Generic closers ('In conclusion', 'To sum up')

Closers that announce the ending instead of providing one. Strip them — the actual conclusion stands alone.

What ProfText flags

Generic closer. Often followed by vague summary rather than actionable insight.

Phrases this rule catches

• in conclusion
• to summarize
• to sum up
• overall
• all in all
• at the end of the day

How to fix it

Replace with specific takeaway or next action.

Why this matters

If the closing argument is strong, signalling 'in conclusion' is unnecessary; if it is weak, the signal does not improve it. Closers are conversational markers carried over into writing where the reader can see the end coming on screen. The strongest essays end on the actual final point, not on a hat-tip that the final point is arriving.

Languages

• en
• fr
• es
• de
• it

Detection pattern

\b(in\s+conclusion|to\s+summarize|to\s+sum\s+up|overall|all\s+in\s+all|at\s+the\s+end\s+of\s+the\s+day)\b

Related rules

• Generic openers ('In today's world', 'In recent times')Boilerplate openers that pad without setting up anything specific. Common in AI drafts and lazy human writing.
• 'In general' — concession without specifics'In general', 'broadly speaking', 'as a rule' — phrases that hedge claims without identifying the exceptions.