文章結尾的作用是概括全文內容，進一步強調或肯定文章的中心思想，使文章意義表達得更加深刻。
文章結尾的形式也是多種多樣的，常見的有以下幾種：
1.首尾呼應，畫龍點睛
在文章的結尾，把含義較深的話放在末尾，以點明主題，深化主題，起到畫龍點睛的效果。如“I Cannot Forget Her” （我忘不了她）的結尾：
After her death，I felt as if something were missing in my life. I was sad over her passing away，but I knew she would not have had any regrets at having given her life for the benefit of the people.
2.重複主題句
結尾回到文章開頭闡明的中心思想或主題句上，達到強調的效果。如“I Love My Home Town”（我愛家鄉）的結尾：
I love my home town，and I love its people. They too have changed. They are going all out to do more for the good of our motherland.
3.自然結尾
隨着文章的結束，文章自然而然地結尾。如“Fishing”（釣魚）的結尾：
I caught as many as twenty fish in two hours，but my brother caught many more. Tired from fishing，we lay down on the river bank，bathing in the sun. We returned home very late.
4.含蓄性的結尾
用比喻或含蓄的手法不直接點明作者的看法，而是讓讀者自己去領會和思考。如“A Day of Harvesting”（收割的日子）的結尾：
Evening came before we realized it. We put down our sickles and looked at each other. Our clothes were wet with sweat，but on every face there was a smile.
5.用反問結尾
雖然形式是問句，但意義卻是肯定的，並具有特別的強調作用，引起讀者深思。如“Should We Learn to Do Housework？”（我們要不要學做家務？） 的結尾。
Everyone should learn to do housework. Don’t you agree，boys and girls？
6.指明方向，激勵讀者
結尾表示對將來的展望，或期待讀者投入行動。如“Let’s Go in for Sports”（讓我們參加體育運動）的`結尾：
As we have said above，sports can be of great value. They not only make people live happily but also help people to learn virtues and do their work bettter. A sound mind is in a sound body. Let’s go in for sports.
文章的結尾沒有一定的模式，可以根據表達主題的需要靈活創造。一般的習慣是，一些記敘文和描寫文經常採用自然結尾的方法；但說理性和邏輯性較強的說明文和議論文則往往都有結束語，以便使文章首尾呼應，結構完整。
