Transition words help us structure our thoughts and guide the reader or listener through what we are saying. When it’s time to summarize your message or end a paragraph, conclusion transition words let you signal this closing.
It’s good to know some synonyms for ‘in conclusion’ and ‘to conclude’, because although these are good examples of concluding words, they can get repetitive.
Our comprehensive list of transition words for conclusion and summary should give you all the inspiration you need, whether you are writing an essay or speech, or just want to become more confident forming an argument. These signal words can also be helpful for restating ideas, drawing attention to key points as you conclude.
We have included plenty of examples of how you can use these transition words for concluding paragraphs or sentences, so by the end of this article, you should be clear on how to use them properly.
Conclusion transition words with examples
We have grouped these summarizing and concluding transition words according to how and where they can be used. For example, some should only be used when forming a final conclusion, whereas others can be used to summarize sections mid-way through your speech or writing.
First, let’s be clear about the difference between a summary and a conclusion.
Summary vs conclusion
A conclusion comes at the end of a speech, chapter, or piece of text, and it brings together all of the points mentioned. A summary, however, can be placed anywhere (even at the beginning). A summary gives a brief outline of the main points but is not as in-depth as a conclusion.
If you are giving a presentation or writing a blog, you may wish to summarize the main points in your introduction so that people know what you are going to cover. You could also summarize a section part-way through before moving on to another angle or topic.
In contrast, the conclusion always comes at the end, and you should only use specific conclusion transition words as you are drawing to a close.
Transition words for conclusion paragraphs
Let’s begin with some discourse markers that signal you are moving to the concluding paragraph in your presentation, speech, essay, or paper. These can all be used to start a conclusion paragraph.
- In conclusion
- To conclude
- We can conclude that
- To wrap up
- Given these points
- In the final analysis
- As can be seen
- In the long run
- When all is said and done
- I’ll end by
- As I close
- As we draw to a close
- To close
The last three on this list, the ‘closing’ transition words, would generally only be used in spoken discourse.
Some transition words for order and sequencing should also help with structuring what you want to say, including the ending.
Example conclusion sentences
The following sentences show how to use conclusion words correctly:
- In conclusion, we can say that plan A will be of greater benefit to the company.
- When all is said and done, it’s clear that we should steer clear of this investment strategy.
- Given these points, I believe the trial was a great success.
- I’ll end by reminding you all that this experiment was just the beginning of a much larger project.
- To wrap up, let’s look at how this learning can be applied.
- In the long run, we will make more profit by investing heavily in new machinery.
- Having analyzed seven of our competitors in detail, we can conclude that our content marketing strategy should be updated.
Transition words for summary
The following summary transition words may be used as part of a conclusion paragraph, but they are especially helpful for concisely drawing together several points.
- In summary
- To sum up
- To summarize
- In brief
- On the whole
- In general
- Generally speaking
- All things considered
- In a word
- In a nutshell (informal)
- In short
- In essence
- On balance
- Overall
- In any case
- In effect
Note that although you can insert summary transition words anywhere, the specific phrases ‘In summary’, ‘To summarize’ and ‘To sum up’ are generally only used at the end, similar to conclusion phrases.
Example summary sentences
- In brief, this presentation is going to cover the pros and cons of the device and how we can apply this to our own product development.
- This new technology is, in a word, revolutionary.
- All things considered, we found that Berlin was a great city for a weekend break.
- To summarize, we can say that Shakespeare’s writing continues to have a global influence.
- We can say that the combustion engine was, on the whole, a good invention.
- In any case, we should put the necessary precautions in place.
- Generally speaking, girls are more thoughtful than boys.
Transition words to end a paragraph
You may wish to add ending transition words in the final sentence of a paragraph to conclude the ideas in that section of text, before moving on to another point.
Here are some transition words to conclude a paragraph:
- This means that
- All in all
- Ultimately
- With this in mind
- By and large
- For the most part
Note that some of these could equally be used to begin a new paragraph, so long as that paragraph is summarizing the points previously mentioned.
Cause and effect transition words could also be helpful in this context.
Examples of transition words for the end of a paragraph
- Jamie is a vegan and Sheryl has a lot of allergies. This means that we should be careful which restaurant we choose.
- The weather forecast said it would rain this afternoon. With this in mind, should we postpone our hike?
- Each of the students has their own opinion about where to go for the field trip. Ultimately, though, it’s the teacher who will decide.
Restating points as you conclude
Conclusion transition words can also signal that you are restating a point you mentioned earlier. This is common practice in both writing and speaking as it draws the reader or listener’s attention back to something you want them to keep in mind. These are, therefore, also examples of transition words for emphasizing a point.
Here are some helpful transition words for concluding or summarizing by restating points:
- As mentioned previously
- As stated earlier
- As has been noted
- As shown above
- As I have said
- As I have mentioned
- As we have seen
- As has been demonstrated
You may switch most of these between the passive and active voice, depending on which is most appropriate. For example, ‘As has been demonstrated’ could become ‘As I have demonstrated’ and ‘As shown above’ could become ‘As I have shown’.
Example sentences to restate a point in conclusion or summary
- As I stated earlier, the only way we can get meaningful results from this survey is by including at least a thousand people.
- As has been demonstrated throughout this conference, there are exciting things happening in the world of neuroscience.
- As shown by this study, the trials have been promising.
If you were researching these transition words for concluding an essay, you might find it helpful to read this guide to strong essay conclusions. Of course, there are many ways to use summary transition words beyond essays. They may be a little formal for casual conversation, but they certainly can be used in speech as part of a presentation, debate, or argument.
Can you think of any other concluding words or phrases that should be on this list? Leave a comment below to share them!
