when he has finished

USAGE SUMMARY

"when he has finished" is a grammatically correct phrase that is commonly used in written English.
It is typically used to indicate a specific point in time or event that will happen after another event or action has been completed. Example: "I will start cooking dinner when he has finished mowing the lawn."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

32 human-written examples

When he has finished, both men clap several times.

The Guardian - Travel

I'll post a full summary when he has finished.

The Guardian

Barney leaves when he has finished preparing Jack.

The New Yorker

I am longer and looser when he has finished than when he started.

The Guardian - Books

When he has finished, he walks out with the egg still in his pocket.

The New Yorker

When he has finished the current book on socialism, "I have probably only one book left in me.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

28 human-written examples

"I'm Neil Gaiman," he said when he had finished.

The New Yorker

When he had finished, he perfunctorily added: "Thank you.

The New York Times

When he had finished, he asked about other messages.

The New Yorker

When he had finished talking there was silence.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

When he had finished at Columbia in 1947, Pittendrigh accepted a faculty appointment at Princeton.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "when he has finished" to clearly indicate a sequence of events where one action must be completed before another can begin. This ensures clarity and avoids ambiguity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using future tenses incorrectly after "when he has finished". The clause introduced by 'when' describes a completed action, so the main clause should reflect the subsequent action in the appropriate tense (present or future depending on context).

Linguistic Context

The phrase "when he has finished" functions as an adverbial clause of time, modifying the main clause by specifying when the action in that clause will occur. Ludwig examples illustrate its use in setting temporal conditions for subsequent events.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Formal & Business

16%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Science

4%

Encyclopedias

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "when he has finished" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that introduces a time clause, clarifying the sequence of events. It is considered correct by Ludwig AI and serves to establish a temporal order, indicating that one action must be completed before another commences. While suitable for various contexts, it is most commonly found in news and media. When writing, ensure to use appropriate tenses in the main clause and consider more succinct or formal alternatives like "after he completes it" or "upon his completion" depending on the desired tone. The examples and analysis provided by Ludwig offer a comprehensive understanding of its usage and variations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

after he completes it

Employs a more direct and active verb form.

as soon as he concludes

Highlights the immediacy of the subsequent action.

once he is done

Utilizes a simpler and more informal expression.

when he's through

A contracted and more conversational alternative.

upon his completion

Uses a more formal preposition and noun to convey the completion.

after he's wrapped up

An informal phrase suggesting finalization.

following his completion

Similar to "upon his completion" but with a different preposition.

at the completion of his task

Focuses on the task rather than the act of finishing.

subsequent to his finishing

Presents a more formal and less common phrasing.

on his finishing

A less common, somewhat stilted phrasing.

FAQs

How to use "when he has finished" in a sentence?

The phrase "when he has finished" introduces a dependent clause specifying a condition that must be met before the main clause can occur. For example, "When he has finished his work, he will go home."

What can I say instead of "when he has finished"?

You can use alternatives like "after he completes it", "once he is done", or "upon his completion" depending on the context.

Is "when he is finished" grammatically correct?

Yes, "when he is finished" is grammatically correct, but it carries a slightly different nuance than "when he has finished". The former implies a state of being (being finished), while the latter emphasizes the action of completing something.

What's the difference between "when he finishes" and "when he has finished"?

"When he finishes" generally refers to a future event that will occur regularly or habitually. "When he has finished" refers to a specific completion event in the future that must precede another event.