Why It Matters
A strong ending elevates the entire piece. Examiners remember the ending, and a reflective or circular ending shows maturity and planning. It turns a good story into a complete story.
Examples
“Circular: Opening — "It was supposed to be an ordinary Tuesday." Ending — "Tuesday would never feel ordinary again."”
-- Mirrors and inverts the opening“Reflective: "Standing at the finish line with silver instead of gold, I realised that was enough."”
-- Character has learned something“Image-based: The story opens with a photograph; it ends with the photograph pinned to the wall beside the character's own.”
-- Returns to an objectBefore you start writing, plan your ending. Know your last sentence. Then make sure your opening connects to it. The best endings feel both surprising and inevitable — the reader thinks "of course it ends there."
Practice Exercises
Try these exercises to practise using reflection and circular endings in your own writing. Click "Show Suggestions" to see example answers.
1
Write a reflective final sentence for a story about losing a pet.
The garden felt emptier now, but somehow, in the quiet, I could still hear him — padding along the path, snuffling through the leaves, always just around the corner.
I closed the door for the last time and realised that love doesn't end. It just changes shape.
2
Write a circular ending that mirrors the opening "The alarm went off at seven, like every other morning."
The alarm went off at seven, like every other morning. But this time, everything was different.
The alarm would go off at seven again tomorrow. But I wouldn't be the same person who heard it.
Related Techniques
Contrast and Juxtaposition
Placing two opposite or very different things side by side to highlight their differences and create a powerful effect.
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Show, Don't Tell
Instead of telling the reader what a character feels ("She was scared"), showing it through physical actions, sensations, and behaviour ("Her hands trembled and her breath came in short, sharp gasps").
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Pacing and Slow-Motion Writing
Controlling the speed of your narrative — slowing down at key moments for drama, speeding up when action is happening fast.
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