he has finished

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he has finished" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone has completed a task or activity. Example: "After hours of hard work, he has finished the project ahead of schedule."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

So, he has finished it?

Independent

He has finished.

The Guardian

In fact, he has finished it.

The New Yorker

Otherwise he has finished with the field.

The New York Times - Sports

Not that he has finished tinkering.

The New York Times - Arts

But by October 3rd he has "finished Trollope.

The New Yorker

In the past four seasons, he has finished third overall.

The New York Times - Sports

Already, he has finished second twice in the Tour.

The New York Times - Sports

He said: "He has finished the previous seasons strongly.

Independent

He has finished the last three seasons on injured reserve.

The New York Times - Sports

He has finished his term and will soon leave Australia.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "he has finished" to clearly indicate that someone has completed an action or task at a time relevant to the present. For example, "He has finished the report, so he can now leave for the day."

Common error

Avoid using the simple past tense ("he finished") when you want to emphasize the completion's relevance to the present. "He has finished" implies the completion has a current impact, whereas "he finished" only states the action occurred in the past.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he has finished" functions as a verb phrase in the present perfect tense. This tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and continues to have relevance in the present. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he has finished" is a grammatically correct and very common construction in the present perfect tense used to describe a completed action with relevance to the present. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is used primarily in news and media, with a neutral tone suitable for both formal and informal settings. Related phrases include "he is done" and "he completed". When using this phrase, it's important to distinguish it from the simple past tense to accurately convey the intended meaning. The most frequent sources are The New York Times, The Guardian, The New Yorker, BBC and Los Angeles Times.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he is done

Uses a simpler structure with "done" instead of "finished".

he completed

Uses the simple past tense of "complete" instead of the present perfect.

he is through

Employs "through" to signify the end of an activity or task.

he is all done

Adds "all" for emphasis on the completion of the task.

he has accomplished

Replaces "finished" with "accomplished", suggesting a successful completion.

he wrapped up

Uses the phrasal verb "wrap up" to indicate the conclusion of something.

he concluded

Substitutes "finished" with "concluded", implying a formal ending.

he finalized

Replaces "finished" with "finalized", emphasizing the completion of the final steps.

he put the finishing touches on

A more detailed phrase that suggests he completed the final details.

he brought it to a close

Indicates the action of ending a process or activity.

FAQs

How is "he has finished" different from "he finished"?

"He has finished" is in the present perfect tense, indicating that the action has relevance to the present. "He finished" is in the simple past tense, merely stating that the action occurred at some point in the past. The present perfect implies a connection to the current moment or situation.

What are some alternatives to "he has finished"?

You can use alternatives like "he is done", "he completed", or "he has completed" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "he is finished" instead of "he has finished"?

Saying "he is finished" is grammatically correct, but it has a slightly different meaning. It often implies that he is done with something permanently or in a particular state, whereas "he has finished" typically refers to the completion of a specific task.

When should I use "he has finished" over "he was finished"?

"He has finished" should be used when the completion of the action is relevant to the present. "He was finished" is in the past perfect tense and implies the action was completed before another action in the past. For example, "He had finished his work before the meeting started."