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IELTS Writing Task 2: How to Write a Conclusion That Scores Points

Why It Matters

Your conclusion is the last thing the examiner reads. If it’s vague, weak, or missing entirely, it drags your score down — especially in Task Response and Coherence and Cohesion.

A strong conclusion doesn’t need to be creative. It just needs to do the job properly:

  • Clearly restate your position

  • Summarise the two main ideas you discussed

  • Avoid any new information

That’s it.

What Should a Good Conclusion Include?

You’re aiming for two sentences, every time:

  1. Sentence 1: Restate your opinion or overall answer

  2. Sentence 2: Summarise your two main points clearly

No new points. No new ideas. No guessing games.

If you’ve followed your structure correctly, this should take you under 60 seconds to write.

Fixed Sentence Starters

Use these every time:

  • “In conclusion, while people may vary in their opinions, I believe that…”
    → For Discussion-style essays

  • “In conclusion, while [topic] can bring some benefits to [group], it can also [mention disadvantage].”
    → For Advantage/Disadvantage essays

  • “In conclusion, the [strong disadvantage] outweighs any minor benefits that could result from it.”
    → For Outweigh essays

  • “In conclusion, [summary of cause/problem] is the root of this issue, but with targeted efforts like [solution], it can be resolved.”
    → For Problem/Solution or Cause/Solution essays

  • “In conclusion, the expansion of [topic] has had a [positive/negative] impact, and therefore I believe it is a [positive/negative] development.”
    → For Opinion essays

You do not change these. You’re learning control, not variety.

Common Mistakes (Don’t Do These)

  • “To summarise” / “To summarise everything that has been said”
    → These are banned. Use only “In conclusion” or “To conclude.”

  • Introducing a new idea
    → No: “Another thing to consider is…”
    → No: “Finally, I believe that governments should also…”

  • Making it personal
    → No: “In my experience…”
    → No: “This happened to someone I know…”

  • Too short
    → One sentence = incomplete. A conclusion must do both jobs: give the opinion AND support it.

Sample Conclusion (Opinion Essay)

Task:
Thanks to budget airlines, many people are now able to travel abroad.
Is this a positive or negative development?

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the expansion of budget air travel has had a profoundly damaging impact on both local communities and public health.
Therefore, I believe this is a negative development.

Sample Conclusion (Discussion Essay)

Task:
Some people believe tourism brings economic benefits, while others argue it causes harm to local communities.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, while people may vary in their opinions, I believe that tourism can benefit local communities through increased job creation and better infrastructure.
Despite some drawbacks, the long-term gains make it a positive development.

Final Reminder

A good conclusion is not the place to get clever. It’s the place to get clear.

No variation. No creativity.
Just finish strong, support your opinion, and show the examiner you’re in control of the essay — right to the final full stop.

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