O-Level English Paper 1: How to Write Argumentative and Discursive Essay Conclusions
Many O-Level English students learn one general method for writing conclusions and apply it to every essay.
The problem is that an argumentative essay and a discursive essay do not have exactly the same purpose. An argumentative essay requires you to defend a clear position, while a discursive essay generally explores different perspectives before arriving at a considered judgement.
As a result, their conclusions should not sound exactly the same.
A strong argumentative conclusion should leave the examiner with no doubt about your final position. A strong discursive conclusion, on the other hand, should bring the different perspectives together and show that you understand the complexity of the issue.
In this guide, we will explain the difference between argumentative and discursive essay conclusions, show you useful structures for both and compare weak and stronger examples.
What Is the Difference Between an Argumentative and Discursive Essay?
Before writing your conclusion, you need to understand what your essay is trying to achieve.
Argumentative Writing
An argumentative essay requires you to take a position and support it with logical reasons, explanations and examples.
A question may ask:
"Junk food advertisements targeting children should be banned." Do you agree?
Your essay should develop a clear overall stance.
You may acknowledge the opposing perspective, but your final judgement should show which position you ultimately support.
Discursive Writing
A discursive essay explores an issue from different perspectives.
For example:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of working from home?
Instead of simply trying to prove one side correct, you may examine:
- benefits;
- disadvantages;
- different groups affected;
- circumstances in which something works well; and
- situations where it may be less effective.
Your conclusion should therefore weigh the perspectives rather than suddenly turning the essay into a one-sided argument.
Argumentative vs Discursive Conclusions at a Glance
Feature | Argumentative Essay | Discursive Essay |
|---|---|---|
Main purpose | Defend a clear position | Explore different perspectives |
Overall stance | Clear and consistent | Balanced or qualified |
Conclusion should | Reaffirm and justify your judgement | Weigh perspectives and draw a considered conclusion |
Final message | What you ultimately believe | What the discussion ultimately reveals |
Opposing views | Can be acknowledged, but your stance remains clear | Should be considered fairly |
What to avoid | Becoming completely neutral | Suddenly becoming one-sided |
Useful ending direction | “Therefore…” / “Ultimately…” | “Overall…” / “Its effectiveness depends on…” |
The key difference is not whether you are allowed to recognise both sides.
Strong argumentative writers can acknowledge complexity.
Strong discursive writers can still reach a conclusion.
The difference lies in what your essay is primarily trying to do.
How to Write an Argumentative Essay Conclusion
A useful structure is:
Position → Synthesis → Judgement
1. Reaffirm your position
Return to your overall answer to the question without copying your introduction word for word.
2. Synthesise your strongest arguments
Show how your body paragraphs collectively support your stance.
3. Give your final judgement
Explain what should ultimately be believed, prioritised or done.
Consider this question:
"Junk food advertisements targeting children should be banned." Do you agree?
Weak vs Strong Argumentative Conclusion
Weak Conclusion | Stronger Conclusion |
|---|---|
“In conclusion, junk food advertisements have both advantages and disadvantages. Some people think they should be banned while others disagree.” | “Junk food advertisements can shape children's habits before they are old enough to evaluate marketing critically, but a ban is only effective when paired with genuine efforts to make healthier options equally appealing and accessible...” |
Problem: Avoids taking a position and merely repeats both sides. | Why it works: Reaffirms the position, synthesises the arguments and ends with a qualified judgement. |
The student reaches a clear final position.
The conclusion is not simply "junk food ads are good" or "junk food ads are bad". Instead, it gives a qualified judgement.
How to Write a Discursive Essay Conclusion
A useful structure for discursive writing is:
Perspective A + Perspective B → Weigh → Final Reflection
Instead of trying to "win" the argument, the conclusion should show what becomes clear after considering the different perspectives.
Consider:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of working from home?
Weak Conclusion | Stronger Conclusion |
|---|---|
“Working from home has advantages and disadvantages. It saves time, but people can also become lonely.” | “Working from home offers considerable flexibility... Yet the loss of face-to-face interaction... means that it is not an ideal arrangement for everyone...” |
Problem: Merely lists one advantage and one disadvantage. | Why it works: Weighs the perspectives and identifies the conditions that determine effectiveness. |
Common Mistake: Using the Same Conclusion for Both Essay Types
Consider:
In conclusion, there are advantages and disadvantages to social media. Therefore, people should use it wisely.
This type of conclusion can appear in almost any essay. That is precisely the problem.
For an argumentative essay, it is too neutral. For a discursive essay, it is too shallow.
A strong conclusion should reflect the purpose of the essay.
How to Synthesise Your Arguments
Whether you are writing an argumentative or discursive essay, avoid mechanically listing your body paragraphs.
Useful synthesis phrases include:
- Taken together, these factors show that…
- When these considerations are viewed together…
- Although _, this must be balanced against…
- The issue therefore extends beyond…
- What these arguments reveal is that…
- Ultimately, the benefits of _ depend on…
The aim is not to memorise these phrases. Use them as tools to express the relationship between your ideas.
Avoid Introducing New Arguments
Your conclusion should not suddenly contain a major reason that never appeared in your body paragraphs.
Imagine an essay about the benefits and drawbacks of social media discusses:
- communication;
- mental health; and
- distraction.
A weak conclusion suddenly states:
Social media companies also consume large amounts of electricity through their data centres.
Even if this statement is relevant to technology generally, it has not been developed in the essay.
A conclusion should close the discussion, not open a new one.
Ask yourself:
Have I already developed this idea somewhere in my essay?
If not, it probably does not belong in the conclusion.
Avoid Mechanical Conclusions
Many students rely on a fixed structure such as:
In conclusion, I agree with the statement because of the reasons mentioned above.
This technically signals a position, but it does not demonstrate what the essay has established.
Another common version is:
In conclusion, this topic has both advantages and disadvantages.
Again, this says very little. A better conclusion should contain actual thinking.
Ask:
- What does my argument ultimately prove?
- Which considerations matter most?
- Are there conditions under which my position changes?
- What should happen as a result?
- What broader lesson follows from my discussion?
A Simple Argumentative and Discursive Conclusion Framework
Argumentative: P-S-J | Discursive: A+B-W-R |
|---|---|
P – Position: What do I ultimately believe? | A – Perspective A: What is the strongest point on one side? |
S – Synthesis: What do my strongest arguments collectively show? | B – Perspective B: What important counterpoint should be considered? |
J – Judgement: What final conclusion follows? | W – Weigh: When does each perspective matter more? |
R – Reflection: What overall conclusion can be drawn? |
Write Conclusions That Match Your Essay
At Zespa Learning, students are taught how to plan essays according to the demands of the question rather than relying on one memorised structure for every topic.
Take Your O-Level Essay Writing Further
Knowing how to write a strong conclusion is only one part of producing an effective O-Level essay. Students also need to generate relevant arguments, develop their ideas, use suitable examples and maintain clear, accurate language throughout their writing.
Want more structured practice and feedback? Explore Zespa Learning’s Secondary and O-Level English programme and book a trial class.