Free ATI TEAS 7 English & Language Usage guide
October 2026 - Concluding Statements Study Guide for nursing students in
A conclusion closes an argument by restating the point in light of the evidence given. It introduces no new information — and a closing sentence that raises something the passage never discussed is the wrong answer however well written it is.
What a conclusion does
- Returns to the main point, now that the evidence has been given.
- Reflects what the passage actually established — including any limits it acknowledged.
- Gives the reader a sense of completion, so the passage ends rather than stopping.
- Adds nothing new. No fresh evidence, no new subject, no claim the passage did not support.
How wrong answers fail
| Failure | Looks like |
|---|---|
| New information | Introduces a fact, statistic or subject the passage never mentioned |
| Word-for-word repetition | Copies the topic sentence unchanged, as though nothing has happened since |
| Overreach | Claims more than the evidence supported — proves, always, all |
| Off-topic ending | A general reflection about the subject area rather than this passage |
| Unearned recommendation | Tells the reader what to do, where the passage only described |
Restate, do not repeat. A conclusion should say the main point differently, in words shaped by the evidence that has since been presented. A verbatim copy of the opening sentence is offered as an answer choice precisely because it looks safe.
Matching the strength of the passage
The best conclusion carries the same degree of certainty as the passage. If a passage reported small studies and hedged its findings, a conclusion asserting that something is proven does not follow, however tidy it sounds.
That is the quickest way to eliminate options. Read the passage's strongest claim, then reject any conclusion pitched above it — this is the same skill the Reading section tests as over-reach.
Choosing a conclusion
Worked example
A passage reports that a checklist reduced errors in two of four wards, that the two successful wards had trained all their staff, and that the other two trained only half. What should the conclusion say?
- Identify what the passage established: the checklist worked where training was complete.
- Identify what it did not establish: that the checklist works everywhere, or that training alone is enough.
- Reject conclusions asserting the checklist simply works — two wards saw no benefit.
- Reject anything introducing cost, staffing or other subjects the passage never raised.
Something like: "The checklist reduced errors where every member of staff had been trained to use it, which suggests the training matters as much as the tool." It restates the point at the strength the evidence supports and adds nothing new.
Terms to know
- Conclusion
- The closing statement that returns to and settles the main point.
- Restatement
- Saying the main point again in different words, shaped by what has been shown.
- Overreach
- Claiming more than the evidence supports.
- Summary
- A compressed account of a passage. A conclusion may summarise but also closes the argument.
- Call to action
- A closing statement urging the reader to act. Appropriate only in persuasive writing.
What the TEAS asks most
The same core ideas appear in different wording. If you can answer these without stopping to think, you have what this section requires.
Which sentence best concludes the passage?
The one restating the point at the strength the evidence supports, with nothing new added.
Why is this conclusion ineffective?
Usually new information, word-for-word repetition, or a claim stronger than the passage earned.
Which sentence should be removed from the final paragraph?
The one raising a subject the passage never developed.
Key points
- A conclusion returns to the main point in light of the evidence.
- It introduces no new information.
- Restate rather than repeat.
- Match the certainty of the passage; do not claim more than it showed.
- A recommendation belongs in a conclusion only if the passage argued for one.
Review quiz
4 questions on this topic, each with the reasoning worked through. Pick an answer to see how it went, or open the explanation straight away.
Read the passage, then answer the questions below
A trust introduced a bedside checklist for line insertions. In the two wards where every member of staff completed the training, infection rates fell by roughly half over six months. In the two wards where only about half the staff were trained, rates did not change measurably. Staff in all four wards described the checklist itself as quick and easy to follow. ____
-
Question 1 of 4
Which sentence best concludes the passage?
Show the answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. The checklist reduced infections only where all staff had been trained, which suggests the training matters as much as the tool itself.
It restates the point at exactly the strength the evidence supports and accounts for both the successful and unsuccessful wards. "Proven to eliminate" overreaches badly, hand hygiene and budgets are subjects the passage never raised, and the last choice simply repeats the opening sentence.
-
Question 2 of 4
Why would "Checklists are the single most effective infection control measure available" be a poor conclusion here?
Show the answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. It claims far more than a study of four wards can support, and the passage compared no other measures.
Nothing in the passage compares checklists with any other intervention, so "single most effective" is an assertion the evidence cannot reach. It is neither a repetition of the opening nor a recommendation — the problem is purely the strength of the claim.
-
Question 3 of 4
Which of these would disqualify a sentence from serving as the conclusion?
Show the answer and explanation
Correct answer: C. Introducing a statistic that appears nowhere else in the passage
A conclusion works with what the passage has already established, so fresh evidence at the close leaves the reader with a claim that was never supported. Restating, acknowledging limits and referring back are all things a good conclusion does.
-
Question 4 of 4
What is the difference between restating and repeating the main point?
Show the answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Restating expresses the point in new words shaped by the evidence; repeating copies the original sentence.
A restatement reflects the journey the passage has taken, while a copy of the opening implies nothing happened in between. Restating also does not mean strengthening — the claim should stay at the level the evidence supports.
Put this TEAS topic into practice
Build a set on concluding statements and use the rationale on every question to reinforce what you just reviewed.
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