How to Write a Conclusion for KS3 English Essays

A strong KS3 conclusion does three things in order: it restates your overall argument in fresh language, briefly references your main points without repeating them in full, and ends with a final thought that gives the essay a sense of purpose or weight. It should be four to eight sentences long — not a bullet-point summary, and never introducing new arguments.

What is a conclusion actually for?

A conclusion is not a summary of everything you have already said. It is the moment you step back and tell the reader what all of it adds up to. The difference matters: a summary is backward-looking ("In this essay I have discussed..."); a conclusion is forward-looking ("The evidence shows that...").

For KS3 English assessments, whether the essay is analytical (responding to a text) or discursive or persuasive (arguing a position), the conclusion signals to an examiner that you have a clear sense of the whole piece — that you have been in control throughout. A weak or missing conclusion suggests the opposite.

The DfE's KS3 English curriculum requires students to organise writing with "structural and grammatical features used to support coherence." A conclusion is a key part of that structural coherence. An essay that stops when the last body paragraph ends has not been organised — it has simply run out of space.

What should a KS3 conclusion include?

A conclusion in a KS3 English essay typically includes:

A restatement of the overall argument — your position or interpretation in fresh language (not copied from the introduction)

A brief reference to your strongest point or evidence — one line to anchor the conclusion in the essay's content

A widening thought — connect your argument to a bigger idea, a reader's experience, or the text's lasting significance

A final sentence — confident, complete, and not a question

For analytical essays (e.g., "How does the writer create tension?"):

Restate what your analysis has shown about the writer's overall method

Reference the technique or effect you found most significant

Comment on why this matters for readers

For persuasive or discursive essays (e.g., "Should school uniforms be compulsory?"):

Restate your position clearly

Acknowledge the other side briefly (shows balance)

End with the reason your argument is stronger

Worked example: analytical conclusion

Essay question: How does the writer build suspense in "The Empty House"?

Weak conclusion: In conclusion, the writer uses many techniques to build suspense. These include short sentences, pathetic fallacy and imagery. I have shown how these work in my essay.

Strong conclusion: Taken together, the writer's choices — clipped, breathless sentences, a sky that mirrors the protagonist's dread, and imagery that transforms the familiar into the threatening — build a suspense that is as much psychological as physical. The reader fears not what might be in the house but what the character herself might do when she enters. That shift from external to internal danger is what makes the writer's technique most effective, and what lingers after the final page.

The strong conclusion restates the argument ("suspense that is as much psychological as physical"), references the key techniques without re-explaining them, and ends with a specific, confident claim about the text's effect.

Worked example: persuasive conclusion

Essay question: Should KS3 students have less homework?

Weak conclusion: To conclude, I think students should have less homework. I have given three reasons for this. There are also arguments on the other side.

Strong conclusion: The evidence makes the case clearly: homework beyond one hour per evening in KS3 does not improve academic outcomes and demonstrably reduces the time available for sleep, exercise and independent reading — all of which research links to long-term achievement. Critics argue that homework builds discipline. It does — but only when it is well-designed and manageably short. The question is not whether homework has value but whether the current quantity serves students well. Often, it does not.

Note the structure: restate the position, briefly acknowledge the opposition, end with the specific, confident claim.

What to avoid in a KS3 conclusion

Avoid this | Why | Fix
"In conclusion, in this essay I have discussed..." | Signals the writer has nothing to add | Start with the argument: "The evidence shows..."
Introducing a new argument | Undermines the essay's structure | Save every new point for the body
Ending with a question | Weakens the impression of control | End with a statement, not an uncertainty
Repeating the introduction word for word | Suggests the essay went nowhere | Paraphrase using insights the body has developed
Making it too long | Dilutes the impact | Four to eight sentences is enough

How to write a conclusion step by step

Step 1 — Re-read your introduction and your final body paragraph. Your conclusion should feel like it has arrived somewhere, not returned to where you started.

Step 2 — Write one sentence that states your overall argument or interpretation. If you cannot write this sentence, your essay may lack a clear through-line — go back and check.

Step 3 — Write one to two sentences that reference (not repeat) your strongest evidence or point. The difference between reference and repetition: repetition re-explains; reference names and builds on.

Step 4 — Write a widening or deepening sentence — why does this argument or analysis matter beyond this specific essay? What does it say about readers, about the text, about the world?

Step 5 — Write a final sentence that is complete, confident, and does not trail off.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a KS3 conclusion be?

Four to eight sentences is the right range for most KS3 English essays. The conclusion should be noticeably shorter than a body paragraph — it is a destination, not a new journey. A conclusion that is too long is usually repeating body paragraph content rather than synthesising it.

Can I start a conclusion with "In conclusion" at KS3?

You can, but it is a weak opening because it signals nothing about what follows. More effective openers: "Taken together, the evidence shows...", "The writer's methods reveal...", "Ultimately, the argument comes down to..." These open with the content rather than the label. If you are unsure, write your conclusion content first and then decide whether to add "In conclusion" at the start — sometimes it works; often it is unnecessary.

What is the difference between a summary and a conclusion in English?

A summary repeats what was said (looking backward). A conclusion synthesises — it takes the pieces of the essay and arrives at an overall statement that is more than the sum of its parts (looking forward). At KS3, examiners are looking for synthesis: evidence that you have been thinking about the argument as a whole, not just listing what you covered.

Should I repeat my quotations in the conclusion?

No. You can reference a quotation by briefly naming it or its effect ("the image of the 'hungry beast'"), but you should not re-quote and re-analyse it at length. The conclusion assumes you have already done the detailed work; it builds on that work rather than repeating it.

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