become finished

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "become finished" is not correct and is not commonly used in written English.
It is typically used incorrectly as it combines two verbs in a way that does not convey a clear meaning. Example: "After hours of hard work, I hope to become finished with this project by the end of the day."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Neil Jordan says he has written "a thousand beginnings" but few become finished projects.

The Guardian - Books

Marvel's development slate is relatively thin: the company works on only five or six scripts at once, compared with the dozens under way at major studios, though in Marvel's case virtually all are expected to become finished films.

The New York Times

More than 20 pieces presented over the last decade in NewFaces have gone on to become finished productions at the Brooklyn Academy, the Berlin Jazz Festival, the Public Theater, Lincoln Center, the Opera Ballet at Lyon and other theaters and festivals.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

You must have seen the newspaper story last week that quoted the head of a private school bemoaning how even the lawyers and bankers have been priced out and they've become "finishing schools for the children of oligarchs".

The Guardian - Opinion

Consultancies and investment banks have become finishing schools for future corporate leaders: Lou Gerstner at IBM, Ken Chenault at American Express, Meg Whitman at eBay and Chuck Conaway at K-Mart all started out in consultancies (as do 65% of the products of top business schools).Capital One, a credit-card company, shows what a difference the application of talent can make to a sleepy market.

The Economist

"When I first conceptualized the sliding timeframe concept that would become Finish, I inherently thought about how it would work on an iPhone screen it was just completely obvious.

TechCrunch

Here are some quotations as provided by NFL Network: After a disappointing 2010 season, Coughlin, whose mantra became "finish, finish, finish," showed the team a video of a high school cross-country runner (starting at 1 12 mark below).

The New York Times

Each spring I hope they will have become remotely finished artists.

The New York Times - Arts

But, tired and passé as he had become, he finished the task that his predecessors had started, of making Germany a normal country.

The Economist

The more paperclips you place in the bin, the more motivated you will become to finish the task.

Huffington Post

So then it becomes about finishing the race, and finishing the race well.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using "become finished", opt for clearer and more grammatically accepted alternatives like "be completed" or "be finalized" to ensure your writing is precise and easily understood.

Common error

Avoid using "become finished" in formal writing. It often sounds unnatural. Consider rephrasing with stronger verbs or adjectives that clearly indicate the state of completion. For example, replace "the project will become finished" with "the project will be completed".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "become finished" functions as a verb phrase intending to describe the process of achieving a state of completion. However, its usage is not grammatically standard, and it is often considered awkward. Ludwig identifies it as not commonly used in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while "become finished" attempts to convey the process of reaching a completed state, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect and uncommon in standard written English. Its few occurrences are spread across news, business, and wiki contexts. Therefore, it's advisable to favor grammatically sound and more widely accepted alternatives like "be completed" or "be finalized" for clearer and more professional communication. Always consider the context and audience to choose the most appropriate phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be completed

Focuses on the state of completion, emphasizing that something has reached its final stage.

be finalized

Highlights the act of making something final and official.

be made final

Focuses on the act of finalizing something, similar to 'be finalized'.

reach completion

Emphasizes the process of arriving at a finished state.

be brought to a close

Indicates the termination or ending of something, often a task or project.

be concluded

Similar to 'be brought to a close', suggesting a formal ending.

be terminated

Suggests a more abrupt or decisive ending.

be wrapped up

Informal way of saying something is finished or completed.

be successfully executed

Emphasizes the successful completion of a plan or task.

be consummated

Formal term suggesting the completion or fulfillment of something, often used in legal or ceremonial contexts.

FAQs

What is a better alternative to "become finished"?

More appropriate alternatives include "be completed", "be finalized", or "be brought to a close", depending on the context.

Is "become finished" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "become finished" is not considered grammatically standard. It's better to use more common and accepted phrases like "be completed".

How can I use "be completed" in a sentence?

You can say, "The report will be completed by Friday" or "Once the renovations "are completed", the building will reopen".

What's the difference between "become finished" and "be completed"?

"Become finished" implies a process of reaching completion, but it is not standard English. "Be completed" is a clearer and more widely accepted way to express the idea of something being brought to a finished state.