Last chapter, you learned how to write P3, P4, P5, and P6 — two reasons and two pieces of evidence that prove your stand is correct.
Your reader has followed your argument from the hook all the way through.
They know the problem. They know who it affects. They know two solid reasons why something needs to change. They've seen the evidence.
Now they're waiting for one thing.
"So what do we do about it?"
That's P7. Your conclusion.
One paragraph. Two to three sentences. The last thing your reader reads.
This chapter teaches you exactly how to write it.
P7 has three jobs. Every sentence in P7 should be doing one of them.
A weak conclusion makes the reader feel like the column just... stopped. A strong conclusion makes the reader feel like the column landed. The hook gets the reader in. The body proves your point. The conclusion tells the reader what to do with everything they just read. Without a strong P7, your argument hangs in the air. The reader finishes the column and thinks: "Okay. So what now?" A strong P7 answers that question — directly, specifically, confidently.
This is the most common conclusion mistake. Do not introduce a new reason, a new piece of evidence, or a new problem in P7. Your argument is already made. P7 is where you land — not where you add more.
"No student should go hungry. Also, the canteen should sell more vegetables. And the school should consider a longer lunch break too." — Three different ideas. None of them land.
"No student should go hungry in the middle of a school day. The school administration should open a second serving window — starting next quarter." One idea. One call to action. Clean finish.
If a new idea shows up while you're writing P7 — stop. Ask yourself: "Is this strong enough to be its own paragraph in the body?" If yes — go back and add it to P3 or P5 before you write the conclusion. If no — leave it out of this column entirely.
Here is the step-by-step method. Follow it in order.
Put it all together: "No student should go hungry in the middle of a school day. Opening a second serving window costs no extra money — only a shift in how the canteen schedules its staff. The school administration should pilot this change starting next quarter." Three sentences. That's a complete P7.
Restating your stand is the part most students find hardest. Here are three ways to do it.
All three work. What matters is that your restate doesn't copy P2 — and that the reader feels the weight of your argument one more time.
A call to action with all three parts is a strong finish. A call to action missing one part is weak. Here's the test — after writing your call to action, ask:
"Someone should do something about this soon." Who is "someone"? What is "something"? When is "soon"?
"The school administration should open a second serving window before the next school quarter begins." All three parts present.
Here is the same conclusion written two ways — weak and strong — for the same canteen column.
Mistake 5 — Ending with "Thank you for reading." A column doesn't end with a thank-you. Delete it. Your call to action is your last sentence. Let it stand on its own.
The best conclusions echo the opening — they don't repeat it, but they rhyme with it.
P1 shows the problem happening in real time. P7 says what needs to happen to fix it. The column opens with a real moment and closes with a real demand. That connection between hook and conclusion is what makes a column feel complete — not just finished.
Before moving to the final edit, do this test. Close your column. Finish this sentence from memory:
If you can finish that sentence clearly and specifically — your stand is clear and your argument is solid. If you struggle — your stand or your conclusion isn't sharp enough yet. Go back and tighten it.
Apply what you learned. Work through the activities below step by step.
| What to Check | Done ✅ | Try Again 🔄 |
|---|---|---|
| P7 is two to three sentences | ☐ | ☐ |
| First sentence restates the stand — not copied from P2 | ☐ | ☐ |
| Second sentence gives a strong impression | ☐ | ☐ |
| Third sentence is a call to action with who, what, and when | ☐ | ☐ |
| No new argument introduced in P7 | ☐ | ☐ |
| No "In conclusion" or "Thank you for reading" | ☐ | ☐ |
Answers will differ for each student. Use the rubric above or ask your teacher for help.
Each P7 below has one specific problem. Choose the option that correctly names and fixes it.