The big idea: A strong conclusion returns to your thesis, draws your points together, and lands on the text's overall effect — it answers ‘so what?’, it doesn't just repeat the introduction.
The conclusion is your last word — make it feel like an arrival, not a rewind.
Weak conclusions just re-list the devices. Strong ones step back: they confirm the thesis, show how the choices worked TOGETHER, and name the overall effect on the reader. Two or three sentences that answer ‘so what was the point of all this?’ — then stop.
The three moves
Return to the thesis
Confirm your answer — but reworded, not copy-pasted from the intro.
Pull the points together
Show how your 2–3 sub-points combine into one overall argument.
Land on the effect
End on the text's overall effect on the reader — the ‘so what?’.
Stop
No new analysis, no new quotes, no apology. Two or three sentences.
The key move: End with thesis (reworded) → points combined → overall effect. A good conclusion answers ‘so what?’ and stops — it never introduces new points.
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Why it matters in the exam: The conclusion is your final chance to show Criterion C and Criterion B.
What the ending must do
- Criterion C: a response that adds up to one argument.
- Criterion B: an evaluative overview.
- End by stepping back to the big picture.
- Not one that simply lists devices again.
Write a conclusion for an analysis whose thesis was: ‘the writer presents the city at night as both dangerous and seductive.’ The body argued: threatening imagery, seductive rhythm, and an ambiguous ending.
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Watch out: Don't just re-list the devices, and don't introduce a NEW point in the conclusion. Step back to the overall effect and stop — new analysis here is wasted.