finished earlier

USAGE SUMMARY

'finished earlier' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It typically indicates that a task or activity was completed ahead of schedule. For example, "The painting project was finished earlier than expected."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

Sunday's 9pm edition had 3.2 million and a 13.2% share from 9pm, against Channel 4's Walking the Nile (2 million/8.1%) and BBC2's The Lancaster: Britain's Flying Past (1 million/3.9%) – admittedly a hastily scheduled repeat after The Masters Snooker final finished earlier than expected 7pm-8.45pm 7pm-8.45pmion/7.9%).

The Guardian

He called the latest draft – which was finished earlier in the day, in time to start high-level talks among political leaders next week – "a very good beginning".

Los Angeles Times

Play will begin at 3.30am because we finished earlier last night, so.

The Guardian - Sport

Sept. 4, 2003: Roller-Coaster Party The shoot finished earlier in the day, at 3 15 a.m.

The New York Times

The completion date has been pushed back from Memorial Day 2008 to July 4, with an incentive bonus if the project is finished earlier.

The New York Times

All of the men except Hasseen travelled to Dewsbury on the day of the rally but arrived at around 4pm, while the event had finished earlier than expected, at 2pm.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

Both were finished earlier this year but remained idle for months.

The Economist

The building, which was finished earlier this year, is 30percentt vacant, Mr. Beitler said.

The New York Times

Renovation of the 30,000-square-foot building was finished earlier this year.

The New York Times

Though the prizes are hung around the neck instead of hoisted overhead, there are few differences between Olympic tennis and the Wimbledon Championships which finished earlier this month.

The New York Times - Sports

At 27 Harrison Street, the old McComb house, the architect Gregory Talmont designed a new slate roof, finished earlier this year, to replace the old wooden one.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "finished earlier" to clearly and concisely communicate that a task or event was completed before the anticipated or scheduled time. Ensure the context makes it clear what the expected completion time was.

Common error

Avoid using "finished earlier" when you mean "started earlier". These phrases have opposite meanings and should not be confused. For example, instead of saying "The meeting finished earlier, so we had more time", ensure it wasn't the start that was advanced.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "finished earlier" primarily functions as a verb phrase, indicating the completion of an action (finishing) before a specified or implied deadline. Ludwig AI confirms the correctness and usability of this phrase, offering many examples across different sources.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

23%

Wiki

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

9%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "finished earlier" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It conveys that a task or event was completed before its expected time and it's applicable across various contexts, primarily in news, scientific, and general knowledge domains. When using this phrase, be mindful of clearly indicating the timeframe against which "earlier" is being compared. Remember to avoid confusion with "started earlier" and explore synonyms to vary your writing. Keep in mind the phrase is a useful tool for communicating about timelines and progress with clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completed ahead of schedule

Emphasizes meeting a deadline sooner than anticipated, focusing on the scheduling aspect.

ended before the deadline

Specifically focuses on surpassing a set deadline.

concluded prematurely

Highlights an early ending, potentially implying an unfinished state or an unexpected halt.

achieved ahead of time

Highlights the accomplishment aspect of finishing something early, emphasizing the success.

wrapped up beforehand

Suggests a proactive completion, indicating the task was finished in anticipation of something else.

finalized sooner

Emphasizes the completion of the final steps earlier than planned.

terminated in advance

Indicates a formal or official ending that occurred before the expected time.

fulfilled in short order

Conveys a sense of speed and efficiency in completing the task.

brought to a close prematurely

Implies that the conclusion might have been rushed or not entirely desired.

determined at an early stage

Focuses on the early point in time when something was decided or concluded.

FAQs

How can I use "finished earlier" in a sentence?

You can use "finished earlier" to indicate that a task or event was completed before the expected time. For example, "The project was "completed ahead of schedule" and we were able to move on to the next phase".

What's a synonym for "finished earlier"?

Alternatives to "finished earlier" include ""completed ahead of schedule"", "concluded prematurely", or "wrapped up beforehand", each carrying slightly different connotations.

Is it correct to say "finished more early" instead of "finished earlier"?

No, "finished more early" is not grammatically correct. The correct comparative form is "finished earlier". Using "more" with "early" is redundant since "earlier" is already a comparative adjective.

What's the difference between "finished early" and "finished earlier"?

"Finished early" generally means something ended before its expected time. "Finished earlier" implies a comparison, suggesting it ended before something else or before a previous occurrence. For instance, "This year, the harvest "finished early"", versus "This year, the harvest "finished earlier" than last year".