I almost finished

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence "I almost finished" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to convey that something was almost completed or accomplished. Example: "I almost finished my essay, but I ran out of time and couldn't submit it on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Residents shared the opinion that the course could best be given in the first period of residency training, as beginning residents are often searching for good work strategies and are therefore best accessible: " I almost finished my residency training and therefore the course material was not very new to me, as I had taught myself how to cope with unsafe situations over the years.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The only thing I am very interested in knowing the true is because I almost finish my family book and I don't know really who was Joseph Jervis'father.

BBC

And now, some four months after I'd submitted the manuscript to my agent originally, I am happy to say I've almost finished those numerous and significant changes.

HuffPost

Over the next year or so, I'll be completing a few of the courses, but now that I've almost finished the first series of courses (called a "Nanodegree"), I thought I would write up some early thoughts.

Forbes

It got to the point where I was like, You know what, I'm not gonna spend another $10,000 [on school], even if I'm almost finished, if it's not what I want to do.

Vice

The air-filled pillows could be deflated, and the helium ones we gave away to children". "When Bob and I met at Black Mountain College we knew we'd work together sometime, and, a while later, when I had almost finished the choreography for Minutiae, I called him.

The Guardian

I'm almost finished reading your article and I think it is excellent on many levels.

The New Yorker

He said the grant had also freed him to work on a memoir: "This grant has allowed me to clear my calendar and be a lot choosier about the things I do, and as a consequence, I'm almost finished".

The New York Times - Arts

I look around and say, "What sounds fun to me today?" I'll sit down and play drums or I'll sit down at piano or guitar and usually, I'll just be playing around and realize that I've almost finished a song.

Huffington Post

I had almost finished repeating one friend's pro-life argument when I saw the look on Mom's face.

The New Yorker

So many things—I'm almost finished with the next novel in Hollywood Lights, and I'm planning the one after that.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I almost finished" to clearly communicate that something was very close to being done, but not fully completed. Ensure the context provides clarity on what specific task or action you were near completing.

Common error

Avoid using "I almost finished" when you actually completed the task. This can lead to misunderstandings. If the task is done, state "I finished it" to be accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I almost finished" functions as a statement of near completion. It communicates that the speaker was close to finishing a particular task or activity, but didn't quite reach the end. Ludwig AI confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Academia

33%

Science

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "I almost finished" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that a task was near completion but not fully achieved. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's suitable for diverse contexts. While alternatives like "I nearly completed" or "I was close to finishing" exist, the original phrase remains a clear and effective choice. Be mindful not to use it when the task is fully completed to avoid confusion. It appears frequently in News & Media and Academic contexts, implying a neutral register suitable for general communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I nearly completed

Replaces "almost" with "nearly" and "finished" with "completed" to offer a slightly more formal tone.

I was close to finishing

Uses a more descriptive structure to express the idea of being near completion.

I was on the verge of finishing

Emphasizes the imminence of completion, suggesting being at the very edge of finishing.

I practically finished

Substitutes "almost" with "practically", indicating a high degree of completion.

I was just about to finish

Highlights that the action of finishing was imminent.

I had almost completed

Uses the past perfect tense to emphasize that the near completion occurred in the past.

I was nearing completion

More formal and uses "completion" instead of "finishing".

I was inches away from finishing

Uses a more figurative expression to convey being very close to completion.

I was within reach of finishing

Indicates that the finishing point was attainable and close.

I all but finished

Emphasizes that everything except the very last part was completed.

FAQs

What does "I almost finished" mean?

The phrase "I almost finished" means that you were very close to completing a task or action, but did not entirely finish it. It implies a state of near completion.

What can I say instead of "I almost finished"?

You can use alternatives like "I nearly completed", "I was close to finishing", or "I was on the verge of finishing" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "I almost finished"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct and commonly used to indicate near completion of a task. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable.

What's the difference between "I almost finished" and "I finished"?

"I almost finished" indicates that the task was not fully completed, while "I finished" means the task was entirely completed. The difference lies in the completion status.