有时，主题句并没有出现在段落的开头，这时候就要注意概括段落中心思想的句子是否在段落的结尾。如下面这一段：

To avoid sleep problems, you should not drink alcoholic beverages (含酒精的饮料) or drinks with caffeine (含咖啡因的饮料) before bedtime. Another way to avoid sleep problems is to not exercise within three hours of bedtime. A final way to prevent sleep problems is to plan a sleep routine. Every day, go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time. As can be seen, sleep problems can be avoided by following the above simple guidelines.

为了避免睡眠问题，作者一开始提出，“睡前不应该喝含酒精的饮料或含咖啡因的饮料”。接着他又说，“睡前3小时内不要锻炼”，还要“计划好睡眠习惯，每天同一时间睡觉，同一时间起床”。在段落的结尾，作者概括了这一段的中心思想：As can be seen, sleep problems can be avoided by following the above simple guidelines.

在一些英语段落中，我们会发现作者在段落开头和结尾表达同样的中心思想。比如：

Learning is a very personal matter. There isn’t one study skill or learning strategy that works for every person in every situation. Therefore, you must learn what you know, what you don’t know, and what to do about it. Don’t always wait for others to tell you what to learn or how to do it.

第一句是主题句，也是这一段要表达的中心思想：学习完全是一种因人而异的事情。随后的两句进一步拓展中心思想，说明没有一种学习技能或策略能在任何时候或情况下对任何人有效，要了解自己知道什么、不知道什么和知道该如何去做。最后一句—不要老等着别人告诉你学习什么或怎么学习—实际上深化了第一句表达的思想。