finished long

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "finished long" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to describe something that has been completed for a long time, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear. Example: "The project was finished long before the deadline."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

I'd finished long ago with the days of being tested and observed.

The New Yorker

They have just finished long, arduous seasons in their home leagues.

The New York Times - Sports

BENGALS at DOLPHINS The Dolphins (1-14) were finished long before the Bengals (6-9) arrined in town.

The New York Times

Some may have finished long prison sentences: I have yet to see even the hardest-line MP calling for prisoners to lose the vote for life.

The Economist

Books I've just finished Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela as I recently went on a trip to Kenya with Action Aid.

The Guardian

In New York City, individual condominium units are recorded in property records by lot numbers that are not assigned until the building is nearly finished, long after many contracts are signed.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

By the time he is finished, long-forgotten thoughts of trying to write fiction are unexpectedly reawakening.

The Guardian - Books

The Giants also recorded 95 more yards of offense than San Francisco but were hurt by untimely mistakes and an inability to finish long drives in the first half.

The New York Times

Not long ago she finished a long tour of "Dear Liar", adapted by Jerome Kilty from the Shaw-Campbell correspondence.

The New Yorker

The treatment finished not long after that.

The Guardian - Books

I had gone through my third divorce — filed in 2002, finished two long years later.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "finished long" in formal writing. Instead, opt for clearer alternatives like "completed a long time ago" or "long since finished".

Common error

Using "finished long" can sound unnatural. Be specific about when something was completed by adding a time frame, like "finished long before the deadline" or "completed a long time ago".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "finished long" is typically used as part of a verb phrase. However, based on Ludwig AI, this phrasing is not considered grammatically correct and is not a standard construction in English. It aims to indicate the completion of an action with an emphasis on a duration.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

92%

Wiki

4%

Encyclopedias

4%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "finished long" appears in various sources, particularly news and media, Ludwig AI indicates that it is considered grammatically incorrect and non-standard English. To ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy, it is advisable to use alternative phrases such as "completed a long time ago" or "long since finished". This will improve the effectiveness and professionalism of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

completed a long time ago

Focuses on the completion of an action with emphasis on the extended duration since its finishing.

done a long time ago

Implies something was completed in the past, highlighting the distance in time.

finished well in advance

Highlights that something was completed before a deadline or expected time.

completed far in the past

Emphasizes how long ago something was completed.

concluded long ago

Highlights the act of formally ending something a significant time ago.

wrapped up a while back

An informal way to say something was completed some time ago.

ended a long time ago

Focuses on the termination of something in the distant past.

over and done with a while ago

Suggests that something was completed in the past and no longer needs to be worried about.

long since completed

Emphasizes that completion happened a considerable time ago.

brought to a close long ago

Highlights the act of formally closing something in the distant past.

FAQs

What's wrong with the phrase "finished long"?

The phrase "finished long" "is not correct" and does not convey a clear meaning in written English. It may be intended to describe something that has been completed for a long time, but the phrasing is awkward and unclear.

What can I say instead of "finished long"?

You can use alternatives like "completed a long time ago", "done a long time ago", or "long since finished" depending on the context.

Is "finished long ago" better than "finished long"?

Yes, "finished long ago" is grammatically correct and clearly conveys that something was completed a significant time in the past, unlike "finished long".

How can I clearly express that something was completed well before a specific point in time?

Use phrases such as "completed well in advance" or "finished well before the deadline" for better clarity and grammatical correctness.