Conclusion Sentence Starters | Printable Grade 3–5

This printable worksheet builds Grade 3–5 students' ability to write strong concluding sentences by practicing high-frequency conclusion sentence starters across 12 structured tasks. Students leave each exercise with a ready-to-use toolkit of closing phrases that transfer directly to essays, paragraphs, and on-demand writing assessments.

At a Glance

• Grade: 3–5 · Subject: ELA / Writing
• Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1 — Write opinion pieces, supplying a concluding statement or section
• Skill Focus: Conclusion sentence starters for essays and paragraphs
• Format: 1 page · 12 problems · Answer key included · PDF
• Best For: Writing workshop, essay revision, sub plans
• Time: 15–25 minutes

Inside, students encounter a curated reference list of conclusion starters (e.g., In conclusion, Overall, To summarize, As shown above) followed by 12 fill-in and short-response tasks. Each task prompts students to select an appropriate starter, complete the concluding sentence, and match tone to a given paragraph type. A full answer key shows acceptable responses for every item.

• Guided practice (problems 1–4): Sentence frames provided. Students choose from a word bank of starters and copy the best fit into a pre-structured sentence. High scaffold; builds recognition before production.
• Supported practice (problems 5–8): Word bank removed. Students select a starter independently and write a complete concluding sentence for a short model paragraph. Moderate scaffold; bridges recognition to application.
• Independent practice (problems 9–12): Students read a brief paragraph and compose an original concluding sentence using any appropriate starter. No scaffold; mirrors on-demand writing conditions.

This gradual-release sequence (I Do → We Do → You Do) ensures students build confidence at each stage before working without support.

Primary standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1 — Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information, including a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented. Supporting standard CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1 addresses the same concluding-statement expectation one grade below, making this worksheet span-ready for Grades 3–5. Both standard codes can be copied directly into lesson plans, IEP goals, or district curriculum mapping tools.

Use before direct instruction as a diagnostic: note which starters students already reach for and which they avoid. Use after a writing mini-lesson as immediate practice; most students finish in 15–20 minutes, leaving 5 minutes for a partner share. Formative tip: scan problems 9–12 first — original sentences reveal whether students understand function (closure, restatement) or are merely memorizing phrases.

Best suited for Grade 3–5 writers in writing workshop, ELA block, or test-prep rotations. Students who need additional support benefit from pairing this sheet with a conclusion anchor chart posted in the room. Advanced writers can be challenged to write two alternate concluding sentences per prompt and justify which is stronger — extending the task without a separate worksheet.

Conclusion writing is a persistent gap in elementary composition. NAEP data show fewer than 40% of Grade 4 students score at or above Proficient in writing, with weak text closure cited as a recurring trait in below-proficient responses. Fisher & Frey (2014) identify explicit modeling of closing language as a high-leverage move in the gradual-release framework, noting that students who practice discrete sentence-level moves transfer them more reliably to extended writing. This worksheet targets CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1 — writing a concluding statement in opinion pieces — through 12 scaffolded tasks that move from recognition to independent production. One page, answer key included, zero prep required.