help me finish

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'help me finish' is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is a request for someone's help in completing a task. For example, "I'm almost done with my essay, but I'm stuck on the conclusion. Could you help me finish it?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

He put me there so he had to help me finish!

The Guardian

My friends come on weekends to help me finish the barn.

The New York Times - Travel

He comments that they were "men enough to help me finish the life of someone who just brought shame to ours".

The Guardian - Opinion

I really enjoyed Bangkok.' 'I've got a bottle of brandy in my room if either of you would like to help me finish it,' invited Jenny.

The Guardian - Travel

"I'm just trying to tell voters that if they think I've done a good job, then they have to help me finish the job by giving me a legislature that will work with me".

The New York Times

Over the last week, the governor placed about $500,000 worth of television advertisements in the New York and Philadelphia media markets, in which he declared that "the New Jersey comeback has begun," trumpeted his efforts to reform public pensions and control property taxes, promised to create jobs and urged voters to support candidates like Mr. Driscoll "to help me finish the job".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

"Then he brought over his own lunch bucket and helped me finish".

The New York Times

My sister, who had been helping me finish the massive frozen beverage, had given up long ago and was pleading for me to do the same.

BBC

Mayorga: I was assigned a community partner at the time of the fair and they helped me finish filling out the application and familiarized me with the timeline for filing.

Huffington Post

Their faces, their cheers and their belief in my crazy quest to run a marathon is what kept me running for those first thirteen miles and ultimately, what helped me finish the marathon.

Huffington Post

"I got to really experience the world of the show and got to see what the characters were really like and it kind of helped me finish the song," she said.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When asking for assistance with a task, be specific about the kind of help you need to ensure the other person can provide effective support.

Common error

Avoid using "help me finish" without specifying what exactly needs to be done. For instance, instead of just saying "help me finish this", specify what part of the task you're struggling with to get more targeted assistance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "help me finish" primarily functions as a request for assistance. It combines the imperative verb "help" with a direct object pronoun "me" and an infinitive verb "finish", creating a command-like plea for aid in completing a task. Ludwig provides examples where this phrase is used in various contexts, confirming its role as an expression of need.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "help me finish" is a grammatically correct and commonly understood request for assistance in completing a task. Ludwig AI confirms this, noting its suitability for general use, though more formal alternatives may be preferable in certain professional or academic contexts. While predominantly found in news and media sources, it also appears across various other domains, indicating its versatility in everyday communication. When using the phrase, specifying the specific task requiring assistance is always recommended.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

help me conclude

A slightly more concise alternative, suitable for various contexts.

assist me in completing

This alternative is more formal and emphasizes the act of assisting in the completion of something.

help me wrap things up

This alternative emphasizes the completion of multiple tasks or aspects.

aid me in finalizing

This option is slightly more formal and focuses on the finalization aspect.

support me in ending

This emphasizes the support needed to bring something to an end.

help me bring it to a close

This version introduces a sense of closure and finality.

lend me a hand to conclude

This alternative is more informal and uses a figurative expression to convey the idea of helping to finish.

help me see it through

This alternative focuses on the perseverance required to complete a task.

give me some help to wrap up

This suggestion is casual and uses the phrasal verb "wrap up" to mean finish.

help me get it over the line

This uses an idiomatic expression, implying reaching the final stage of a task, similar to crossing a finish line.

FAQs

How can I politely ask someone to "help me finish" a task?

You can use phrases like "Could you "help me complete" this?", "Would you mind assisting me in finishing this up?", or "I'd appreciate your help in getting this done".

What's the difference between "help me finish" and "help me start"?

"Help me finish" implies you've already begun the task and need assistance to complete it. "Help me start" indicates you need assistance getting the task underway.

Is it appropriate to use "help me finish" in a formal setting?

While generally acceptable, in highly formal contexts, consider using phrases like "assist me in completing" or "aid me in finalizing" for a more professional tone.

What are some alternative ways to say "help me finish" that are less direct?

You could say, "I'm having some trouble wrapping this up, any chance you could take a look?" or "I'm almost done, but I'm stuck on this last part. Could you lend a hand?"