’t write one safely, it is better to have no concluding statement at all.
9) Putting a concluding statement at the end of a conclusion will not increase a task 2 score. As I explained the conclusion serves a very limited function in an IELTS essay.
10) Direct your students to this page and this response if you need to. There is a lot of advice in books and online – be very careful what advice you follow. Not all of it will increase a task 2 score and some of it will actually lower a task 2 score.
Hi Liz,
Is there only one ideal answer for each question?
For instance, while attempting this essay, I wrote on the affordability aspect as well – not all societies can easily turn vegetarian as for many poor people, meat offers the best and the cheapest form of nutrition. And isn’t the affordability of food is also linked to health?
Well this is about diet and health problems. I’m not sure that affordability of food is relevant. Sometimes it depends on how you present your ideas. It’s how you link them to the issues in the question. No, there is not one possible answer. But if your ideas are not 100% relevant, then you will be marked down.
hi liz ,,would really aprreciate if u cud help me in formulating this phrase,,,what was outdated yesterday is a fashion in the tomorrow world,,,,is it correct or is there a different way of putting it,,thank you
Please do not learn phrases to use in your essay.
Liz
Hello Liz, I think there is a typo somewhere at the very last sentence in the second option above. ‘a healthily’ Kindly help me and check it. Thank you Ma.
Well spotted! You are a good proof reader 🙂
Liz
Thank you Liz.