finish doing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "finish doing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it any time you want to express the idea of completing a task or activity. For example, "I need to finish doing the laundry before I can start making dinner."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

"I've got big ambitions to finish doing up Portland Place.

Independent

Stop bludgeoning it every time you finish doing a sum.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"What we've tried to do is let the judiciary finish doing its job".

The New York Times

Write reasonably well, don't go crazy correcting what you've already written because you will never finish doing it.

Stanford University

Q. Are there ideas stored up or will you have to fill the tank when you finish doing all the "Django" publicity?

The New York Times

Or possibly an interactive site about what you are going to do next after you finish doing what you're doing now.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

What followed was a pre-Olympic jolt: seventh, did not finish, did not finish, seventh, did not finish.

The Washington Post

The dream finish did not materialise as Ben Hilfenhaus defended stoutly.

The Guardian - Sport

And when you finish, don't worry, there will be more work.

Columbia University

2014 Northern Trust Open finish: did not play.

Los Angeles Times

Once you finish, do not sit down!

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "finish doing" when you want to clearly indicate the completion of an action, especially when the action is expressed as a gerund (verb + -ing).

Common error

While acceptable, "finish doing" can sound slightly informal. In formal writing, consider alternatives like "complete", "conclude", or "finalize" for a more polished tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "finish doing" functions as a verb phrase indicating the completion of an action or activity. As Ludwig AI explains, it expresses the idea of completing a task. For example, "I need to finish doing the laundry."

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Wiki

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Science

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "finish doing" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate the completion of an activity, as also confirmed by Ludwig AI. While versatile, it's most frequently found in News & Media, Wiki, and Academic contexts, maintaining a generally neutral register. For more formal writing, consider alternatives such as "complete doing" or "conclude doing". When writing, remember that the gerund form is necessary after the word "finish" and ensure that you keep in mind the slight informality the phrase carries.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

complete doing

More formal and emphasizes the act of bringing something to an end.

conclude doing

More formal and suggests a definitive end.

get through doing

More informal and emphasizes overcoming a challenge.

be done doing

Informal and focuses on the state of being finished.

finalize doing

Implies a process of making something complete and ready.

wrap up doing

Informal and suggests a tidy completion.

put the finishing touches on doing

Focuses on the last steps to complete a task.

bring to completion doing

Formal and emphasizes the achievement of finishing.

accomplish doing

Highlights the successful completion of something.

discharge doing

Implies performing and completing an action or duty.

FAQs

How do I use "finish doing" in a sentence?

You can use "finish doing" to describe the completion of an activity. For example, "I need to "finish doing" my homework before I go out." or "Have you "finish doing" the dishes yet?"

What's a more formal way to say "finish doing"?

Alternatives such as "complete doing" or "conclude doing" are generally more formal than "finish doing".

Is "finish to do" grammatically correct instead of "finish doing"?

While "finish doing" is correct, "finish to do" isn't standard English. Always use the gerund form (-ing) after "finish" when referring to an action.

What's the difference between "finished doing" and "finish doing"?

"Finished doing" indicates that the action is already completed. "Finish doing" suggests an action that needs to be completed. For example, "I have "finished doing" the dishes" versus "I need to "finish doing" the dishes".