What is the primary purpose of a conclusion in a speech?

The primary purpose of a conclusion in a speech is to review the main points. This part of the speech serves to summarize the key messages that the speaker has communicated, reinforcing them in the audience's mind before the speech comes to an end. Reviewing the main points helps to ensure that the audience retains the most important information, providing clarity and emphasis on the core themes of the presentation.

A conclusion is not meant to introduce new ideas, as this could confuse the audience and dilute the impact of the main messages. Furthermore, it does not typically serve as a section for background information, which should be presented earlier in the speech to provide context. While increasing audience engagement is important throughout the speech, in the conclusion, the focus shifts to summarization and a call to action or final thought that ties everything together, rather than ongoing engagement strategies. Therefore, reviewing the main points effectively consolidates the speech and enhances audience understanding.