how to conclude a timeline essay

How to write a conclusion for a history essay

Every essay needs to end with a concluding paragraph. It is the last paragraph the marker reads, and this will typically be the last paragraph that you write.

What is a ‘concluding paragraph?

The conclusion is the final paragraph of your essay that reminds the reader about the points you have made and how it proves the argument which you stated in your hypothesis .

By the time your marker reads your conclusion, they have read all the evidence you have presented in your body paragraphs . This is your last opportunity to show that you have proven your points.

While your conclusion will talk about the same points you made in your introduction , it should not read exactly the same.  Instead, it should state the same information in a more developed form and bring the essay to an end.

In general, you should never use quotes from sources in your conclusion.

Concluding paragraph structure

While the concluding paragraph will normally be shorter than your introductory and body paragraphs , it still has a specific role to fulfil.

A well-written concluding paragraph has the following three-part structure:

• Restate your key points
• Restate your hypothesis
• Concluding sentence

Each element of this structure is explained further, with examples, below:

1. Restate your key points

In one or two sentences, restate each of the topic sentences from your body paragraphs . This is to remind the marker about how you proved your argument.

This information will be similar to your elaboration sentences in your introduction , but will be much briefer.

Since this is a summary of your entire essay’s argument, you will often want to start your conclusion with a phrase to highlight this. For example: “In conclusion”, “In summary”, “To briefly summarise”, or “Overall”.

Example restatements of key points:

Middle Ages (Year 8 Level)

In conclusion, feudal lords had initially spent vast sums of money on elaborate castle construction projects but ceased to do so as a result of the advances in gunpowder technology which rendered stone defences obsolete.

WWI (Year 9 Level)

To briefly summarise, the initially flood of Australian volunteers were encouraged by imperial propaganda but as a result of the stories harsh battlefield experience which filtered back to the home front, enlistment numbers quickly declined.

Civil Rights (Year 10 Level)

In summary, the efforts of important First Nations leaders and activist organisations to spread the idea of indigenous political equality had a significant effect on sway public opinion in favour of a ‘yes’ vote.

Ancient Rome (Year 11/12 Level)  

Overall, the Marian military reforms directly changed Roman political campaigns and the role of public opinion in military command assignments across a variety of Roman societal practices.

2. Restate your hypothesis

This is a single sentence that restates the hypothesis from your introductory paragraph .

Don’t simply copy it word-for-word. It should be restated in a different way, but still clearly saying what you have been arguing for the whole of your essay.

Make it clear to your marker that you are clearly restating you argument by beginning this sentence a phrase to highlight this. For example: “Therefore”, “This proves that”, “Consequently”, or “Ultimately”.

Example restated hypotheses:

Therefore, it is clear that while castles were initially intended to dominate infantry-dominated siege scenarios, they were abandoned in favour of financial investment in canon technologies.

This proves that the change in Australian soldiers' morale during World War One was the consequence of the mass slaughter produced by mass-produced weaponry and combat doctrine.

Consequently, the 1967 Referendum considered a public relations success because of the targeted strategies implemented by Charles Perkins, Faith Bandler and the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.

Ultimately, it can be safely argued that Gaius Marius was instrumental in revolutionising the republican political, military and social structures in the 1 st century BC.

3. Concluding sentence

This is the final sentence of your conclusion that provides a final statement about the implications of your arguments for modern understandings of the topic. Alternatively, it could make a statement about what the effect of this historical person or event had on history. 

Example concluding sentences:

While these medieval structures fell into disuse centuries ago, they continue to fascinate people to this day.

The implications of the war-weariness produced by these experiences continued to shape opinions about war for the rest of the 20 th century.

Despite this, the Indigenous Peoples had to lobby successive Australian governments for further political equality, which still continues today.

Ancient Rome (Year 11/12 Level)

The impact of these changes effectively prepared the way for other political figures, like Pompey, Julius Caesar and Octavian, who would ultimately transform the Roman republic into an empire.

Putting it all together

Once you have written all three parts of, you should have a completed concluding paragraph. In the examples above, we have shown each part separately. Below you will see the completed paragraphs so that you can appreciate what a conclusion should look like.

Example conclusion paragraphs: 

In conclusion, feudal lords had initially spent vast sums of money on elaborate castle construction projects but ceased to do so as a result of the advances in gunpowder technology which rendered stone defences obsolete. Therefore, it is clear that while castles were initially intended to dominate infantry-dominated siege scenarios, they were abandoned in favour of financial investment in canon technologies. While these medieval structures fell into disuse centuries ago, they continue to fascinate people to this day.

To briefly summarise, the initially flood of Australian volunteers were encouraged by imperial propaganda, but as a result of the stories harsh battlefield experience which filtered back to the home front, enlistment numbers quickly declined. This proves that the change in Australian soldiers' morale during World War One was the consequence of the mass slaughter produced by mass-produced weaponry and combat doctrine. The implications of the war-weariness produced by these experiences continued to shape opinions about war for the rest of the 20th century.

In summary, the efforts of important indigenous leaders and activist organisations to spread the idea of indigenous political equality had a significant effect on sway public opinion in favour of a ‘yes’ vote. Consequently, the 1967 Referendum considered a public relations success because of the targeted strategies implemented by Charles Perkins, Faith Bandler and the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. Despite this, the Indigenous Peoples had to lobby successive Australian governments for further political equality, which still continues today.

Overall, the Marian military reforms directly changed Roman political campaigns and the role of public opinion in military command assignments across a variety of Roman societal practices. Ultimately, it can be safely argued that Gaius Marius was instrumental in revolutionising the republican political, military and social structures in the 1st century BC. The impact of these changes effectively prepared the way for other political figures, like Pompey, Julius Caesar and Octavian, who would ultimately transform the Roman republic into an empire.

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In a short paper—even a research paper—you don’t need to provide an exhaustive summary as part of your conclusion. But you do need to make some kind of transition between your final body paragraph and your concluding paragraph. This may come in the form of a few sentences of summary. Or it may come in the form of a sentence that brings your readers back to your thesis or main idea and reminds your readers where you began and how far you have traveled.

So, for example, in a paper about the relationship between ADHD and rejection sensitivity, Vanessa Roser begins by introducing readers to the fact that researchers have studied the relationship between the two conditions and then provides her explanation of that relationship. Here’s her thesis: “While socialization may indeed be an important factor in RS, I argue that individuals with ADHD may also possess a neurological predisposition to RS that is exacerbated by the differing executive and emotional regulation characteristic of ADHD.”

In her final paragraph, Roser reminds us of where she started by echoing her thesis: “This literature demonstrates that, as with many other conditions, ADHD and RS share a delicately intertwined pattern of neurological similarities that is rooted in the innate biology of an individual’s mind, a connection that cannot be explained in full by the behavioral mediation hypothesis.”  

Highlight the “so what”  

At the beginning of your paper, you explain to your readers what’s at stake—why they should care about the argument you’re making. In your conclusion, you can bring readers back to those stakes by reminding them why your argument is important in the first place. You can also draft a few sentences that put those stakes into a new or broader context.

In the conclusion to her paper about ADHD and RS, Roser echoes the stakes she established in her introduction—that research into connections between ADHD and RS has led to contradictory results, raising questions about the “behavioral mediation hypothesis.”

She writes, “as with many other conditions, ADHD and RS share a delicately intertwined pattern of neurological similarities that is rooted in the innate biology of an individual’s mind, a connection that cannot be explained in full by the behavioral mediation hypothesis.”  

Leave your readers with the “now what”  

After the “what” and the “so what,” you should leave your reader with some final thoughts. If you have written a strong introduction, your readers will know why you have been arguing what you have been arguing—and why they should care. And if you’ve made a good case for your thesis, then your readers should be in a position to see things in a new way, understand new questions, or be ready for something that they weren’t ready for before they read your paper.

In her conclusion, Roser offers two “now what” statements. First, she explains that it is important to recognize that the flawed behavioral mediation hypothesis “seems to place a degree of fault on the individual. It implies that individuals with ADHD must have elicited such frequent or intense rejection by virtue of their inadequate social skills, erasing the possibility that they may simply possess a natural sensitivity to emotion.” She then highlights the broader implications for treatment of people with ADHD, noting that recognizing the actual connection between rejection sensitivity and ADHD “has profound implications for understanding how individuals with ADHD might best be treated in educational settings, by counselors, family, peers, or even society as a whole.”

To find your own “now what” for your essay’s conclusion, try asking yourself these questions:

• What can my readers now understand, see in a new light, or grapple with that they would not have understood in the same way before reading my paper? Are we a step closer to understanding a larger phenomenon or to understanding why what was at stake is so important?  
• What questions can I now raise that would not have made sense at the beginning of my paper? Questions for further research? Other ways that this topic could be approached?  
• Are there other applications for my research? Could my questions be asked about different data in a different context? Could I use my methods to answer a different question?  
• What action should be taken in light of this argument? What action do I predict will be taken or could lead to a solution?  
• What larger context might my argument be a part of?  

What to avoid in your conclusion  

• a complete restatement of all that you have said in your paper.  
• a substantial counterargument that you do not have space to refute; you should introduce counterarguments before your conclusion.  
• an apology for what you have not said. If you need to explain the scope of your paper, you should do this sooner—but don’t apologize for what you have not discussed in your paper.  
• fake transitions like “in conclusion” that are followed by sentences that aren’t actually conclusions. (“In conclusion, I have now demonstrated that my thesis is correct.”)
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Condensing a 1,000-plus-word essay into a neat little bundle may seem like a Herculean task. You must summarize all your findings and justify their importance within a single paragraph. 

But, when you discover the formula for writing a conclusion paragraph, things get much simpler! 

But, how to write a conclusion paragraph for an essay, and more importantly, how to make it impactful enough? Through this article, we will walk you through the process of constructing a powerful conclusion that leaves a lingering impression on readers’ minds. We will also acquaint you with essay conclusion examples for different types of essays. 

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Let’s start from the beginning: How can you write a conclusion for an essay?

How to write a conclusion for an essay

In order to write an effective conclusion, you must first understand what is a conclusion in an essay. It is not just the summary of the main points of your essay. A well-written conclusion effectively ties together the main ideas of your essay and also pays heed to their broader implications. The objectives of your concluding paragraph are as follows:

• Highlight the significance of your essay topic
• Tie together the key points of your essay
• Leave the reader with something to ponder about

A good essay conclusion begins with a modified thesis statement that is altered on the basis of the information stated throughout the essay. It then ties together all the main points of the essay and ends with a clincher that highlights the broader implications of your thesis statement. 

Now that we’ve understood the basics of how to conclude an essay, let’s understand the key aspects of a good conclusion paragraph. 

1. Restating your thesis statement

If you want to understand how to start a conclusion, you must realize that involves more than just restating the thesis statement word for word. Your thesis statement needs to be updated and expanded upon as per the information provided in your essay. 

There are many ways to start a conclusion. One such method could be to start with the revised version of your thesis statement that hints to the significance of your argument. After this, your conclusion paragraph can organically move on to your arguments in the essay. 

Let’s take a look at an effective way of writing a conclusion for an essay:

If the following claim is your thesis statement:

Virtual reality (VR) is undeniably altering the perception of reality by revolutionizing various industries, reshaping human experiences, and challenging traditional notions of what is real.

The restated thesis statement will be as follows: 

Our analysis has substantiated the claim that virtual reality (VR) is significantly transforming the way we perceive reality. It has revolutionized industries, reshaped human experiences, and challenged traditional notions of reality.

2. Tying together the main points

Tying together all the main points of your essay does not mean simply summarizing them in an arbitrary manner. The key is to link each of your main essay points in a coherent structure. One point should follow the other in a logical format.

The goal is to establish how each of these points connects to the message of your essay as a whole. You can also take the help of powerful quotes or impactful reviews to shed a unique light on your essay. 

Let’s take a look at an example:

VR presents a new paradigm where the distinction between the real and the virtual becomes increasingly blurred. As users dive into immersive virtual worlds, they are confronted with questions about the nature of reality, perception, and the boundaries of human consciousness. 

3. Constructing an impactful conclusion

Most of us are confused about how to end an essay with a bang. The answer is quite simple! The final line of your essay should be impactful enough to create a lasting impression on the reader. More importantly, it should also highlight the significance of your essay topic. This could mean the broader implications of your topic, either in your field of study or in general.

Optionally, you could also try to end your essay on an optimistic note that motivates or encourages the reader. If your essay is about eradicating a problem in society, highlight the positive effects achieved by the eradication of that problem. 

Here’s an example of how to end an essay:

In a world where virtual boundaries dissolve, VR is the catalyst that reshapes our perception of reality, forever altering the landscape of the human experience.

Here’s a combined version of all three aspects:

Our analysis has substantiated the claim that Virtual Reality (VR) is significantly transforming how we perceive reality. It has revolutionized industries, reshaped human experiences, and challenged traditional notions of reality. It presents a new paradigm where the distinction between the real and the virtual becomes increasingly blurred. As users dive into immersive virtual worlds, they are confronted with questions about the nature of reality, perception, and the boundaries of human consciousness. In a world where virtual boundaries dissolve, it is the catalyst that reshapes our perception of reality, forever altering the landscape of the human experience.

Now that we’ve understood the structure of a concluding paragraph, let’s look at what to avoid while writing a conclusion. 

What to avoid in your conclusion paragraph

When learning how to write a conclusion for an essay, you must also know what to avoid. You want to strengthen your argument with the help of a compelling conclusion paragraph, and not undermine it by confusing the reader. 

Let’s take a look at a few strategies to avoid in your essay conclusion:

1. Avoid including new evidence

The conclusion should not introduce new information but rather strengthen the arguments that are already made. If you come across any unique piece of information regarding your essay topic, accommodate it into your body paragraphs rather than stuffing it into your conclusion.

Including new, contradictory information in the concluding paragraph not only confuses the reader but also weakens your argument. You may include a powerful quote that strengthens the message of your essay, or an example that sheds light on the importance of your argument. However, this does not include introducing a completely new argument or making a unique point.

2. Avoid the use of concluding phrases

Your conclusion should hint towards your essay coming to an end, instead of blatantly stating the obvious. Blatant concluding statements undermine the quality of your essay, making it clumsy and amateurish. They also significantly diminish the quality of your arguments. 

It is a good idea to avoid the following statements while concluding your essay:

• In conclusion,
• In summary,

While using these statements may not be incorrect per se, hinting towards a conclusion creates a better impression on the reader rather than blatantly stating it. 

Here are more effective statements you could use:

• Let this essay serve as a catalyst for…
• As we navigate the intricacies of this multifaceted topic, remember…
• As I bid farewell to this subject…

3. Don’t undermine your argument

Although there might be several points of view regarding your essay topic, it is crucial that you stick to your own. You may have stated and refuted other points of view in your body paragraphs. 

However, your conclusion is simply meant to strengthen your main argument. Mentioning other points of view in your essay conclusion, not only weakens your argument but also creates a poor impression of your essay.

Here are a few phrases you should avoid in your essay conclusion:

• There are several methods to approach this topic.
• There are plenty of good points for both sides of the argument.
• There is no clear solution to this problem.

Examples of essay conclusions

Different types of essays make use of different forms of conclusions. The critical question of “how to start a conclusion paragraph” has many different answers. To help you further, we’ve provided a few good conclusions for essays that are based on the four main essay types.

1. Narrative essay conclusion

The following essay conclusion example elaborates on the narrator’s unique experience with homeschooling.

• Restated thesis statement
• Body paragraph summary
• Closing statement

My experience with homeschooling has been a journey that has shaped me in profound ways. Through the challenges and triumphs, I have come to appreciate the unique advantages and personal growth that homeschooling can offer. As I reflect on my journey, I am reminded of the transformative power of this alternative education approach. It has empowered me to take ownership of my education, nurture my passions, and develop skills that extend far beyond the confines of academic achievement. Whether in traditional classrooms or homeschooling environments, it is through embracing and nurturing the unique potential within each of us that we can truly thrive and make a lasting impact on the world.

2. Descriptive essay conclusion

The following essay conclusion example elaborates on the narrator’s bond with their cat.

The enchanting presence that my cat has cannot be ignored, captivating my heart with her grace, charm, and unconditional love. Through the moments of playfulness, companionship, and affection, she has become an irreplaceable member of my family. As I continue to cherish the memories and lessons learned from her, I am reminded of the extraordinary power of the human-animal bond. In their company, we find solace, companionship, and a love that transcends words. In a world that can be challenging and tumultuous, never underestimate the profound impact that animals can have on our lives. In their presence, not only do we find love but also a profound sense of connection.

3. Argumentative essay conclusion

Here’s an essay conclusion example that elaborates on the marginalization of, and acute intolerance towards, LGBTQ+ individuals. 

The journey toward equality for LGBTQ+ individuals is an ongoing battle that demands our unwavering commitment to justice and inclusion. It is evident that while progress has been made, the journey toward equality for these individuals is far from complete. It demands our continued advocacy, activism, and support for legislative change, societal acceptance, and the creation of inclusive environments. The struggle for LGBTQ+ equality is a fight for the very essence of human dignity and the recognition of our shared humanity. It is a battle that requires our collective efforts, determination, and an unyielding belief in the fundamental principles of equality and justice.

4. Expository essay conclusion

This example of an essay conclusion revolves around a psychological phenomenon named the bandwagon effect and examines its potential ill effects on society:

The bandwagon effect in psychology is a fascinating phenomenon that sheds light on the powerful influence of social conformity on individual behavior and decision-making processes. This effect serves as a reminder of the inherently social nature of human beings and the power of social influence in shaping our thoughts, attitudes, and actions. It underscores the importance of critical thinking, individual autonomy, and the ability to resist the pressure of conformity. By understanding its mechanisms and implications, we can guard against its potential pitfalls and actively foster independent thought and decision-making, also contributing to a more enlightened and progressive society.

Now that you’ve taken a closer look at different conclusions for essays, it’s time to put this knowledge to good use. If you need to take your essay up a notch and score high, professional essay editing services are your best bet.

Happy writing!

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How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay

The conclusion is the final paragraph of your writing, and it holds significant weight. It allows you to leave a lasting impression on the reader. But how to write a conclusion that effectively summarizes your points and resonates with your audience? 

This article will guide you through the process of crafting a strong conclusion paragraph, step by step. Our term paper writers will break down the key elements and provide clear examples to illustrate each point. By following these steps and referencing the examples, you'll be well on your way to writing impactful conclusions that leave your reader feeling satisfied and informed.

What Is a Conclusion

Conclusion in an essay is the final paragraph or section that wraps up the main points and provides closure to the piece.

Imagine it as the bridge that connects your ideas to a broader significance. A well-crafted conclusion does more than simply summarize; it elevates your points and offers a sense of closure, ensuring the reader leaves with a clear understanding of your argument's impact. In the next section, you will find conclusion ideas that you could use for your essay.

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How to Write a Conclusion

A powerful conclusion not only summarizes but also reinforces your message and leaves a lasting impression. Here's a breakdown of how to write a conclusion for an essay:

• Restate Your Thesis: Briefly remind the reader of your central point. Don't simply copy and paste your thesis statement, but rephrase it using different words.
• Summarize Key Points: Revisit the main arguments or evidence you presented throughout your writing. This reminds the reader of the journey you took them on and ensures they grasp the core takeaways.
• Avoid Introducing New Information: The conclusion is not the place to introduce brand new ideas. Stick to summarizing and reinforcing the existing points.
• End on a Strong Note: Go beyond a simple summary. You can add a final thought, pose a question to spark further reflection, or highlight the significance of your topic.

Read more: Persuasive essay outline . 

The Purpose of a Conclusion

As you already understand, the conclusion paragraph serves a critical function in your writing. It serves as a final push to solidify your message in your readers’ minds. It's also your opportunity to:

• Remind the reader of your central point (thesis) and the key arguments or evidence used to support it. 
• Use this space to offer a final thought, pose a question that prompts further pondering, or emphasize the significance of your topic.

Remember, a concluding paragraph should NOT:

• Introduce New Information: The conclusion is not the place for brand new ideas. Its purpose lies in wrapping up and reinforcing what you've already established.
• Stray from the Thesis: Don't introduce arguments or evidence not discussed earlier in your writing. Maintain focus on the core message you've been building throughout your work.

How Long Should a Conclusion Paragraph Be

Generally, the ideal length depends on the overall length and complexity of your essay. However, it is not the sole factor. A well-written conclusion of 3 sentences can be far more effective than a rambling one that drags on for multiple paragraphs. 

Here are some general guidelines can help you achieve a balance when writing a conclusion:

• In most cases, you can effectively summarize your points and leave a lasting impression within 3-5 sentences.
• Prioritize delivering a clear and impactful message over unnecessary elaboration.
• Proportion matters. A lengthy research paper might warrant a slightly longer conclusion (think 5-7 sentences) to adequately address all the main points. Conversely, a shorter piece like a blog post might require a more concise conclusion (2-4 sentences).

Conclusion Transition Words

The right transition word can smoothly bridge the gap between your main body of text and your conclusion. Here are some transition words for conclusion categorized by their purpose:

7 Tips for Writing a Conclusion

Having grasped the core functions and structure of a conclusion paragraph, let's check out some practical tips to elevate your closing statements. Here are 7 effective strategies to consider from our dissertation writer :

• Vary Your Sentence Structure: Avoid a monotonous string of simple sentences. Use a mix of sentence structures (short, long, complex) to create a more engaging rhythm.
• Connect to the Introduction: For a cohesive feel, subtly tie your conclusion back to your introduction. You can reference an opening question you posed or revisit a key image you mentioned. Consider this tip especially when unsure how to start a conclusion.
• Embrace Figurative Language (Sparingly): There are different conclusion ideas but a well-placed metaphor or simile can help leave a lasting impression. However, use figurative language strategically and avoid clichés.
• Appeal to the Reader's Emotions: Did your writing highlight a pressing issue? Consider evoking emotions relevant to your topic when you want to know how to write a conclusion paragraph that tugs at the reader's heartstrings.
• Consider a Quote (if Relevant): A powerful quote from a credible source can add authority and depth to your essay conclusion. Ensure the quote aligns with your thesis and enhances your message.
• End with a Strong Call to Action (Optional): If your purpose is to persuade or inspire action, conclude with a clear call to action. Tell your reader exactly what you want them to do next.
• Proofread and Revise: Just like any other part of your writing, proofread your conclusion carefully. Ensure clarity and a smooth flow between your main body of text and the closing statement.

By this time, you already know how to write a conclusion for an essay. However, if you still need further guidance, buy essay from our expert writers anytime!

Do’s and Don’ts of Essay Conclusion

Let's now look at some simple tips from our online paper writing service to help you avoid common mistakes when writing a conclusion.

Conclusion Paragraph Examples

Here are three conclusion paragraph examples showcasing how powerful closings are crafted.

Recommended for reading: Nursing essay examples .

In closing, a strong conclusion is a must-have for any piece of writing. It reminds your reader of your main point and leaves them with a lasting impression. Here are some key things to reflect on how to write a good conclusion:

• Restate your thesis in a fresh way.
• Mention your key arguments.
• Leave a lasting thought or question.
• Consider your audience and tailor your ending to them.
• End with a strong statement.

Remember, a good conclusion is not merely about wrapping things up but rather about making your writing truly impactful.

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How To Write A Conclusion For An Essay?

How to write a good conclusion, how to write a conclusion for a college essay.

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is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

• Updated writing tips.
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• Essay Conclusions | UMGC. (n.d.). University of Maryland Global Campus. https://www.umgc.edu/current-students/learning-resources/writing-center/writing-resources/writing/essay-conclusions
• How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay | BestColleges. (n.d.). BestColleges.com. https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/how-to-write-a-conclusion/
• Ending the Essay: Conclusions | Harvard College Writing Center. (n.d.). https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions

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Structure your writing

The conclusion.

The conclusion provides a way of neatly ending the discussion and providing a clear answer to the question or task set out in the introduction. It also allows you to relate your discussion back to the wider context, for example by identifying gaps in our current knowledge and suggesting a direction for future study.

What should be in the conclusion?

Just as there isn't one way to write an introduction, there isn’t one way to write a conclusion. However, your conclusion should not be a surprise to your reader. You must not include any new information or evidence in your conclusion.

You should present the main message or argument that you want your reader to take away.

You should also summarise the key themes that were raised in the main body.

Highlight any gaps or limitations you have identified in your assignment, and indicate a direction for future study. You might wish to briefly describe the implications or consequences of your findings or recommendations.

Examples of a conclusion

See an example of a concluding paragraph in the Examples of paragraphs in academic writing resource .

How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay

A well-structured conclusion is considered an important element of a strong essay and is often a part of the grading criteria.

Some instructors or grading rubrics might be more lenient on this aspect, while others might place a higher emphasis on it. To avoid potential point deductions, it's generally a good practice to include a well-structured conclusion, which usually takes 10-15% of your work (e.g., a 2,000-word essay should have a 250-word conclusion). In this article, you will find out how to write a concluding paragraph, what are the elements of an A-grade conclusion, as well as a couple of great examples.

How to Write a Conclusion Step by Step

Writing an effective conclusion paragraph involves several steps. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to write a conclusion for your essay:

Restate the Thesis Statement

Begin your conclusion by restating the thesis statement. This reminds the reader of the overall argument or point of your essay. However, don't simply repeat things word for word; rephrase them to add a sense of closure.

Summarize Key Points

Summarize the main argument and the paper's main points. You don't need to go into great detail - simply repeat the main idea. Briefly touch upon the most important ideas discussed in the body of your essay.

Connect to the Introduction

Link your last sentence back to the introductory paragraph. Refer to something mentioned in the introduction or use similar language to create a sense of unity and closure in your essay.

Offer a Final Insight or Perspective

Provide a final perspective related to your topic. This can be a thought-provoking comment, a recommendation, a call to action, a broader implication of your argument, or even a provocative insight. Consider the "So What?" question – why should the reader care about your essay's topic?

Avoid Introducing New Information

Your final sentence is not the place to introduce new information or arguments. Stick to summarizing and tying up what you've already presented in the essay without any new ideas.

Keep It Concise

Essay conclusions should be concise and to the point. Maintain control by avoiding extensive detail or rehashing the entire essay. Aim for clarity and brevity.

Avoid Clichés

Avoid overused phrases and clichés. Instead, find more creative and engaging ways to write good conclusion sentences.

Consider the Tone

The tone of your conclusion should match the tone of your essay. If your essay is formal, keep the conclusion formal. If it's more casual or personal, maintain that tone. Always conclude essays on a positive note.

After writing your conclusion, take the time to proofread and edit it. Ensure there are no grammatical or spelling errors and that the language is clear and concise. This will leave a good final impression.

Think About the Reader

Put yourself in the reader's shoes. Consider what you would want to take away from the essay and what kind of conclusion would be most satisfying and impactful for them.

Remember that knowing how to start a conclusion paragraph can significantly impact the reader's overall impression of your essay. A well-crafted conclusion not only provides closure but also reinforces your main points and leaves a lasting impact.

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Why Conclusion Writing Is Important

Writing a conclusion is important because it provides closure and completeness to the essay, reinforcing the main points and giving the reader a final perspective on the topic.

Many students wonder if it's possible to turn in an essay without a closing sentence. Some see it as a creative choice; others - because they don't understand how to write a good conclusion.

Basically, the absence of a conclusion in an essay can affect the overall quality and coherence, so we always recommend finishing any academic article with a strong concluding paragraph.

Here are several reasons why a conclusion is a must-have in any essay:

• Summarizes key points: A conclusion provides an opportunity to recap the main points and arguments made in the essay. It serves as a summary of the entire essay, reminding the reader of the most important information and ideas presented.
• Reinforces the thesis statement: The conclusion should reiterate the thesis statement or the central argument of the essay. This reinforces the main message and helps the reader remember the purpose and focus of the essay.
• Provides closure: A well-written conclusion gives the essay a sense of closure. It signals to the reader that the essay is ending and provides a satisfying wrap-up to the discussion.
• Offers a final perspective: In the conclusion, you can provide your final thoughts and insights on the topic. This is an opportunity to express your perspective or offer suggestions for further research or action related to the subject matter.
• Leaves a lasting impression: The conclusion is your last chance to leave a strong impression on the reader. A well-crafted conclusion can make your essay more memorable and impactful.
• Connects to the introduction: A good conclusion should link back to the introduction, creating a sense of unity and coherence in the essay. It reminds the reader of the journey they've taken from the beginning to the end of the essay.
• Encourages reflection: The conclusion invites the reader to reflect on the content of the essay and its significance. It can stimulate critical thinking and leave the reader with something to ponder.
• Guides the reader: A conclusion can guide the reader on what to take away from the essay. It can suggest implications, applications, or further considerations related to the topic.

Knowing how to make a conclusion is important because it helps tie together the various elements of an essay, reinforces the main points, provides closure, and leaves a lasting impression on the reader. It is a critical component of effective essay writing that can enhance the overall impact and understanding of your work.

If you'd like to know more about how to write an essay , we've prepared some useful tips for you. In the meantime, we'd like to demonstrate a couple of great conclusion examples essay authors shared for your reference needs.

Three Essentials of a Perfect Final Paragraph

We want to share some practical tips regarding how to write a conclusion for an essay. First and foremost, a concluding passage should start with restating a thesis statement.

It involves rephrasing or summarizing the key arguments of your essay while maintaining the original intent and meaning.

Don't forget to use different wording, parallel structure, and link back to the introduction. E.g.:

Original: "The advancement of technology has had both positive and negative effects on society."

Restated: "Society has experienced a range of consequences, both beneficial and detrimental, due to technological progress."

Secondly, summarize key points and prioritize the main ideas. Focus on the most significant and relevant key points that support your thesis.

You don't need to mention every detail, only the most crucial elements. Be concise and to the point in your summaries. Avoid using lengthy sentences or providing too much context.

Get straight to the core of each key point. Present the key points in a logical order that follows the structure of your essay.

This helps the reader follow your thought process. If your key points in the body of your essay were related to the benefits and drawbacks of technology, this is how you summarize them:

"In summary, this essay has explored the multifaceted impact of technology on society. We have discussed its positive contributions, such as increased efficiency and connectivity, but also examined the negative aspects, including privacy concerns and overreliance on screens. These key points underscore the complexity of our relationship with technology and the need for balanced, informed decision-making."

Thirdly, it's hard to imagine how to conclude an essay without connecting the conclusion to the introduction. Try to use similar or parallel language in your conclusion that was used in the introduction.

This could be in the form of specific words, phrases, or even sentence structures. Such a linguistic connection will reinforce the relationship between the two sections.

If your introduction posed a question, hypothesis, or series of questions, use the conclusion to provide an answer, reflect on the evolution of thought, or address how these questions have been explored and answered in the essay.

Discuss the significance of the introduction's ideas or themes in light of the discussion that has unfolded in the body of the essay. E.g.:

Introduction: "In a world driven by technological advancements, the impact of our digital age on interpersonal relationships remains a topic of great interest."

Conclusion: "As we navigate the ever-changing landscape of the digital age, the significance of maintaining authentic and meaningful connections in our interpersonal relationships becomes even more apparent. The insights gained in this essay reaffirm the importance of striking a balance between the virtual and the real, ensuring that technology enhances rather than hinders our connections."

Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Conclusion

Writing essay conclusions can be challenging, so students should know how to write a conclusion correctly. Here are ten hints to help you prepare excellent concluding paragraphs:

• Repetition of introduction.
• Introducing new information.
• Being too vague.
• Lack of clarity.
• Overlength.
• Failure to address the "So What?" question.
• Inconsistency with the essay's tone.
• Lack of connection to the introduction.
• Neglecting to revisit the thesis.
• Not leaving a lasting impression. ‍

Don't repeat these mistakes, and you'll know how to make a conclusion in an essay perfectly well. It's essential to plan your conclusion carefully, review your essay thoroughly, and consider the reader's perspective.

Practice and feedback from instructors can also help. However, if it isn't sufficient, buy essay online in a few clicks to get the upper hand.

How Much Time Does It Take to Start Writing Proper Essay Conclusions

Practice makes perfect. To master the art of writing conclusions, you'll have to demonstrate patience, skill, and experience.

The time it takes to learn to write great conclusions for essays varies from person to person and depends on several factors, including your starting point, your dedication to improvement, and the quality of feedback and guidance you receive.

There is no fixed timeline for writing great essay conclusions. It doesn't happen overnight.

However, with consistent effort and a willingness to learn from your experiences, you can steadily improve your ability to craft effective concluding paragraphs.

It's also worth noting that writing is a continuous learning process, and even experienced writers continue to refine their skills over time.

How an Effective Conclusion Paragraph Should End

Good conclusions should always end with concluding phrases that can provide a strong, memorable finish to your essay. Remember that the effectiveness of these phrases depends on the context and the specific message you want to convey in your conclusion.

Choose the one that best suits the tone and content of your essay while providing a clear and impactful ending:

• In conclusion.
• In summary.
• To wrap it up.
• In a nutshell.
• To put it simply.
• Ultimately.
• In the final analysis.
• As a result.
• To conclude.
• In essence.
• For these reasons.
• In light of this.
• With all factors considered.
• Taking everything into account.
• Given these points.
• In the grand scheme of things.
• To bring it all together.

Knowing how to end a conclusion will help you convey the overall purpose and message of your essay to readers.

It will provide closure and give the reader a sense of completeness while reinforcing the main points and leaving them with a final thought.

Since we speak a lot about conclusions and connecting them to introductions, you might also like to brush up on how to write an outline for an essay .

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Conclusion Paragraph Examples

"In essence, mastering the craft of how to write conclusion of essay is essential for creating impactful and well-structured essays. By reiterating the thesis, summarizing key points, and leaving a lasting impression, we are writing conclusions that not only provide closure but also reinforce the central message of our essays. As we continue to hone this skill, our ability to communicate effectively through our writing will undoubtedly improve, making our essays more persuasive and memorable."

"In summary, learning how to write a conclusion paragraph requires careful consideration and practice. By reiterating the main point, summarizing key arguments, leaving the reader with a thought-provoking final message, and keeping the conclusion format in mind, we can create conclusions that not only provide closure to our essays but also leave a lasting impact on our readers. As we continue to refine this skill, our ability to write compelling conclusions will enhance the overall quality of our essays and make our writing more engaging and persuasive. As writers, we should continually refine our knowledge of how to end a conclusion paragraph to make our essays more memorable and impactful."

"To sum up, producing an effective conclusion is vital for any writer. Understanding how to write a good conclusion ensures that our essays have the power to resonate with readers, leaving a lasting impression and reinforcing the central message of our work. By following these principles, we can elevate our experience with how to make a good conclusion and engage our audience effectively. It's a skill that, once honed, can distinguish our essays and make them truly memorable, leaving a lasting impact on those who read them."

In this article, we've demonstrated how to write a conclusion - a vital skill for crafting effective college articles.

This knowledge will prove highly beneficial to your educational progress.

By guiding you in restating the thesis, summarizing key points, offering closure, reflecting on significance, and avoiding introducing new information in conclusions, we've equipped you with the tools to leave a lasting impression on your academic work.

This newfound expertise regarding how to end a conclusion in an essay will undoubtedly enhance your college success and contribute to your overall academic achievement.

Why Writing a Conclusion Is Important?

Writing a conclusion paragraph is important because it provides closure, summarizes key points, reinforces the thesis, and leaves a lasting impression on the reader, ensuring that your message is effectively communicated and your work is well-rounded and impactful. Knowing how to write a conclusion sentence allows you to tie together the main ideas presented in your writing. It offers an opportunity to reflect on the broader implications of your work. It allows your audience to leave with a clear understanding of the significance of your argument or findings. Moreover, a strong conclusion can leave a memorable mark on your reader, making it a critical element in effective communication and achieving the desired impact with your writing. That's why every student should know how to write a good conclusion for an essay.

What Is an Essay Conclusions Outline?

A conclusion paragraph outline is a structured plan that helps writers summarize key points, restate the thesis, provide closure, and reflect on the broader significance of their essay. It serves as a roadmap for crafting a well-organized and impactful conclusion. This outline typically includes a section summarizing the main arguments or findings, followed by a restatement of the thesis to reinforce the central message. It also guides writers in discussing the broader implications or significance of their topic. Writing a conclusion for an essay ensures that you effectively encapsulate the essay's core ideas and leave a strong and lasting impression on the reader.

How to Write a Good Conclusion?

Demonstrate that you know how to write a conclusion by restating your thesis, summarizing key points, providing closure, and reflecting on the broader significance of your work. Avoid introducing new information, and aim to leave a strong and memorable final impression on the reader. A good conclusion should tie back to the introduction and the main body of your work, creating a sense of completeness. While learning how to end a essay, it's essential to maintain a consistent tone and style with the rest of the piece, ensuring a harmonious flow. Engage the reader by highlighting the relevance and real-world implications of your topic, leaving them with a clear understanding of why your argument or findings matter. According to MBA essay writing service experts, a good conclusion is an integral part of grading criteria and should be featured in the article.

Any Tips on How to Write a Concluding Paragraph?

The concluding paragraph is a critical component of effective writing, serving as the last opportunity to make a compelling impression on your audience. If you'd like to learn how to write a good conclusion paragraph, start by reiterating your thesis or central argument, reinforcing the core message. Summarize the key points and arguments presented in the body of your work, providing a concise overview of your main ideas. Next, offer closure by crafting a conclusion that brings your narrative or argument to a logical and satisfying end. Lastly, refrain from introducing new information, as this can disrupt the flow and purpose of your conclusion. When practicing how to write conclusion in essay, focus on reinforcing the existing content and leaving a memorable final impression on your readers.

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How to write a captivating essay conclusion

(Last updated: 12 May 2021)

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You may be surprised when we say that an essay conclusion is, in some ways, comparable to a piece of text as emotive as say, Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Sounds ridiculous? Perhaps. But, extravagant comparisons aside, what we mean here is that the core purpose of an essay conclusion can be compared to the end of any great speech, monologue or presentation that leaves you feeling something . Ultimately, when you conclude an essay, you want to engage the reader's emotions, whether they be excitement, surprise, contemplation, or a mix of these and more. And you want to do this in much the same way that Martin Luther King would have done with his captivated audience on that memorable day in 1963.

Conclusions are among the hardest parts of an essay to write well. You need to round off your essay effectively. You need to leave your reader with the best possible impression of your work. And, you need to somehow recap all your central points without simply repeating yourself. Sound like a tricky balancing act? We explain it all in more depth below – read on for our tips on how to conclude an essay effectively.

How do I conclude an essay?

What is a conclusion? It’s a question that seems, on the face of it, to have a perfectly simple answer. It’s the paragraph (or so) at the end of your essay where you bring your essay to a stop by recapping your central arguments, right? Easy.

If we asked you to list a few synonyms for an essay conclusion, we’re willing to bet you’d come up with a few words or phrases like “recap”, “summary”, “restatement of your thesis”, and so on. And it’s true you’re likely to find all of these somewhere in the conclusion of an essay.

"Words and phrases like 'recap', 'summary' and 'restatement of your thesis' don't accurately describe what an essay conclusion is. A conclusion is so much more, and a lot hinges on how well it is done."

But none of the phrases above fully grasp the function of an essay conclusion. In fact, taking any one of them to be entirely synonymous with an essay conclusion is likely to lead you down the path towards writing bad essay conclusions, or at least missed-opportunity conclusions – conclusions that don’t take full advantage of their place at the end of the essay to fulfil their rhetorical potential.

OK then, how do I avoid concluding an essay badly?

Before we get to answering the question of what an essay conclusion is, it’s useful to spend a moment thinking about some of the things an essay conclusion isn’t .

• It’s not a repeat of your introduction. Every university instructor has encountered an essay where a student has copied and pasted, almost word-for-word, their introduction at the bottom of their essay. It should be obvious that there’s no point in doing this. You're just eating up words by repeating the same information over again. And if a conclusion were simply a rehash of the introduction, there wouldn’t be any point in ending the essay with it. You could just end with your final body paragraph argument. Or, if you really wanted your reader to read the introduction again and remind themselves of your central arguments, you could simply say something like, “See introduction”! OK, so copying and pasting the introduction is an extreme example, and you’re probably thinking “there’s no way I’d do something like that.” But it’s fairly common for students to conclude an essay by simply rephrasing their introduction. Just paraphrasing yourself while retaining all the content of your introduction isn’t a whole lot different from the copy-paste job. You’re still just going through the motions and repeating the same information without really getting to grips with the dedicated function a conclusion is supposed to fulfil.
• It’s not just a summary of your body paragraphs. Another common trap students fall into is to view the essay conclusion simply as a recap. They conclude an essay by providing a concise summary of each of the arguments they’ve made. This kind of recap can form an important part of your conclusion, especially in longer essays where you’ve made a series of complex arguments. But, as with repeating your introduction, eating up valuable word count simply to rehash stuff you’ve already said is redundant and doesn’t fulfil any sort of rhetorical or persuasive function.
• It’s not a place to add new content or make new arguments. Yes, your essay conclusion shouldn’t be simply a recap, a summary, or a repeat of what you’ve already written in your essay. But it is a place where you reflect on the arguments you’ve made rather than starting to introduce anything new. And here’s where the whole business of how to conclude an essay starts to get a bit complicated. If a conclusion is neither simply a recap of old information nor a place for new information, what is it, exactly?

A conclusion is a sales pitch!

If you’ve been paying attention you may have seen that we’ve already mentioned “rhetoric” a couple of times so far in this post – and this is no accident. You can’t really talk about essay conclusions without talking about rhetoric. The conclusion to an essay is the most purely rhetorical part of the entire piece.

By “rhetorical”, we mean a conclusion’s (and indeed the entire essay’s) ability to convince or persuade the reader of certain outlooks or arguments. An essay conclusion needs to use rhetoric to emotionally connect with the reader in some way. And this is done through the use of certain language and the way the information is presented.

If alarm bells are starting to ring at the mention of rhetoric, quiet them. Rhetoric gets a bad name in public discourse. Phrases like “pure rhetoric” or “empty rhetoric” are often used to suggest that an utterance lacks substance or integrity, or is somehow dishonest or insincere. And those are the last things you want your reader to take away from reading your essay! But rhetoric is one of the oldest scholarly disciplines in the world. In Classical societies – and in fact right up to the beginning of the twentieth century – it was considered one of the most important disciplines throughout Western society. The fact that it’s acquired something of a bad name over the last hundred years or so doesn’t mean it’s not still the foundation of good writing.

More importantly, your rhetorical skills can make a huge difference to whether your reader actually buys your argument. Let’s say we have two writers. One is skilled in rhetoric; the other less so. Both could make an identical set of arguments with the same supporting evidence and elicit entirely different responses in their readers. It’s true that the excessive use of rhetorical flourishes can rub your reader up the wrong way. It could cause them to think your essay is more about style than substance. But the subtler cues – in the way you phrase, structure, and present your arguments – can unquestionably make the difference between winning over a sceptical audience and leaving them unmoved.

"How you phrase, structure, and present arguments in your essay conclusion can make the difference between winning over a sceptical audience and leaving them unmoved – which could easily make a difference to your overall grade."

So what does all this have to do with how you conclude an essay? This can all seem a bit abstract when we’re dealing with essay writing , so let’s try an analogy. Let’s imagine you’re delivering a sales pitch for a property company. That company is trying to sell waterfront properties in a desirable holiday location – the Caribbean, say. Your audience is a set of moderately well-off individuals who regularly take expensive holidays. But, they’re not sure they can afford to buy a second home in the Caribbean. Even if they can afford it, they’re unclear if it would be a good investment.

To convince the members of your audience that they want to buy one of your properties, you’re going to have to conduct quite a detailed pitch. It could easily take a couple of hours or more to list the features of the property, the merits of the location, and the financial arrangements that will allow buyers to fund their purchase. You’ll make many arguments throughout your pitch, not all of which will be equally exciting. Sure, you’ll tell your potential customers about the balcony that leads off the master bedroom, the distance to the beach, and the amenities of the town in which the properties are located.

But your customers will also want to know other details: can they let the property while they’re not using it, for example? What kind of returns will that bring, and will these be enough to offset the purchase price? How are properties taxed in the area? And how about the facilities the local authority will provide? What kind of sanitation and waste facilities does the property have? Is it connected to a sewer or does it use a septic tank?

If the buyer is going to sign on the dotted line when it’s all done, you’re going to have to provide convincing answers to all of these questions. But simply recapping your arguments in order isn’t going to end the presentation effectively. You don’t want the lingering thought in your audience’s mind to be taxes or sewage. And you certainly don’t want to hit them with any new detail in your closing few slides. In fact, you don’t really want them to leave the presentation with any of the details you’ve discussed uppermost in their mind. Dwelling on any of the details is likely to remind them that buying and owning property is time-consuming, expensive, and stressful.

The impression you want to leave them with is that of having their very own place in the sun. An island paradise that’s theirs to return to any time they want to. You don’t want them leaving the building still musing over any of the specific points of your sales pitch. They need to be moved by the overall effect – and the promise – of what you’ve offered them. Sun on their backs, sand between their toes, and a crystal-clear blue ocean stretching out ahead of them.

So how does this help me conclude an essay?

OK, we get it. You’re not selling anybody a beach getaway when you conclude an essay. But what the above analogy describes is rhetoric . In an essay, you are making a pitch. And the same principles as the property sales example above apply.

Your essay conclusion is your parting shot. It’s your opportunity to leave your reader with a favourable impression of the arguments you’ve just made. You want them, at minimum, to be convinced that you’ve achieved what you set out to achieve; that you’ve proved your points . Better yet, you want them to feel satisfied that you’ve taken them on an intellectual journey that was interesting and rewarding.

Best of all, though, is if you leave them with a feeling of excitement . Excitement that your essay promises a new way of thinking about a topic, or a promising line of intellectual inquiry. The scholarly equivalent of feeling sand between their toes, in other words.

My five-paragraph essay has to be exciting ? How do you propose I manage that?

It’s true that not all essays are equally rewarding to read. But academia is all about the collaborative generation of knowledge. And even first-year undergraduate students can offer an original take on a subject that causes their instructors to think about a topic in a new way. Maybe they’ll even incorporate that new angle into their class teachings, or the next paper they write. Don’t underestimate how exciting that can be for instructors. And don’t underestimate how much your instructor – with a pile of fifty or a hundred essays to sift through – will appreciate a well-written, animated essay that reads satisfyingly from start to finish. And if there’s even a germ of an original idea in the essay, it’s your job to sell it. It’s your job to highlight what’s new and innovative about your argument, and to excite your reader. That’s what a good essay conclusion does.

Here's a note if you’re writing an essay using a formulaic structure like the five-paragraph, three-argument essay. With these formulaic essays it’s even more important that you don’t simply regurgitate your introduction in your conclusion. The key to concluding an essay of any length or complexity is persuading your reader that there’s been development between the start and end of the essay. They must end knowing more than they did at the start. The same applies for five-paragraph essays.

Let’s consider an example where you’re writing a five-paragraph essay about Shakespeare’s famous Sonnet 18, and you’ve been asked to examine some of the formal features of the sonnet. We’ll take a look at a sample introduction that concisely outlines the thesis of the essay, and then think about how we might conclude such an essay effectively. (Note: this example contains some fairly detailed literary-critical terminology, but you don’t need to understand this to be able to follow along.)

Introduction:

William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”) is one of his best-known sonnets and deals with themes of eternal love, ageing, and the nature of art. This essay explores how Shakespeare uses the formal structure of the sonnet, together with small but significant variations in the meter, and the conceit of the changing seasons, to explore these themes.

Body paragraphs:

[ Body paragraph 1: the structure of an English sonnet, the use of the “turn” at the start of the third quatrain, and the couplet at the end that presents a neat summary of the poem’s message about the timelessness of art in the face of human ageing.]

[ Body paragraph 2: the generally regular use of iambic pentameter in the sonnet, and the effects of strategic substitutions, in particular the replacement of the first iambic foot in line 3 with a spondaic foot, and its introduction of a note of restlessness and discord after the harmonious opening two lines.]

[ Body paragraph 3: the conceit of the changing seasons that runs through the entire poem, and the ways in which Shakespeare uses the sonnet structure to explore different aspects of this theme.]

Bad essay conclusion (rephrasing of the thesis statement, lacking any development):

Sonnet 18 explores the themes of love, ageing, and art through the extended metaphor of the changing seasons. Shakespeare uses the sonnet’s formal structure, variations in the iambic pentameter meter, and the conceit of summer changing into winter, to explore these eternal themes.

Better essay conclusion (recaps on central points and makes some attempt to draw them together):

In Sonnet 18, Shakespeare explores the themes of love, ageing, and art through the extended metaphor of the changing seasons. Shakespeare uses both the meter and structure of the sonnet to maximise the effectiveness of this metaphor. Metrical variations like the spondaic substitution at the start of the third line maximise the drama of this metaphor. By making use of the formal structure of the sonnet – especially the “turn” at the start of the third quatrain – Shakespeare is able to explore different facets of his central conceit of summer changing into winter.

Best essay conclusion (recaps central points but makes the key links between them explicit and gestures towards broader implications):

Shakespeare’s sonnets are among the most celebrated sequences of poems in the English language, and Sonnet 18 provides several important illustrations of why this is. The formal techniques Shakespeare uses to explore the poem’s central conceit of changing seasons are often very subtle, but demonstrate a mastery of the sonnet form that enhances his exploration of his central conceit of the changing seasons. We have seen, for example, how minor metrical variations have a powerful impact on the poem’s message, like the use of the spondaic foot “Rough winds” in place of an iambic foot at the start of the third line, which introduces a note of conflict into the seemingly harmonious simile with which he begins the sonnet. And the archetypal sonnet “turn” that Shakespeare deploys at the start of the third quatrain allows him to convey a profound message about the redemptive, eternal power of art, transforming a melancholy lament on the process of ageing into a triumphant celebration of the poem itself.

As you’ll see from these three examples, there are many different ways to conclude an essay and recap on its central points. Each of the above essay conclusions could apply to the same basic thesis statement and three body paragraphs, but they would have radically different effects on the overall way a reader interprets the value of these arguments.

Our first example simply restates the thesis without displaying any significant development. The points made in the three body paragraphs are simply presented in the conclusion as a list. This creates an overall effect of disjointedness (often a major problem for five-paragraph essays).

The second example demonstrates the bare minimum a reader should expect from a conclusion. It creates a sense of development through the essay by revisiting some of the detail of the body paragraphs and attempting to draw links between them.

However, the third example represents a much more convincing “sales pitch” for this kind of essay. It groups together the various body paragraph arguments into a single unifying theme. In this case, it’s the idea that Shakespeare’s greatness as a poet rests in his mastery of form and content, and his ability to weave the two subtly into a poem that first descents into a lament on the ravages of ageing and then abruptly turns into a celebration of art and poetry.

What makes this conclusion example really stand out from the other two is its sense of balance between recap and sales pitch. Although it doesn’t introduce any new content, it does gesture towards broader implications for the arguments presented in the essay. For example, it highlights Shakespeare’s greatness as a poet and a master of form. The effect on a mundane, humdrum five-paragraph essay is quite transformative. The essay conclusion takes the contents of a fairly bog-standard, elementary literary-critical argument and makes them seem exciting and relevant.

A conclusion can’t save a bad essay, of course. But if you conclude an essay with the right sales pitch you can make even fairly elementary arguments sparkle!

How (and how not) to conclude an essay – dos and don’ts

The examples above offer some good pointers to help you conclude an essay in the most persuasive possible way. Here’s a summary of what we’ve learned:

• Do sell it. If your introduction and body paragraphs are where you lay the solid groundwork for your essay, your conclusion is where you convince your reader that what they’ve read represented a fun, insightful, intellectual journey that was worth their time. Don’t be afraid of rhetoric when you’re looking to conclude an essay – make the biggest, boldest pitch you can for the value of what you’ve argued.
• Do pull it all together. When you conclude an essay, you’re not only trying to convince your reader of the merit of your individual points or body paragraphs. You’re also making the case that your essay represented a unified, coherent whole. If you include one new thing in your introduction, make it an explicit theme that unifies all of your points and convinces your reader that your essay is a single, flowing, logical unit.
• Do be speculative. The conclusion to an essay is the one place where you get to bend the rules just a little bit. Throughout the rest of your essay you need to be scrupulously careful not to make assertions you can’t back up. But it’s expected that your conclusion gestures broadly – and slightly speculatively – towards the implications of your argument. Don’t go nuts and claim your argument will change the world, of course. That’s wholly unsupportable and comes across as ludicrous and overblown – the “bad” kind of rhetoric. But you should be aiming to excite your reader. You can often do this by suggesting that there’s an urgent need to change approach to a problem or view it in a new way.
• Don’t just rehash your thesis. The absolute least effective way you can conclude an essay is to simply repeat what you’ve already said in your introduction. You’ll create a sense of stagnation which is the very opposite of the sense of progression and dynamism you’re trying to create. This is especially true if your essay is short.
• Don’t introduce whole new arguments. It’s true, your essay conclusion should revisit your arguments in a fresh way, whether that’s by underlying a unifying theme or gesturing towards the implications of what you’ve written. But you still need to conclude your essay by reflecting on arguments you’ve already made, not by introducing new ones.

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The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay | Steps & Examples

An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.

There are many types of essays you might write as a student. The content and length of an essay depends on your level, subject of study, and course requirements. However, most essays at university level are argumentative — they aim to persuade the reader of a particular position or perspective on a topic.

The essay writing process consists of three main stages:

• Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline.
• Writing : Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion.
• Revision:  Check your essay on the content, organization, grammar, spelling, and formatting of your essay.

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Table of contents

Essay writing process, preparation for writing an essay, writing the introduction, writing the main body, writing the conclusion, essay checklist, lecture slides, frequently asked questions about writing an essay.

The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay .

For example, if you’ve been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you’ll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay , on the other hand, you’ll need to spend more time researching your topic and developing an original argument before you start writing.

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Before you start writing, you should make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to say and how you’re going to say it. There are a few key steps you can follow to make sure you’re prepared:

• Understand your assignment: What is the goal of this essay? What is the length and deadline of the assignment? Is there anything you need to clarify with your teacher or professor?
• Define a topic: If you’re allowed to choose your own topic , try to pick something that you already know a bit about and that will hold your interest.
• Do your research: Read  primary and secondary sources and take notes to help you work out your position and angle on the topic. You’ll use these as evidence for your points.
• Come up with a thesis:  The thesis is the central point or argument that you want to make. A clear thesis is essential for a focused essay—you should keep referring back to it as you write.
• Create an outline: Map out the rough structure of your essay in an outline . This makes it easier to start writing and keeps you on track as you go.

Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to discuss, in what order, and what evidence you’ll use, you’re ready to start writing.

The introduction sets the tone for your essay. It should grab the reader’s interest and inform them of what to expect. The introduction generally comprises 10–20% of the text.

1. Hook your reader

The first sentence of the introduction should pique your reader’s interest and curiosity. This sentence is sometimes called the hook. It might be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement emphasizing the relevance of the topic.

Let’s say we’re writing an essay about the development of Braille (the raised-dot reading and writing system used by visually impaired people). Our hook can make a strong statement about the topic:

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

2. Provide background on your topic

Next, it’s important to give context that will help your reader understand your argument. This might involve providing background information, giving an overview of important academic work or debates on the topic, and explaining difficult terms. Don’t provide too much detail in the introduction—you can elaborate in the body of your essay.

3. Present the thesis statement

Next, you should formulate your thesis statement— the central argument you’re going to make. The thesis statement provides focus and signals your position on the topic. It is usually one or two sentences long. The thesis statement for our essay on Braille could look like this:

As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness.

4. Map the structure

In longer essays, you can end the introduction by briefly describing what will be covered in each part of the essay. This guides the reader through your structure and gives a preview of how your argument will develop.

The invention of Braille marked a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by blind and visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

Write your essay introduction

The body of your essay is where you make arguments supporting your thesis, provide evidence, and develop your ideas. Its purpose is to present, interpret, and analyze the information and sources you have gathered to support your argument.

Length of the body text

The length of the body depends on the type of essay. On average, the body comprises 60–80% of your essay. For a high school essay, this could be just three paragraphs, but for a graduate school essay of 6,000 words, the body could take up 8–10 pages.

Paragraph structure

To give your essay a clear structure , it is important to organize it into paragraphs . Each paragraph should be centered around one main point or idea.

That idea is introduced in a  topic sentence . The topic sentence should generally lead on from the previous paragraph and introduce the point to be made in this paragraph. Transition words can be used to create clear connections between sentences.

After the topic sentence, present evidence such as data, examples, or quotes from relevant sources. Be sure to interpret and explain the evidence, and show how it helps develop your overall argument.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

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The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It should generally take up no more than 10–15% of the text . A strong essay conclusion :

• Returns to your thesis
• Ties together your main points
• Shows why your argument matters

A great conclusion should finish with a memorable or impactful sentence that leaves the reader with a strong final impression.

What not to include in a conclusion

To make your essay’s conclusion as strong as possible, there are a few things you should avoid. The most common mistakes are:

• Including new arguments or evidence
• Undermining your arguments (e.g. “This is just one approach of many”)
• Using concluding phrases like “To sum up…” or “In conclusion…”

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

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Checklist: Essay

My essay follows the requirements of the assignment (topic and length ).

My introduction sparks the reader’s interest and provides any necessary background information on the topic.

My introduction contains a thesis statement that states the focus and position of the essay.

I use paragraphs to structure the essay.

I use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph.

Each paragraph has a single focus and a clear connection to the thesis statement.

I make clear transitions between paragraphs and ideas.

My conclusion doesn’t just repeat my points, but draws connections between arguments.

I don’t introduce new arguments or evidence in the conclusion.

I have given an in-text citation for every quote or piece of information I got from another source.

I have included a reference page at the end of my essay, listing full details of all my sources.

My citations and references are correctly formatted according to the required citation style .

My essay has an interesting and informative title.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (e.g. font, page numbers, line spacing).

Your essay meets all the most important requirements. Our editors can give it a final check to help you submit with confidence.

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An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

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How to Write a Good Conclusion Paragraph (+30 Examples)

A good conclusion paragraph is the lasting impression you want to leave with your reader.

Here is a quick summary of how to write a good conclusion paragraph:

Write a good conclusion paragraph by summarizing key points, restating your thesis, and providing a final thought or call to action. Ensure it wraps up your main ideas, reinforces your argument, and leaves the reader with something to ponder.

This ultimate guide will walk you through the steps to craft an effective conclusion, along with 30 examples to inspire you.

5 Steps for Writing a Good Conclusion Paragraph

Table of Contents

There are five main steps to writing a good conclusion.

Let’s go through each step

1. Understand the Purpose

The conclusion is your final opportunity to leave an impact.

It should tie together your main ideas, reinforce your message, and give the reader a sense of closure.

Wrap Up Your Main Ideas

The conclusion should succinctly wrap up the main points of your writing. Think of it as a summary that captures the essence of your arguments without going into detailed explanations.

This helps reinforce what you have discussed and ensures that the reader remembers the core message.

Reinforce Your Thesis

Your thesis statement is the foundation of your writing.

In the conclusion, restate it in a new way to reinforce your central argument. This reminds the reader of the purpose of your writing and underscores its significance.

Give a Sense of Closure

A good conclusion gives a sense of closure to the reader. It signals that the discussion has come to an end and that all points have been addressed. This helps the reader feel that the piece is complete and that their time was well-spent.

Leave the Reader with Something to Think About

The best conclusions go beyond merely summarizing the content.

They leave the reader with a final thought or reflection that stays with them. This could be a call to action, a prediction about the future, or a thought-provoking question that encourages further reflection on the topic.

2. Summarize Key Points

Briefly summarize the key points discussed in the body of your text.

Avoid introducing new information. This helps the reader recall the main ideas.

Brief Summary

The summary should be concise and to the point. Highlight the main ideas discussed in your writing without going into detailed explanations. This helps refresh the reader’s memory of your key points.

Avoid New Information

Introducing new information in the conclusion can confuse the reader. The conclusion is not the place to present new arguments or data. Stick to summarizing what has already been discussed.

Recall Main Ideas

Summarizing the key points helps the reader recall the main ideas of your writing. This reinforces the message and ensures that the reader takes away the most important information from your piece.

“In conclusion, adopting sustainable practices, reducing waste, and promoting renewable energy are essential steps towards a greener future.”

3. Restate the Thesis

Restate your thesis in a new way. This reinforces your argument without sounding repetitive.

Restate, Don’t Repeat

Restating the thesis means expressing it in a new way.

Avoid repeating it verbatim.

Instead, rephrase it to reinforce your argument and show that you have successfully argued your point throughout the piece.

Reinforce the Argument

Restating the thesis helps reinforce your central argument. It reminds the reader of the purpose of your writing and underscores its significance.

Provide Closure Restating the thesis in the conclusion gives a sense of closure.

It signals that the discussion has come full circle and that you have addressed your initial argument.

“By implementing these strategies, we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint and protect our planet for future generations.”

4. Provide a Final Thought

Offer a final thought or reflection to leave a lasting impression. This could be a call to action, a prediction, or a thought-provoking question.

Final Thought or Reflection

A final thought or reflection can leave a lasting impression on the reader.

It shows that you are not just summarizing your points but also offering a deeper insight or perspective.

Call to Action

A call to action encourages the reader to take the next step.

It motivates them to act based on the information or arguments presented in your writing.

Prediction or Question

A prediction about the future or a thought-provoking question can engage the reader and encourage further reflection. This leaves the reader with something to think about even after they have finished reading.

“As we move forward, it’s crucial to remember that every small effort counts. Together, we can make a difference.”

5. Use a Call to Action (if applicable)

If your piece is meant to persuade or encourage action, include a call to action. This motivates the reader to take the next step.

Motivate the Reader

A call to action motivates the reader to take the next step.

It encourages them to act based on the information or arguments presented in your writing.

Encourage Action

Including a call to action is especially important in persuasive writing. It encourages the reader to act on the information provided and make a change or take a specific action.

Provide Clear Steps

A good call to action provides clear steps for the reader to follow.

It should be specific and actionable, guiding the reader on what to do next.

“Join us in making a positive change. Start today by reducing your plastic use and spreading awareness about environmental conservation.”

Check out this video about how to write a good conclusion:

How to Write a Good Conclusion for an Essay

Writing a good conclusion for an essay involves summarizing your main points, restating your thesis, and providing a final thought or reflection.

Here’s how:

• Summarize Main Points : Briefly recap the key points discussed in the body of your essay.
• Restate Thesis : Paraphrase your thesis statement to reinforce your argument.
• Final Thought : Offer a final insight, question, or call to action to leave a lasting impression.

This approach ensures your essay feels complete and leaves the reader with a clear understanding of your argument.

How to Write a Good Conclusion for an Argumentative Essay

A strong conclusion for an argumentative essay should not only summarize the main points and restate the thesis but also emphasize the importance of your argument.

Follow these steps:

• Summarize Arguments : Briefly outline the main arguments presented.
• Restate Thesis : Rephrase your thesis to highlight its significance.
• Address Counterarguments : Acknowledge opposing viewpoints and reinforce why your argument is stronger.
• Call to Action : Encourage the reader to take action or reconsider their position.

How to Write a Good Conclusion for a Research Paper

Crafting a good conclusion for a research paper involves summarizing your findings, discussing their implications, and suggesting future research.

Here’s a guide:

• Summarize Findings : Recap the key results of your research.
• Discuss Implications : Explain the significance of your findings and how they contribute to the field.
• Restate Research Question : Reiterate the research question and how your findings address it.
• Suggest Future Research : Propose areas for further investigation.

This format provides a comprehensive and thoughtful conclusion that underscores the importance of your research and its potential impact.

30 Examples of Good Conclusion Paragraphs

Let’s explore some good examples of good conclusions.

Example 1: Environmental Essay

“In conclusion, the preservation of our natural resources is not just a necessity but a responsibility we owe to future generations. By taking small steps today, we can ensure a healthier planet tomorrow.”

Example 2: Technology Article

“As we embrace the advancements in technology, it is vital to remain vigilant about privacy and security. Staying informed and proactive can help us navigate the digital landscape safely.”

Example 3: Health and Wellness Blog

“Ultimately, achieving a balanced lifestyle requires dedication and mindfulness. By prioritizing our well-being, we can lead healthier and more fulfilling lives.”

Example 4: Business Report

“In summary, the market analysis indicates a positive trend for our product. With strategic planning and execution, we can capitalize on these opportunities and drive growth.”

Example 5: Education Essay

“In the end, fostering a love for learning in students is the key to their success. By creating engaging and supportive educational environments, we can inspire the next generation of leaders.”

Example 6: Travel Blog

“To conclude, exploring new destinations enriches our lives and broadens our perspectives. Embrace the adventure and discover the beauty of our world.”

Example 7: Personal Development Article

“In the final analysis, personal growth is a lifelong journey. Embrace challenges, learn from experiences, and continue striving to become the best version of yourself.”

Example 8: Marketing Case Study

“In closing, the data clearly shows that targeted marketing strategies significantly improve customer engagement and sales. By refining our approach, we can achieve even greater success.”

Example 9: Historical Analysis

“In conclusion, the events of the past continue to shape our present and future. Understanding history is essential to making informed decisions and avoiding past mistakes.”

Example 10: Scientific Research Paper

“Ultimately, the findings of this study contribute to our understanding of the subject and open the door for further research. Continued exploration in this field is vital for advancing knowledge.”

Example 11: Political Commentary

“In the end, civic engagement is crucial for a functioning democracy. Stay informed, participate in discussions, and exercise your right to vote.”

Example 12: Fashion Blog

“To wrap up, fashion is a powerful form of self-expression. Embrace your unique style and let your wardrobe reflect your personality.”

Example 13: Food Blog

“In conclusion, cooking at home not only saves money but also allows you to experiment with flavors and ingredients. Start your culinary journey today and discover the joys of homemade meals.”

Example 14: Sports Article

“Ultimately, teamwork and perseverance are the foundations of success in sports. Keep pushing your limits and strive for excellence on and off the field.”

Example 15: Literature Analysis

“In summary, the themes explored in this novel resonate with readers and offer valuable insights into the human condition. Its timeless message continues to inspire and provoke thought.”

Example 16: Parenting Blog

“In the end, raising children requires patience, love, and commitment. Cherish the moments, and remember that every effort you make shapes their future.”

Example 17: Finance Article

“To conclude, financial planning is essential for securing your future. Start today by setting clear goals and creating a budget that aligns with your aspirations.”

Example 18: Career Advice Blog

“In conclusion, building a successful career takes time and dedication. Stay focused, seek opportunities for growth, and never stop learning.”

Example 19: Fitness Blog

“Ultimately, regular exercise and a balanced diet are key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Stay motivated, and remember that every step counts towards your fitness goals.”

Example 20: DIY Blog

“In summary, DIY projects are a rewarding way to personalize your space and learn new skills. Get creative and start your next project today.”

Example 21: Relationship Advice

“In the end, strong relationships are built on communication, trust, and mutual respect. Nurture your connections and strive for harmony in your interactions.”

Example 22: Pet Care Blog

“To wrap up, responsible pet ownership involves understanding your pet’s needs and providing them with a loving home. Invest in their well-being, and they’ll reward you with unconditional love.”

Example 23: Environmental Science Paper

“In conclusion, addressing climate change requires global cooperation and immediate action. Every effort counts, and together we can create a sustainable future.”

Example 24: Technology Review

“Ultimately, this gadget offers impressive features that enhance convenience and efficiency. Consider it for your next tech upgrade.”

Example 25: Psychology Article

“In summary, understanding human behavior is crucial for improving mental health and well-being. Continue exploring this fascinating field for more insights.”

Example 26: Gardening Blog

“In the end, gardening is a therapeutic and rewarding hobby that connects us with nature. Start your garden today and enjoy the benefits of fresh produce and beautiful blooms.”

Example 27: Home Improvement Article

“To conclude, home improvement projects can significantly enhance your living space and increase property value. Plan carefully and enjoy the transformation.”

Example 28: Social Media Marketing

“In conclusion, effective social media marketing requires consistency, creativity, and engagement. Develop a strategy that resonates with your audience and watch your brand grow.”

Example 29: Automotive Review

“Ultimately, this vehicle combines performance, style, and safety. Take it for a test drive and experience its capabilities firsthand.”

Example 30: Music Blog

“In summary, music has the power to evoke emotions and bring people together. Explore different genres and find the soundtrack to your life.”

Tips for Writing a Strong Conclusion

Here are some simple but good tips for writing a powerful conclusion:

• Keep it Concise – A good conclusion should be short and to the point. Avoid unnecessary details and focus on wrapping up your main ideas.
• Use Clear Language – Ensure your language is clear and easy to understand. Avoid jargon and complex sentences.
• Be Consistent – Maintain the same tone and style as the rest of your text. Consistency helps create a seamless reading experience.
• End on a Positive Note – Whenever possible, end with a positive or uplifting message. This leaves the reader with a good impression.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

There are some common mistakes that many writers make when crafting their conclusions.

• Introducing New Information – Don’t introduce new ideas or arguments in the conclusion. This can confuse the reader and dilute your main points.
• Being Vague – Avoid vague statements that don’t add value. Be specific and clear in your summary.
• Repetitiveness – Don’t repeat the same points over and over. Restate your thesis and key points in a new way.
• Ignoring the Thesis – Make sure to tie your conclusion back to your thesis. This reinforces your argument and gives a sense of closure.

Final Thoughts: How to Write a Good Conclusion Paragraph

Writing a good conclusion paragraph is essential for creating a cohesive and impactful piece of writing.

By summarizing key points, restating the thesis, providing a final thought, and using a call to action, you can craft a strong conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Use the 30 examples provided to inspire your own writing and ensure your conclusions are always effective and engaging.

Read This Next:

• How to Write an Introduction Paragraph [50+ Examples]
• How to Write a Paragraph [Ultimate Guide + Examples]
• Types of Evidence in Writing [Ultimate Guide + Examples]
• Narrative Writing Graphic Organizer [Guide + Free Templates]
• How to Write a Hook (40 Good Examples)

How to Make a Timeline for an Essay

A writing project requires time for reading and research, as well as time to engage with the material and review and revise initial drafts. Whether writing a 5- or a 15-page essay, you can successfully manage the task by following a workable timeline. Approaching an essay project with a realistic plan of action enables you to present your best work.

Divide your essay project into three distinct assignments: reading the material, researching the material and writing your essay. Ideally, you should schedule at least a week for each assignment. If you don't have that liberty, divide your available time into thirds and aim for completing one assignment per time interval.

List tasks associated with the reading assignment. Plan to write response paragraphs daily as you read, as this will help generate ideas that may prove useful during the final writing process. Allocate time for a second reading, if possible.

Break the research phase down into three sections: generating ideas about the text, researching those ideas and writing at least five brief paragraphs that engage those ideas. Divide your research time into thirds to accommodate these mini-assignments. Initial brainstorming in this phase should help you find an interesting angle from which to approach the text for your essay. The prewriting, according to Purdue University's Online Writing Lab, "will allow you to be more productive and organized when you sit down to write" your essay.

Allocate time in your writing phase for generating an outline and first draft, writing an introduction paragraph (which is often best addressed once you have all your ideas on paper) and for revisions. The largest allocation of time here should be dedicated to the first draft. However, be sure to allow yourself time to incorporate smooth transitions, check for grammar and spelling mistakes, cite your sources and strengthen your introduction prior to the deadline.

Write or type your timeline, listing specific completion dates for each section of each of your three assignments. Using dates in your timeline will keep you accountable and give you specific smaller goals to help you meet your essay deadline.

• 1 Purdue University Online Writing Lab: Invention: Starting the Writing Process

About the Author

Pam Murphy is a writer specializing in fitness, childcare and business-related topics. She is a member of the National Association for Family Child Care and contributes to various websites. Murphy is a licensed childcare professional and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of West Georgia.

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How to Conclude a Paragraph

Last Updated: December 13, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Diane Stubbs and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA . Diane Stubbs is a Secondary English Teacher with over 22 years of experience teaching all high school grade levels and AP courses. She specializes in secondary education, classroom management, and educational technology. Diane earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Delaware and a Master of Education from Wesley College. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 116,342 times.

If you want a body paragraph to be effective, you need to conclude it properly — a closing sentence is as imperative as a conclusion is to an essay or a research paper. Closing or concluding sentences act like a concluding paragraph in an essay and review the points you made in the paragraph. To effectively conclude a paragraph, restate your topic sentence and include what you taught the reader. Tailor the sentence to the type of essay you’re writing, whether it’s a persuasive or compare and contrast essay.

Reviewing Your Paragraph

• Focus on what you lay out in the topic sentence.
• Note your evidence and details.

• If your topic sentence reads, “Cats may be small, but they’re mighty predators,” then your main idea is that cats are big hunters.
• Your concluding statement should show how your paragraph supported the idea that cats are big predators. For example, a closing statement might read, “Based on these statistics, cats are predators who hunt frequently and decrease the area bird population.”

• For example, the closing statement above, “Based on these statistics, cats are predators who hunt frequently and decrease the area bird population,” reminds the reader that the paragraph just provided statistics about how often cats hunt and how they impact the local bird population. These details support the main idea, and the writer has mentioned both.

Drafting a Closing Statement

• Consequently
• As a result

• An example topic sentence might read: “Cats are natural predators because they enjoy hunting and will even hunt for sport.”
• Your concluding statement for this paragraph might read: “As a result of their continued hunts even after they’re domesticated and provided cat food, cats are proven to be natural predators.”

• As an example, “The data shows that cats hunt even when they have steady meals, which proves that they are natural hunters.”

• For example, “As the data shows, feral cats hunt 140% more than domestic cats.”

• For example, “Consequently, homes that own cats have fewer birds living in their yards.”

• For example, “In the end, cats hunt out of instinct.”

• For example, “To conclude, feral cats are more dangerous to birds than house cats because they have more hunting opportunities and kill more birds each year on average.” This sentence supports the main idea that feral cats hunt more than house cats and shows how the two details provided in the sentence link back to the topic sentence.

• For example, your closing statement could read, “In summation, statistics show that cats who wear bell collars are less of a threat to birds because they kill fewer birds even if they have the same number of hunting opportunities.” This signals to the reader that the writer has finished with one main idea and is moving onto another in a new paragraph.

Avoiding Common Errors

• You also want to avoid the word “you.” For example, don’t say, “As you can see” in your concluding sentence.
• There are some exceptions, such as if you’re writing an introductory paragraph or an opinion essay.

• Reread your concluding statement, then compare it to your paragraph. Do you reference one detail but not another? If it does, rewrite the sentence to address the main points, not the subpoints.

• A poor closing statement might read: “As you can see, the evidence suggests that cats like to hunt."
• A better closing statement could read: “Based on the data, cats look for opportunities to hunt for sport, proving they are natural predators."

Expert Q&A

• In some cases, the concluding statements in introductions and conclusions may have a slightly different format. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Remember that your goal is to show the reader your ideas. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Focus on your main idea. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Try to avoid sounding redundant. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Don’t just restate your topic sentence. Show how the details you’ve provided contribute to the main idea. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/paragraphs/
• ↑ https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/wrd/chapter/writing-summaries/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/transitions/
• ↑ https://lsa.umich.edu/sweetland/undergraduates/writing-guides/how-do-i-write-an-intro--conclusion----body-paragraph.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/argumentative_essays.html
• ↑ https://owl.excelsior.edu/rhetorical-styles/compare-and-contrast-essay/
• ↑ https://owl.excelsior.edu/rhetorical-styles/cause-and-effect-essay/
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-write-an-informative-essay/
• ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/paragraphs-and-topic-sentences.html
• ↑ https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/conclusion

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When exactly does Alien: Romulus take place in the Alien timeline?

If you're confused, we've got you covered.

Director Fede Álvarez – who also co-wrote the movie – is a clear fan of the series (for better and worse at some points ) and, visually, the main setting for the movie evokes both Alien and Aliens .

You might be mistaken for thinking the Remus section of the Weyland-Yutani station Renaissance was actually the Nostromo , especially when a certain familiar face shows up .

This could also lead to confusion over exactly when Alien: Romulus is set in the Alien timeline , so we're here to help.

When is Alien: Romulus set in the timeline?

Unless you had paid attention to Álvarez's interviews before release , it's a blink-and-miss-it moment that confirms when exactly Alien: Romulus is set.

Alien: Romulus is set in the year 2142 , which makes it 20 years after the events of Alien and 37 years before the events of Aliens . At the start of the movie, a screen on a probe shows that the movie opens in February 2142.

This is when the Renaissance picks up the original Xenomorph from Alien . What's not clear is exactly how much time elapses from this discovery to the time that Rain, Andy and co end up on the Renaissance .

Since it was a fully-grown Xenomorph, it might not have taken it much time to decimate the crew on board the Renaissance . The scientists did have enough time to extract the black goo from the Xenomorph though, so we're probably not talking days.

Whenever it specifically is, Álvarez has confirmed that Alien: Romulus takes place in 2142, so the main events of the movie still take place then.

"It was mostly something that made sense for a premise, that it needed to take place a few years after the first one," he explained of the decision to place the movie where he did.

"It makes sense for the story and it was my way to make sure the technology could have the style of Alien and there would be newer technology that you could see how that will eventually, in a few years, become the technology of Aliens ."

If you want to widen the scope to the extended Alien universe, Alien: Romulus is set five years after the events of Alien: Isolation (set in 2137) and 17 years before Alien: Out of the Shadows (set in 2159).

For more on Alien: Romulus, check out:

• Alien: Romulus review • Does Alien: Romulus have a post-credit scene? • When will Alien: Romulus arrive on Disney+? • The complete Alien timeline • Alien: Romulus title has a hidden meaning

Alien: Romulus is out now in cinemas.

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Movies Editor, Digital Spy  Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor.  Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies , attending genre festivals around the world.   After moving to Digital Spy , initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.  

.css-15yqwdi:before{top:0;width:100%;height:0.25rem;content:'';position:absolute;background-image:linear-gradient(to right,#51B3E0,#51B3E0 2.5rem,#E5ADAE 2.5rem,#E5ADAE 5rem,#E5E54F 5rem,#E5E54F 7.5rem,black 7.5rem,black);} Alien

Alien: Romulus ending explained

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Alien: Romulus overtakes Deadpool & Wolverine

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Alien: Romulus lands fresh Rotten Tomatoes rating

Democratic convention replay: Joe Biden passes the torch to Kamala Harris, hits Donald Trump

President Joe Biden took the stage on Monday at the  Democratic National Convention , passing the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris after he chose not to seek another term in office.

The president reflected on his 50-year career in politics, his decision to end his reelection bid and the Democratic Party's future as he addressed Democrats in Chicago and pivotal voters across the country. First lady Jill Biden and former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton also delivered speeches, the latter telling Democratic delegates that "the future is here."

On Monday and throughout the rest of the convention, Democrats will be focused on how a potential Harris-Walz administration would address inflation, the southern border, abortion rights and other top debates facing the nation.

Catch up with the USA TODAY Network's live coverage of the Democratic convention in Chicago.

Protestors for Palestinians 'have a point,' Biden says

In one of his most forceful calls for a cease-fire in Israel and Gaza, Joe Biden acknowledged the crowds outside the convention protesting his administration’s response to the Israel-Hamas war. 

“Those protestors out in the street, they have a point,” Biden said. “A lot of innocent people are being killed, on both sides.” 

Biden said he and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken have been working to bring Israeli hostages home, provide humanitarian aid to Palestinians, and “finally, finally deliver a cease-fire and end this war,” the president said while pounding the podium with his fist. 

−Savannah Kuchar

Biden says he’s not angry at the people who called on him to step down

Joe Biden in his remarks made clear that he’s not angry at the Democrats who expressed concerns and urged him to step down following his dismal debate performance in June.

“It's been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your President. I love the job. I love my country more. I love my country more…with all this talk about how I’m angry at all those people who said I should step down, that’s not true.”

He added that, “we need to preserve our democracy in 2024. We need your vote.”

− Sudiksha Kochi

Biden says Trump 'killed' bipartisan border deal

Biden criticized Trump's record on border and immigration, particularly for pressuring Republicans to kill a bipartisan border deal earlier this year that would have tightened asylum laws. 

"Trump continues to lie about the border. Here's what he won't tell you: Trump killed the strongest bipartisan border deal in the history of the United States," Biden said. 

The president said he and Harris are committed to strengthening "legal immigration, including protecting DREAMers and more."

− Melissa Brown

Biden touts his economic achievements in office

Biden in his remarks to convention attendees praised his and Harris’ handling of the economy, claiming that they rebuilt “the backbone of America, the middle class.”

“We've gone from economic crisis to the strongest economy in the entire world,” he said, referencing how inflation has gone down and new jobs have been created.

“We both know we have more to do, but we're moving in the right direction,” he added.

He also knocked Trump, claiming that the former president never “built a damn thing” when it came to infrastructure.

“We're improving our quality of life, we're building a better America,” he said.

Freedom and democracy dominate Biden's speech

After receiving a warm and enthusiastic welcome, President Joe Biden turned his address to a key campaign theme: Preserving democracy. He reflected on the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia and more.

“Are you ready to vote for freedom?” Biden asked the crowd. “Are you ready to vote for democracy and for America? Let me ask you, are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?” 

In an Oval Office address to the nation last month, following his decision to exit the race, Biden had said, “The defense of democracy is more important than any title.” 

− Savannah Kuchar 

Jill Biden says there are moments where she falls in love ‘all over again’

Jill Biden told convention attendees that she and her husband have been together for almost 50 years, but there are moments where she falls in love with him “all over again.”

“Like when I handed him our baby Ashley for the first time and saw the smile that lit up his face, or on nights after an exhausting day working in the Senate when he would read one more bedtime story, just because the kids asked,” she said.

She added, “And weeks ago when I saw him dig deep into his soul and decide to no longer seek reelection and endorse Kamala Harris.”

Jill Biden said that Joe Biden knows that the nation’s strength “comes from the small acts of kindness that heal deep wounds from service to the communities that make us who we are, from love of a country that shines with promise and renewal.”

“Kamala Harris knows that too,” she said. 

Ashley Biden introduces her father

Ashley Biden, Joe Biden's daughter, introduced her father on Monday. She joked that he's the "OG girl dad" and shared memories of growing up and watching her father's work in the Senate.

− Marina Pitofsky

‘We love Joe’: Senator and Biden's close friend Chris Coons addresses Democrats

Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware praised his longtime friend Joe Biden moments ahead of the president’s keynote address. 

“I have never known a more compassionate man than Joe Biden,” Coons said.  

“Mr. President, you were my senator as a Delawarean. You are my president as an American. And you will always be my friend,” he added, before leading the crowd in chants of, “We love Joe.” 

Sen. Raphael Warnock calls Donald Trump a 'plague on the American conscience'

Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia said the 2024 election is "about the character of the country."

"People with no vision traffic in division," Warnock said. "(Former President Donald Trump) doesn't know how to lead us, so he wants to divide us. Make no mistake, Donald Trump is a plague on the American conscience. He is a clear and present threat to the precious covenant we share with one another."

Warnock also praised Biden as a "true patriot who has always put the people first."

−Melissa Brown

Speakers share emotional reproductive rights stories 

Texas couple Amanda and Josh Zurawski took to the stage Monday to retell their story of struggling to have an abortion under their state’s near-total ban. After being told by doctors “with 100% certainty” that they would lose their baby, the pair said they had to wait days until Amanda Zurawski was “sick enough” to receive abortion care. 

“I’m here tonight because the fight for reproductive rights isn’t just a woman’s fight,” said Josh Zurawski. “This is about fighting for our family and, as Kamala Harris, says our future.” 

Joining the Zurawskis was Kaitlyn Joshua of Louisiana and Hadley Duvall of Kentucky, who each shared their own emotional stories.  

“I can’t imagine not having a choice,” said Duvall, who was sexually assaulted by her stepfather and became pregnant at 12 years old. “But today, that’s the reality for many women and girls across the country.” 

"What is so beautiful about a child having to carry her parent's child?" Duvall added.

The group’s appearance and joint remarks come as reproductive rights weigh heavily on the first post-Roe presidential election.  

− Savannah Kuchar

Andy Beshear says reproductive rights on the line in 2024

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who was on the shortlist to be Harris’ vice president, accused former President Donald Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance of attacking reproductive rights. 

“Here's the thing, Trump and Vance simply don't believe in your freedom. Trump says people are absolutely thrilled that women have their basic rights eliminated. JD then says women should stay in violent marriages and the pregnancies resulting from rape are simply inconvenient…That's not inconvenient, it's just plain wrong,” he said.

The former president has backed individual states setting their own abortion restrictions, but he has often celebrated the three Supreme Court justices he appointed who were pivotal in overturning Roe v. Wade.

Beshear said that Harris knows “we must move beyond anger, extremism and division, that everyone has dignity and deserves respect.”

“We're going to win by staying true to our values of compassion, empathy and doing right by our neighbors,” he said. 

Rep. Jasmine Crockett calls Donald Trump 'vindictive, vile villain'

Rep Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, sharply criticized Donald Trump in her convention speech. 

"She became a career prosecutor, while he became a career criminal," Crockett said, citing Trump's felony conviction in his New York hush money case. 

Crockett, a former public defender and civil rights lawyer, said she "knows a good prosecutor when she sees one." 

"Kamala Harris has a resume, Donald Trump has a rap sheet," Crockett said. 

Crockett continued to slam Trump throughout her speech, calling him a "vindictive, vile villain" while saying Harris is the only candidate in the race "capable of empathy."

Raskin blasts Trump during Democratic convention 

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., in his speech said little about Harris, opting to use the majority of his time on stage to condemn Trump and the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. 

Raskin, who served on the House committee investigating the insurrection following the 2020 election, described violent details from that day, including rioters’ chants of, “Hang Mike Pence.” 

“Someone should have told Donald Trump that the president’s job under Article II of the Constitution is to take care that the laws are faithfully executed,” Raskin told the crowd, “not that the vice president is executed.” 

In an election where fears about democracy are among voter anxieties, Raskin raised alarms about a potential second Trump administration. 

“Make no mistake, a man who uses fraud, theft and violence to take power will commit any crime to keep it,” Raskin said. 

Clyburn praises Biden for backing Harris 

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., one of President Joe Biden's closest allies, told delegates during a primetime speech "we owe him a debt of gratitude."

Clyburn applauded Biden's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which he claimed Trump "mismanaged" from day one. The South Carolina lawmaker also delicately praised Biden for stepping aside from the presidential race. 

"We are all grateful for one of the best decisions he made, selecting Kamala Harris as his vice president and endorsing her to succeed him," Clyburn said

Hillary Clinton: 'The future is here'

When Hillary Clinton took to the convention stage, it took about a minute before she officially kicked off her remarks as the crowd erupted in applause.

“Thank you so much. Wow, there's a lot of energy in this room, just like there is across the country,” she said. “Something is happening in America. You can feel it - something we've worked for and dreamed of for a long time.”

Clinton, who unsuccessfully ran for president against Trump in 2016, said that the party is writing a “new chapter in America’s story.” Harris could be the country's first female president.

“My friends, the future is here,” she said. “I wish my mother and Kamala's mother could see us. They would say, keep going.”

She also knocked Trump, saying that it is no surprise the former president “is lying about Kamala's record. He's mocking her name and her laugh sounds familiar, but we have him on the run now.”

Ocasio-Cortez references cease-fire in convention address  

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., praised Harris on stage, citing a variety of the vice president’s priorities – including “working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bringing hostages home.” 

Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the House’s progressive “Squad,” has been an outspoken critic of Israel's actions in Gaza as the Israel-Hamas war has raged on.  Some members of that progressive wing have faced pressure from constituents for taking similar positions, including Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri and Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York, who each lost in primary elections this year. 

Fact-checking DNC Day 1: See what Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, AOC get right and wrong

Washington Democrats celebrate 'Cowboy Kamala'  

Washington Democrats stood out in the convention crowd for their illuminated cowboy hats, “Cowboy Kamala” sashes and friendship bracelets.

“It’s wonderful to be unified and looking good,” said Karyn Kenyatta Russell, a delegate and daughter of Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell. “Beyoncé goes across generations.”

Washington Democrats might wear the cowboy hats again Thursday especially if Beyoncé makes a surprise appearance. Many delegations are planning to wear white to honor the suffragettes. 

− Jessie Balmert 

Harris makes her debut on the convention stage

Vice President Kamala Harris made her debut on the convention stage Monday and kicked off her remarks by praising President Joe Biden.

“Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation and for all you will continue to do. We are forever grateful to you,” she said.

She added that looking out at the crowd, she sees “the beauty of our great nation.”

“People from every corner of our country and every walk of life are here, united by our shared vision for the future of our country, and this November, we will come together and declare with one voice, as one people, we are moving forward,” she said. 

-- Sudiksha Kochi

Steve Kerr says if Harris wins in November, they can tell Trump 'night night'

Famed professional basketball coach Steve Kerr opened his remarks poking fun at young voters in the crowd: “It is so fun to be back here in the United Center. And as you guys know, a lot of good stuff has happened in this building, especially in the nineties. You young people, google Michael Jordan and you can read all about it.”

But on a more serious note, Kerr said good leaders are those who tell the truth, possesses knowledge and expertise, and care for and love the people they are leading. 

“When you think about it that way, this is no contest with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz,” Kerr said. “I see all those qualities. They have devoted their lives to serving other people.”

Kerr encouraged the crowd to get out and vote for Harris and Walz in November.

“And after the results are tallied that night, we can, in the words of the great Steph Curry. We can tell Donald Trump night night!” he said.

-- Sudiksha Kochi 

More: Coach Steve Kerr endorses Kamala Harris for President, tells Donald Trump 'night night'

United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain calls Trump a 'scab'

United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain called former President Donald Trump a 'scab' during a speech at the Democratic National Convention, which has heavily featured union leaders in its first night of speeches. 

"That's not just my opinion, that's a fact. All we have to do is look at the track record," Fain said. "When Donald Trump was president, corporate America ran wild. Donald Trump did not bring back the auto industry." 

The union leader said the 2024 election "comes down to one question."

"Which side are you on?" Fain said. "On one side, we have Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, who have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the working class. On the other side, we have Trump and Vance, two lap dogs for the billionaire class who only serve themselves."

-- Melissa Brown

New York Gov. takes swing at Trump, NY conviction

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul touted Harris’ and Walz’s ticket – an took a swing at Trump, a native of her home state. 

“Donald Trump was born a New Yorker but ended up a fraud, a philanderer and a felon,” Hochul said of the former president, who in May was found guilty on 34 counts by a New York jury. 

“He wasn’t raised with the New York values that I know,” Hochul continued, later adding, “Trust me America, if you think you’re tired of Donald Trump, talk to a New Yorker.” 

-- Savannah Kuchar

Democratic National Convention to criticize Project 2025 in nightly segment

Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow kicked off a nightly recurring segment at the Democratic National Convention highlighting Project 2025, the conservative agenda designed by the Heritage Foundation for a possible second Trump administration.

"Whatever you think it might be, it is so much worse," McMorrow said after lugging an oversized copy of the policy blueprint onto the Chicago stage.

McMorrow decried the document as an "expansion" of presidential powers designed to turn President Donald Trump into a "dictator."

"If Donald Trump gets back into the White House, he's going to fire civil service workers like intelligence officers, engineers and even federal prosecutors if he decides that they don't serve his personal agenda," McMorrow said. "They're talking about replacing the entire federal government with an army of loyalists that answer only to Donald Trump."

Laphonza Butler praises Harris, says they share things in common

California Senator Laphonza Butler said in her remarks to convention attendees that her and Harris “share a lot in common.”

“We both graduated from historically Black colleges, me from Jackson State University, the Vice President from Howard University. We were both raised by mothers who worked fiercely to provide for us, and we both believe that every single one of us has the power to change the world when we choose to do it together,” she said.

She added that Harris, a former prosecutor, looked towards a “better future.”

“For her, it wasn't just a professional oath, it was a battle cry, and let's be clear to her opponents, this way of seeing the world, the idea of fighting for someone other than yourself, is unthinkable,” she said. 

Who performed at the Democratic convention?

The opening night of the Democratic convention featured multiple musical performances. Mickey Guyton performed before Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass delivered her address, and her fellow musicians Jason Isbell and James Taylor will take the stage later on Monday.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says Kamala Harris will 'fight fiercely' for children

When Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was sworn into office in 2022, she asked Vice President Kamala Harris to administer the oath. During her convention remarks on Monday, Bass noted the significance of the first female vice president swearing in the city's first mayor.  

"We knew we were sending a message to young girls everywhere that they too can lead. I know Kamala, and she feels the importance of this work in her bones," Bass said. "When Kamala meets a young person you can feel her passion, you can feel her heart and you can feel her fearlessness. That is what defines a commitment to children: being willing to fight fiercely for every child. And trust me, Kamala has done that her entire life."

Union leaders take the convention stage

A group of leaders from some of the nation’s largest labor unions appeared Monday to pledge their support for Harris.

“We’re all in for Kamala Harris because Kamala Harris has always been all in for us,” said April Verrett, president of the Service Employees International Union and one of six union presidents to deliver joint remarks. 

Members of their unions, a traditionally left-leaning voting bloc, stand to have a pivotal role in this year’s election.  

The fight for blue-collar workers’ backing was highlighted last month as well during the GOP’s convention, during which Teamsters President Sean O’Brien gave remarks on stage. 

Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty slams Donald Trump running mate JD Vance 

Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, criticized former President Donald Trump’s running mate and fellow Ohioan JD Vance Monday night.

“JD Vance likes to talk about how he’s from Ohio, but as soon as he could, he ran away to Yale and Silicon Valley, cozying up with billionaires,” she said. "While JD Vance and Donald Trump have been sharing conspiracy theories from the darkest corners of the Internet, Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have been busy expanding access to the Internet." 

Beatty, a staunch supporter of Biden's, also touted the administration's work on the CHIPS Act to bring jobs to central Ohio. 

Dick Durbin knocks Donald Trump’s handling of the economy

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin in his speech blasted Donald Trump’s handling of the economy, saying that the former president’s record is “defined by failure.”

He also compared Trump to a “bad boss.”

“You want time off to take care of your sick parents? Ask Donald Trump. Denied,” he said.

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan praises Tim Walz

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, co-chair of Monday night's Democratic National Convention program, said she's watched Gov. Tim Walz work hard − and share his snacks − over the past six years of working together.

"I've seen how hard he's worked for Minnesota to be the best place for kids to grow up," Flanagan said. "He does it all with a big heart, a buffalo plaid jacket and a bottomless bag of snacks: Nutter Butters, cheese curds, and Diet Dew."

Flanagan said Walz "always" has her back. 

"When he's vice president, he will have yours," Flanagan said. 

Delegates approve Walz as Harris’ running mate in ceremonial vote  

Democrats certified Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as their official 2024 vice presidential nominee Monday in a ceremonial vote, on the first night of the party’s convention. 

Harris, the official presidential nominee, tapped Walz earlier this month to join her on the ticket, and they received their formal nomination earlier this month.  

− Savannah Kuchar  

Rep. Maxine Waters says 'no better leader' than Kamala Harris

Rep. Maxine Waters delivered a history lesson to the Democratic National Convention Monday night, reminding delegates of the 1964 convention when Mississippi voting rights pioneer Fannie Lou Hamer demanded Black delegates be seated in place of Mississippi's all-white delegation.

Hamer delivered gripping televised testimony to the convention's credentials committee at the time about the violence voting rights activists faced in Mississippi.

"When she finished, she asked the country a simple but profound question: 'Is this America?'" Waters said. Sixty years later, Harris is the party's nominee and there is "no better leader to marshal us into the future," she added

Convention honors civil rights icon, Rev. Jesse Jackson 

Democrats paid tribute Monday to Rev. Jesse Jackson, 82, the longtime civil rights activist and politician. 

Jackson announced last year his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. He appeared on stage in a wheelchair and received a standing ovation from delegates. 

−Savannah Kuchar 

Donald Trump suggests he has Taylor Swift endorsement that he will never get

Donald Trump is making fun of Taylor Swift again. The former president posted a fake image of the renowned singer/songwriter asking people to vote for Trump, something that has not happened and almost surely never will happen; Swift endorsed Joe Biden four years ago and criticized Trump for promoting division.

An altered photo of Swift in an Uncle Sam top hat - falsely labeled "Taylor Wants You To Vote For Donald Trump" - was part of a Trump Truth Social post on Sunday that also included pictures of supposed "Swifties For Trump."

"I accept," Trump said in the post.

No comment from Trump, Swift, or their publicists on promoting fake images.

−David Jackson

B arack Obama: 'It's good to be home'

One of the most anticipated nights of the 2024 Democratic convention will be Tuesday when former President Barack Obama returns to the stage where two decades ago a barely 40-something Senate candidate launched himself into America's history books.

"It's good to be home in Chicago," Obama said in a post Monday evening on X, formerly known as Twitter.

At the kickoff of the convention, the 44th president said he looks forward to joining party faithful to "share what's at stake in this election, and why VP Harris and running mate, Gov. Walz, should be elected.

Former first lady Michelle Obama is also scheduled to speak on Tuesday, setting up an Obama Day in their political backyard.

− Phillip M. Bailey

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson opens Democratic convention

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson helped kick off the first night of the Democratic National Convention with a speech lauding Vice President Kamala Harris as he welcomed delegates to his city. 

"As a Black man raising a little Black girl on the west side of Chicago, I know my daughter Braedyn will see not only a reflection of herself in the White House, but she will experience the deepest part of American values," Johnson said. 

Johnson said Harris, "the daughter of a mom who worked hard every single day," will "look out" for the interests of everyday Americans. 

"What will it take to build the middle class and make it easier for families to not only get by but to get ahead? It will take someone with toughness to stand up for us. And let me tell you, America, Kamala's got it," Johnson said. 

Hadley Duvall, abortion advocacy to take convention stage 

Hadley Duvall, a 22-year-old abortion rights activist from Kentucky, will join other speakers on stage Monday with a personal story about abortion access.

As a surrogate for the Harris campaign, Duvall has previously told crowds her story of being sexually abused for years by her stepfather, becoming pregnant at 12 years old and seeking an abortion. 

Her joint remarks are expected toward the end of the evening just ahead of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and President Joe Biden.  

DNC kicks off primetime speakers

Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison and convention committee chair Minyon Moore kicked off opening remarks on day one of the convention.

Notable speakers for tonight will include Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, President Joe Biden and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.

Former Biden advisor says his speech will look to the Democratic Party's future

Anita Dunn, former senior advisor to President Joe Biden, told CNN’s Dana Bash Monday that the president’s speech will look “very much forward.”

“This is not a time for legacy. This is a time for arguing why Kamala Harris is the best candidate,” said Dunn.

“He’s making a strong case for why the choices voters made in 2020 was the right choice,” she added. 

Biden to leave DNC for California wine country after speech

Joe Biden won’t be spending much time at this week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

After passing the torch to Kamala Harris in his keynote address Monday night, Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Santa Ynez, California to vacation in wine country.

That means the Bidens will not be at the United Center in Chicago to watch Harris accept the party’s nomination on Thursday. Biden returns to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware on Sunday

Democrats are expected to pay tribute to the five-decade political career of Biden on Monday night. Yet Harris has a delicate line to walk to honor the man who named her vice president yet distancing herself from Biden’s unpopular handling of inflation and the economy.

− Joey Garrison  

No, it's not clear Taylor Swift and Beyoncé will make a convention appearance

You might have heard a rumor that two mega-stars – Taylor Swift and Beyoncé – are making appearances at the Democratic convention. While both have previously backed Democratic candidates, and Beyoncé gave Harris her approval to use her song "Freedom" on the campaign trail, it's not confirmed that they're making any kind of statement at the convention in Chicago.

Notably, Swift is on tour in the United Kingdom until at least Tuesday night.

More: Will Beyoncé and Taylor Swift make a DNC appearance in support of Kamala Harris? What we know

– Marina Pitofsky

Cast, where to watch and stream What time is the 'Love Island USA' Season 6 reunion?

Biden hits back after Trump criticism

Trump claimed at a rally on Saturday in Pennsylvania that Biden was ousted from the top of the Democratic ticket through a “coup.” That's not true. Biden dropped out of the presidential race last month after several Democratic lawmakers, donors and others in the party expressed concerns about the president since his dismal debate performance in June.

When asked about Trump’s claims Monday at the Democratic National Convention, Biden jabbed Trump's "stability" to CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.

– Sudiksha Kochi

Democratic convention (James Taylor's version)  

Kicking off the first night of the Democratic convention is award-winning singer-songwriter James Taylor. 

His performance comes before the night’s keynote speaker, President Joe Biden. Taylor and Biden have appeared together in the past, including at a fundraising event in December, when Biden was still running for reelection. 

– Savannah Kuchar

Trump sticks to the script – mostly – in attacking Harris

Trump on Monday pretty much stuck to the issues when it came to critiquing Harris' economic policies, alleging they would lead to more inflation, higher taxes, less domestic energy production, and an over-regulated economy.

"Kamala puts America last - I put America first," Trump said during remarks at Precision Custom Components in York, Pennsylvania, the start of a week-long series of events counter-programming the Democratic convention.

Trump still found time to refer to his opponent as "Comrade Kamala," despite admonitions from fellow Republicans that he stick to the issues and avoid personal attacks. The former president also drifted off-topic to attack another prominent Democrat, President Joe Biden. He spoke at length about a House Republican impeachment report , though it seems unlikely the GOP will pursue a case against Biden now that he is out of the presidential race.

– David Jackson

Harris calls for raising corporate tax rate to 28%  

Kamala Harris would propose raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% if she’s elected president in November, her campaign said on Monday.  

Harris campaign spokesperson James Singer said the tax increase would be aimed at putting money “back in the pockets of working people and ensure billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share." 

The proposal follows a broader economic plan Harris laid out last week seeking to ban price gouging on food and groceries, lower prescription drug costs and aid first-time homebuyers, among other measures. Harris was asked by a reporter on Sunday about how she planned to pay for the tax credits and suggested at the time that they would pay for themselves. 

As president, Trump reduced the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%.  

– Karissa Waddick and Francesca Chambers  

Abortions at the DNC? Planned Parenthood bus providing no-cost service and vasectomies

Planned Parenthood has placed reproductive rights front and center at this year’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago and is offering free vasectomies, medication abortions and emergency contraceptives to attendees through its mobile health bus.

The Planned Parenthood Great Rivers of St. Louis announced on X that its bus will be in Chicago on Monday and Tuesday to provide these services, directly challenging the shifting landscape of reproductive rights in the United States since the last Democratic convention, after the U.S. Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v Wade in 2022.

– Brandi D. Addison

John Fetterman is skipping the DNC. Here’s why

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., told The Free Press that he is skipping the Democratic National Convention, dismissing speculation that it has to do with his pro-Israel stance.

“I’ve got three young kids, and they’re out of school,” he said. “That’s four days I can spend with my children.”

Fetterman has become one of his party’s most outspoken supporters of Israel since the Israel-Hamas war began in October last year. He’s on an island apart from his Democratic peers, who have struck a balance between supporting Israel’s interest in self defense and condemning the attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Fetterman told the Press that his decision to skip the convention was “made well before” the June 27 presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. Biden dropped out of the 2024 race following his dismal performance.

– Sudiksha Kochi and Riley Beggin

When is DNC 2024? 

The DNC is scheduled to take place August 19 through August 22.

— Maya Homan

Retired Republican judge J. Michael Luttig endorses Kamala Harris

Retired federal appeals court Judge J. Michael Luttig, a prominent conservative, endorsed Harris for president, CNN first reported.

“In the presidential election of 2024 there is only one political party and one candidate for the presidency that can claim the mantle of defender and protector of America’s Democracy, the Constitution, and the Rule of Law,” Luttig wrote in a statement obtained by CNN. “As a result, I will unhesitatingly vote for the Democratic Party’s candidate for the Presidency of the United States, Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris.”

Luttig added in the statement that because of Trump’s continued denial of the 2020 election results, “millions of Americans no longer have faith and confidence in our national elections, and many never will again.”

More: Republican-appointed jurist Michael Luttig endorses Harris, citing Trump democracy threat

Pro-Palestinian delegates say Kamala Harris' election chances tied to Israel arms embargo

A group of uncommitted delegates to the Democratic National Convention and their allies warned Vice President Kamala Harris Monday that her chances of winning the presidential election are still threatened by her failure to embrace calls for an arms embargo and immediate Israeli cease-fire in Gaza.

They also could not guarantee an absence of disruptions inside the convention hall this week.

Ultimately, only about 30 delegates out of 4,995 – less than 1% – were seated as being uncommitted, representing a handful of states.

But since President Joe Biden ended his reelection effort and Harris secured the votes to become the Democratic nominee late last month, the uncommitted delegates and their allies have been lining up Harris delegates to declare themselves cease-fire delegates and demanding they be given time and space to be heard this week.

Read more about how the Israel-Hamas war is playing out at the convention.

— Todd Spangler and Clara Hendrickson

AOC, Bernie Sanders set to take the stage at the DNC

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., will speak on Monday night at the Democratic convention along with other Democratic rising stars, including Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock.

Ocasio-Cortez will speak at 8 p.m. CT/9p.m. ET.

Her fellow progressive, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, is slated to address the convention on Tuesday night at 8:30 p.m. CT/9:30 p.m. ET. Sanders’ is expected to focus his message on the economy and removing money from politics.

— Karissa Waddick

JD Vance doesn't want to talk about the polls (especially this week)

Donald Trump usually loves to talk about polls — at least the ones with good numbers for him — but running mate JD Vance is more reticent on the subject.

Especially now that Kamala Harris is moving up in a number of surveys.

During a campaign event Monday in Philadelphia, Vance demurred when asked about polls that show a statistical tie in the pivotal state of Pennsylvania, a month after surveys had given Trump leads of around 4.5 percentage points over President Joe Biden.

"Our job is to win the trust of the American voters, not public opinion polls," Vance said.

Many Trump officials believe Harris will get a bounce in the polls during her convention this week; they are doing what they can to minimize it.

— David Jackson

Protest groups hit Chicago streets for Democratic National Convention demonstration

A day of demonstrations and marches is underway as delegates to the Democratic National Convention formally begin meeting Monday, with organizers of one group saying they hoped to stage one of the largest anti-Gaza war marches seen nationally.

Hundreds of people began gathered at Union Park early Monday, a half mile from the convention hall, before planning to march several miles along nearby streets. They had not yet begun marching as of 11 a.m. Central Time. Demonstrators playing music and periodically chanted "free, free Palestine" as they assembled.

By noon local time, the crowd had swelled to about 1,000 people.

Read more on the Monday demonstrations.

— Trevor Hughes, Michael Loria and Tamia Fowlkes

Tim Walz surprises Democrats on first day of Democratic National Convention

A convention hall burst into gasps and cheers as vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz took the stage in a surprise visit to the Democratic National Committee’s Hispanic Caucus meeting Monday morning.

It was one of a series of unannounced appearances Walz made in an effort to rally attendees as the convention kicked off its first day of activities. He also stopped by a meeting of the Black Caucus and the Wisconsin and Pennsylvania delegation breakfasts meeting Monday.

Walz touted the positive energy and joy he’s feeling out on the campaign trail since he joined Harris on the party's presidential ticket and he pushed those in attendance to keep working to get Democrats elected this fall.

“This is challenging work. This is hard. There's a lot at stake,” he told the Hispanic Caucus as attendees swarmed closer to the stage to take pictures and video. “But that's no different than a lot of people live their lives. It can be challenging and hard, but you can do it with a sense of optimism and, what (Harris) is doing, with a sense of joy, with a sense of joy. To smile.”

“(Republicans) are on her because she laughs,” Walz scoffed. “My God, I'll take someone who laughs any damn day of the week.”

— Brianne Pfannenstiel

1968 Democratic National Convention protests in Chicago

In the lead up to this year's Democratic convention — particularly before President Joe Biden exited the race — 2024 felt a lot like 1968 .

Anti-war protests. A divided Democratic Party. An unpopular candidate.

Flashbacks of bloody clashes between police and anti- Vietnam War  demonstrators outside the  Democratic National Convention  in Chicago during that chaotic summer weighed heavily on the minds of Democrats earlier this year.

Read more on similarities and differences between 2024 and 1968.

— Michael Collins, David Jackson and Michael Loria

Shapiro says his Jewish faith didn’t factor into VP discussions

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro refuted former President Donald Trump’s claims that he was not chosen as the Democratic vice-presidential nominee because of his Jewish faith.

“Antisemitism played absolutely no role in my dialogue with the vice president,” Shapiro told the media after delivering remarks to the Pennsylvania Delegation at the Democratic convention Monday morning.

“He’s trying to use me and he’s trying to use other Jews to divide Americans further,” Shapiro said. “He is the least credible person when it comes to standing up against hatred and bigotry.”

Memories of talk show politics: Phil Donahue dies at 88

Followers of this week's Democratic convention may want to pause and reflect on the death of a fairly influential political figure: Television talk show host Phil Donahue.

In the spring of 1992, as then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton marched toward the Democratic presidential nomination, he included afternoon television talk shows in his media strategy, including a contentious interview with Donahue.

The high-rated afternoon host peppered Clinton with questions about "character issues," drawing boos from his crowd and admonitions from the candidate.

Clinton — who is scheduled to address this week's convention in Chicago — made a complaint that current politicians still echo: “There are real problems in this country, and there are people who’d like to hear them discussed. I’ve done my best to do it, and it’s very difficult.”

Donahue, who always defended his questioning of public officials, died Sunday at age 88.

Walz wades into swing state rivalry: Wawa or Sheetz?  

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz found himself smack dab in the middle of one Pennsylvania’s mostly hotly contested debates on Monday morning: Wawa or Sheetz.  

While telling the Pennsylvania delegation at the Democratic convention about his trip through the swing state on Sunday, Walz lauded the popular convenience store and gas station Sheetz. Some in the crowd responded by chanting the name of the rival chain, Wawa. He received some boos from the Wawa contingent in the delegation.

“Here’s my thing – Kwik Trip. In the Midwest it’s Kwik Trip,” Walz answered to laughs. 

More: Tim Walz says he's 'a Kwik Trip guy' but the company has big ties to Trump

Why Jon Tester, Sherrod Brown and Jacky Rosen are skipping the Democratic convention

Montana Sen. Jon Tester is headed to a party this week. It's just going to be Pearl Jam's instead of Vice President Kamala Harris' in Chicago.

Tester joins vulnerable  Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio  and  Jacky Rosen of Nevada  in skipping the Democratic National Convention to focus on their must-win races instead, their campaigns confirmed. At least a couple House Democrats facing similar political headwinds back home are skipping a trip to the Windy City, too.

Read more on the Democrats skipping the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week.

— Jessie Balmert

Pennsylvania campaign stop: Harris brings back Chuck Taylors as she makes 2024 campaign her own

What's on the Democratic convention's schedule for Monday?

The convention's first night will pay tribute to the 81-year-old Democratic president, and other Democratic heavyweights, such as  Barack Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton, are also expected to speak  at the convention.

The convention speaker schedule is subject to change and a full list of speakers will be released at a later time. Here's a look at the Monday schedule for the Democratic National Convention.

Note: All times listed are in Central Daylight Time.

• 7 a.m.-9:30 a.m.: Delegation breakfasts
• 9 a.m.-10a.m.: Morning press briefing
• 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Black Caucus meeting
• 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Hispanic Caucus meeting
• 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: AAPI Caucus meeting
• 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Native American Caucus meeting
• 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.: Ethnic Council meeting
• 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.: LGBTQ+ Caucus meeting
• 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.: Small Business Council meeting
• 12 p.m.-1:30 p.m.: Labor Council meeting
• 1:45 p.m.-3:15 p.m.: Environmental & Climate Crisis Council meeting
• 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m.: Main programming

— Gabe Hauari

Chicago braces for Democratic convention protests as Kamala Harris takes center stage

The city's 12,000 police officers say they're ready. The Secret Service says it's ready. Local leaders say they're ready. Residents? Maybe not so much.

An estimated 50,000 delegates, politicians and party activists are expected to attend this week's  Democratic National Convention  in Chicago, with possibly tens of thousands of demonstrators marching through the streets.

Fences, barricades and parked snow plows have already limited movement in key downtown areas, with helicopters buzzing overhead.

Read more on how Chicago is preparing for the convention.

— Trevor Hughes, Terry Collins and Michael Loria

Biden has changed course over his 50-year career. None of that compares to his 2024 choice.

Joe Biden  wasn’t ready to go away.

He’d had his eyes on the presidency for years. Now it was his, and he wasn’t about to quit. So he raised campaign money, put together a campaign team and hit the campaign trail. He was running for another term and, he was convinced, he was going to win.

A bad night on a  debate  stage in Atlanta changed everything. Now, just seven weeks later, he will address the opening night of the  Democratic National Convention  on Monday, not as the party’s presidential nominee but as an outgoing president passing the torch to a potential successor and a new generation.

Read more on Biden's decision to withdraw from the race.

— Michael Collins

Some Trump voters are denying Harris' progress — but others say they're worried

Many supporters of former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, who attended a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on Saturday expressed skepticism about Democratic nominee Kamala Harris' rise in the polls. They projected confidence that Trump has the race under control.

Others, though, were nervous.

The MAGA movement’s mood Saturday, a month into a changed race that has seen Harris surging nationally and in key swing states, percolated the arena with a mix of emotions.

Read more on the mood from Saturday's Trump rally.

— Zac Anderson and David Jackson

Wait, Kamala Harris is already the nominee?

Traditionally, delegates from all 50 states and the U.S. territories assemble at a convention and elect their chosen party's candidate for president. It's a time to trumpet achievements, criticize opponents' policies, and rally behind their leaders to build enthusiasm for Election Day.

Democrats are still going to lay out their vision for the country during the Democratic convention. But the actually nominating process looks different this year. That's because the DNC confirmed Harris/Walz during a  virtual roll call  on Aug. 5 due to ballot deadlines in some states, with 99% of the participating delegates supporting Harris.

Harris and Walz accepted the nomination a day later, but they will formally accept at the convention. Democrats are expected to have a ceremonial vote at the convention for the ticket, but their nominations are already final.

— Marina Pitofsky and C. A. Bridges

How to watch the Democratic convention

The convention will  air live on its website , from the United Center in Chicago between 6:15 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern (5:15 p.m. to 10 p.m Central) on Monday, and 7 p.m to 11 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) the other days.

The USA TODAY Network and news outlets will livestream the convention and most will broadcast the major speeches live.

— Joey Garrison

Democratic National Convention reveals theme for each night of Chicago event

The Democratic National Committee announced the nightly themes for this week's convention in Chicago, which will culminate with Kamala Harris accepting the party's nomination for president.

The title of the four-day convention is "For the People, For Our Future," with Democrats hoping to use the festivities to introduce Harris and Tim Walz to the nation.

The convention kicks off Monday with the theme "For the People." Tuesday's theme is "A Bold Vision for America’s Future," and Wednesday's convention theme is "A Fight for our Freedoms."

The convention will conclude Thursday night with the theme "For our Future."

Biden, Obama, Clintons to headline Democratic National Convention speakers

President  Joe Biden and former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are among the headline speakers at next week's Democratic National Convention in Chicago, according to a source familiar with the plans. Former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is also slated to deliver a speech.

Biden will speak Monday night during an opening evening of the convention that will pay tribute to the 81-year-old Democratic president, who last month  ended his reelection campaign . Hillary Clinton will also address the convention Monday.

Obama is expected to speak Tuesday night, while Bill Clinton will deliver remarks Wednesday night before Democratic vice presidential nominee  Tim Walz gives his address

— Joey Garrison and Rachel Barber

Is Michelle Obama speaking at the Democratic convention?

Former first lady  Michelle Obama  will address the Democratic National Convention in her native city of Chicago on Tuesday, multiple sources have confirmed with USA TODAY.

Michelle Obama, one of the  most popular Democratic figures , joins an all-star lineup, including her husband, former President Barack Obama, who are rallying the party faithful in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, who is surging in polls ahead of the 2024 election.

The party's theme on Tuesday is slated to be "A Bold Vision for America’s Future."

— Joey Garrison and Phillip M. Bailey

Where is the DNC?

The convention will be in Chicago, just 90 miles south of Milwaukee, where the Republican National Convention was recently held.

The Democratic Party has held a national convention every four years since 1832 to nominate its chosen candidates, and Chicago has a storied history of hosting conventions on both sides of the political aisle dating back to 1860, with the nomination of Abraham Lincoln.

According to the  Chicago Sun-Times , this will be the Windy City’s 26th political convention. 

What happens at the DNC? 

Unlike the RNC, the DNC decided to confirm their nominee during a  virtual roll call  on Aug. 5 to satisfy ballot deadlines in several states. According to a  press release , 99% of participating delegates supported Kamala Harris in the virtual roll call, and Harris and Walz accepted the nomination a day later. 

However, Harris has not yet formally accepted the nomination, which she will do at the convention in Chicago.

In the meantime, there is still plenty left to do for the Democratic delegates. The DNC offers them a chance to adopt and unify a comprehensive party platform, taking a stance on issues like reproductive rights, immigration and economic policy. They'll also have a kind-of ceremonial vote for Harris, but her position as Democratic nominee is already final

The Democratic Party will post updates on its convention website, which can be found at  demconvention.com . 

Donald Trump plans counterprogramming during the DNC

As Trump prepared to speak to voters in Wilkes-Barre over the weekend, he and aides finalized plans to counter this week's proceedings at  the Democratic convention  − and to play defense as Harris basks in the glow of her formal nomination to the presidency.

Trump aides said they believe Harris will gain in the polls in the wake of the convention that kicks off Monday – most major party nominees do − and they are working to counteract that as the election heads into the final two months.

Trump,  vice presidential nominee JD Vance , and other campaign officials will conduct a series of anti-Harris events in key battlegrounds, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. The former president is expected to campaign every day of the week, Monday through Friday.

When did Joe Biden drop out?

Joe Biden announced on Sunday, July 21 that he would not seek reelection amid intense pressure from  Democratic leaders  sounding the alarm that his path to beat  Donald Trump  in November had vanished.

"It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President," Biden said in a letter addressed to Americans. "And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and my country for me to stand down and to focus solely on my duties as President for the rest of my term."

— USA TODAY Network