文章结尾的作用是概括全文内容，进一步强调或肯定文章的中心思想，使文章意义表达得更加深刻。
文章结尾的形式也是多种多样的，常见的有以下几种：
1.首尾呼应，画龙点睛
在文章的结尾，把含义较深的话放在末尾，以点明主题，深化主题，起到画龙点睛的效果。如"I Cannot Forget Her" (我忘不了她)的结尾：
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.重复主题句
结尾回到文章开头阐明的中心思想或主题句上，达到强调的效果。如“I Love My Home Town”(我爱家乡)的结尾：
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. 自然结尾
随着文章的结束，文章自然而然地结尾。如“Fishing”(钓鱼)的结尾：
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.
