on finishing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "on finishing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate the completion of an action or task, often followed by what happens next. Example: "On finishing the report, I submitted it to my supervisor for review."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

And even now I try to work on finishing like them because they were special finishers.

BBC

He insisted on finishing.

The Economist

Osendarp concentrated on finishing third.

The New York Times - Sports

"Never give up on finishing.

The Guardian - Sport

Congrats on finishing a difficult midterm!

University of California, Berkeley

Congratulations on finishing the midterm (solutions)!

University of California, Berkeley

"I'm not planning on finishing fourth," he said.

The New York Times

On finishing this masterpiece, the painter took a deep breath.

The New Yorker

Congratulations on finishing the first draft of your manuscript!

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

There were significant interactions between starter diet allowance and finishing diet on finishing pig performance.

Livestock Science

He believes that Gaborik still has a spot-on finishing touch.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "on finishing" to clearly indicate a sequence of events, where one action immediately follows the completion of another. For instance, "On finishing the presentation, he took questions from the audience."

Common error

Avoid using "on finishing" when a passive construction is more appropriate. Instead of "The task was finished on completing the final step", it's better to say "The task was completed by finishing the final step" or "The task was finished when the final step was completed."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "on finishing" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating the completion of an action. Ludwig's examples show it commonly introduces a clause that describes what happens immediately following the end of something, functioning as an adverbial modifier.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Academia

27%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Science

11%

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "on finishing" is a versatile prepositional phrase used to denote the immediate aftermath of an action's completion. With a neutral register, it fits seamlessly into various contexts, as validated by Ludwig, from news reports to academic writings. While grammatically correct and widely accepted, it's important to avoid misusing it in passive constructions, opting for active voice for clarity. Be mindful of the subtle difference in timing compared to similar phrases like "after finishing", to accurately convey the sequence of events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

upon completion

This alternative uses a more formal preposition and noun, indicating the state of being finished.

after completion

This phrase directly indicates the time following the finished state.

following the end

This alternative uses a noun phrase to represent the concluding point.

subsequent to completion

This is a more formal and less common way of saying after completion.

once completed

This alternative utilizes an adverbial clause to express the condition of being finished.

at the conclusion

This phrase uses a noun to represent the final part of an event or process.

after finalizing

This alternative uses a verb that implies a final, decisive action.

upon the wrap-up

This informal phrase suggests the act of concluding a project or activity.

post-completion

This option is a concise, often business-oriented way to indicate what happens after something is finished.

with the finale

This phrase introduces the concept of ending in a theatrical or grand manner.

FAQs

How can I use "on finishing" in a sentence?

Use "on finishing" to describe an action that immediately follows the completion of another. For example, "On finishing the exam, she felt a great sense of relief."

What are some alternatives to "on finishing"?

You can use alternatives such as "upon completion", "after completion", or "following the end depending on the context".

Is "on finishing" formal or informal?

"On finishing" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. The formality often depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and the overall context of the sentence.

How does "on finishing" differ from "after finishing"?

"On finishing" often implies a more immediate sequence than "after finishing". While both describe events that follow completion, "on finishing" suggests a direct and closely timed succession. For example, "On finishing the race, he collapsed from exhaustion" implies immediate exhaustion, whereas "After finishing the race, he went for a celebratory dinner" indicates a less immediate sequence.