having just finished

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "having just finished" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an action has recently been completed before another action takes place. Example: "Having just finished my homework, I decided to watch a movie."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He's shirtless, having just finished playing hoops.

The New York Times - Sports

Having just finished reading the Moth book, I can assure you: fear not.

The New York Times

He said, however, that having just finished the book, he was still contemplating his next step.

The New York Times

"He treated seriously the balance between motorsport and school, having just finished his A-Levels.

The Guardian - Sport

I like to imagine Beth aged 19 having just finished her shift in a Stokey nightclub.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

My brother and I would meet in our kitchen at 4am having just finished work.

The Guardian - Travel

For starters, he seemed exhausted, having just finished editing at 7am that day.

The Guardian - Film

Having just finished a development assignment in northern Mozambique, I am spending some months on this island off the coast.

The New York Times

Having just finished a nice meal at a steakhouse, all of us were blitzed on red wine.

The New York Times - Magazine

They were in a good mood, perhaps a little punch drunk from having just finished "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey".

The New York Times

A sun-baked Mr. Salahi, having just finished playing in the exhibition match, sweated profusely on the sidelines.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "having just finished", ensure the subsequent clause logically follows from the completion of the first action.

Common error

Avoid placing "having just finished" at the beginning of a sentence if the subject of the main clause is not the one performing the action described in the participial phrase. This creates a dangling modifier.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "having just finished" functions as a participial phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun by indicating a recently completed action. Ludwig AI confirms it adheres to standard grammar rules, serving as an introductory element that adds temporal context to the main clause.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Academia

8%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "having just finished" is a grammatically sound and versatile participial phrase used to connect a recently completed action with its immediate consequence. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and common usage across various contexts. While it is most frequently found in news and media, it also appears in academic and formal writing. Remember to avoid dangling modifiers to ensure clarity. Consider alternatives like "immediately after finishing" or "upon completion of" for slight variations in tone and emphasis. By following these guidelines, you can effectively use "having just finished" to enhance the flow and clarity of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

having recently completed

Substitutes "just" with "recently" for a slightly different nuance.

right after completing

Adds emphasis on the immediacy of the sequence.

shortly after finishing

Indicates a brief time interval between the two actions.

immediately after finishing

This alternative directly uses "after" to explicitly define sequence.

once I had finished

This transforms the participial phrase into a full clause with a subject.

on finishing

A more concise and slightly more formal alternative.

upon completion of

This phrase uses a more formal tone and noun-based structure.

following the completion of

Similar to "upon completion of" but emphasizes the sequential aspect.

subsequent to finishing

A more formal and less common way to express the sequence of events.

with the completion of

Transforms the phrase into a prepositional phrase, altering the sentence structure.

FAQs

How can I use "having just finished" in a sentence?

Use "having just finished" to connect a recently completed action with its immediate consequence. For example, "Having just finished the race, she collapsed from exhaustion".

What's a good alternative to "having just finished"?

Alternatives include "immediately after finishing", "upon completion of", or "right after completing", depending on the desired level of formality and emphasis.

Is "having just finished" formal or informal?

"Having just finished" is suitable for both formal and informal writing. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure than the phrase itself.

How does the meaning of "having just finished" differ from "after finishing"?

"Having just finished" implies a shorter time interval between the completion of the first action and the start of the second, compared to the more general phrase "after finishing".