had recently finished

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "had recently finished" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an action was completed not long before another point in time, often in the context of storytelling or reporting past events. Example: "She had recently finished her novel when she received the call from the publisher."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

50 human-written examples

He had recently finished his 1996 film, "Stealing Beauty," which signaled his return to Italy.

The New York Times

When U.C.L.A. terminated men's gymnastics in 1994, he had recently finished his second season there.

The New York Times - Sports

I had recently finished my residency, three years immersed in the culture of house officer training.

The New York Times

He was 62 and had recently finished a national tribute tour, Experience Hendrix.

The New York Times - Arts

Shakespeare had recently finished a long series of plays about English history.

The Guardian

He had recently finished the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.

The New Yorker

Vargas is young and chic, and she had recently finished a postgraduate course in development administration in thoroughly deregulated Britain.

The New Yorker

Poe had recently finished "The Gold-Bug," and had sold it to Graham for fifty-two dollars.

The New Yorker

Neither could put a puck past the accountant, who had recently finished a shift at his day job.

The New York Times - Sports

Mr. Johnson, who was 16 at the time, said he and Mr. Thompson had recently finished smoking a marijuana cigarette.

The New York Times

Mr. Cohn had recently finished rereading "Lord of the Flies" and found similarities to it in the staging.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "had recently finished", ensure the context clearly establishes the subsequent event or timeframe being referenced. This helps to highlight the recency of the completion in relation to the new context.

Common error

Avoid using "had recently finished" when the subsequent action is not clearly defined in the past. This can lead to confusion regarding the timeline of events. If the subsequent action is in the present, consider a present perfect tense instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had recently finished" functions as a past perfect construction indicating an action completed in the recent past relative to another past event. As seen in Ludwig's examples, it sets a temporal context by showing precedence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Wiki

20%

Science

13%

Less common in

Academia

7%

Formal & Business

6%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had recently finished" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to denote the completion of an action in the near past, relative to another event. As supported by Ludwig's analysis and numerous examples, it effectively communicates the recency of the finished action. While versatile, its use is most impactful when the subsequent event is clearly defined in the past. Being mindful of this context ensures accurate and clear communication. The phrase is suitable for neutral contexts such as news and academic writing and is commonly found in reputable sources like The New York Times and The New Yorker.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had just completed

Emphasizes the immediacy of the completion.

had only just finished

Stresses the very recent nature of the completion.

had newly finished

Highlights the novelty of the finished state.

had lately finished

Indicates a finishing action in the recent past.

had shortly finished

Conveys completion a short time ago.

had completed in the last moment

Highlights the timing very closely to the moment of completion

had concluded recently

Uses a more formal term for finishing.

had wrapped up recently

Implies a sense of closure or finality.

had accomplished not long ago

Emphasizes the achievement aspect of finishing.

had terminated few moments ago

Emphasizes the end of an action, is a very formal way to express it.

FAQs

How do I use "had recently finished" in a sentence?

Use "had recently finished" to indicate that an action was completed not long before another point in the past. For instance, "She "had recently finished" her degree when she got a job offer" shows the job offer followed shortly after the degree completion.

What are some alternatives to "had recently finished"?

Alternatives include "had just completed", "had newly finished", or "had lately finished", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "has recently finished" instead of "had recently finished"?

No, "has recently finished" is present perfect and implies the action's relevance to the present. "Had recently finished" is past perfect and refers to an action completed before another point in the past.

What's the difference between "had recently finished" and "had finished recently"?

The phrase ""had recently finished"" emphasizes the recency more directly. While "had finished recently" is grammatically correct, the placement of "recently" after "finished" might slightly reduce the emphasis on how close in time the completion was to the reference point.