when she finished

USAGE SUMMARY

"when she finished" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
It can be used to show the timing of an event or action. Example: "When she finished her presentation, the audience gave her a standing ovation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

When she finished, she looked up.

The New Yorker

When she finished, the audience applauded politely.

The New York Times

The audience clapped when she finished.

The New York Times

"That's breakfast," she said when she finished.

The New York Times

When she finished, she called the police.

The New York Times

When she finished, she looked stricken.

The New York Times - Magazine

When she finished, she immediately embraced Okayo.

The New York Times - Sports

"The entire stadium applauded when she finished it.

The New Yorker

She looked unhappy with herself when she finished.

The New York Times

When she finished the call, she was looking perplexed.

Independent

Ohta hoped to become a psychologist when she finished school.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "when she finished" to clearly indicate the timing of an action or event in relation to a female subject completing something.

Common error

Avoid using "when she finished" if the focus is not on the timing but rather on the result or impact of her completion. In such cases, a more direct statement might be more effective.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "when she finished" functions as a subordinate conjunction introducing a dependent clause that provides a temporal context for the main clause. It indicates the timing of an event in relation to the completion of an action by a female subject, as Ludwig AI confirms.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

89%

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Science

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "when she finished" is a grammatically sound and very common construction used to introduce a temporal clause, indicating what occurred after a female subject completed an action. Ludwig AI validates its proper grammatical structure. Its prevalence in News & Media highlights its utility in reporting events and conveying timelines. While it's generally neutral, its formality can be influenced by context. Remember to use it to effectively establish a sequence of events, but avoid it if the primary focus is not on timing but on the results of the action.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as soon as she had finished

Emphasizes the immediacy after finishing.

once she had completed it

Emphasizes the completion of a specific task or item.

after she was done

More informal way to say she finished something.

when she was through

Informal alternative emphasizing the state of being finished.

upon her completion

Formal alternative emphasizing the act of finishing.

on finishing

More concise, emphasizing the act of finishing.

following her completion

Highlights the sequence of events.

subsequent to her finishing

A formal and somewhat uncommon alternative.

the moment she ended

More dramatic expression, suitable for specific contexts.

with the completion by her

Passive voice version focusing on the completion itself.

FAQs

How can I use "when she finished" in a sentence?

Use "when she finished" to introduce a clause that describes what happened after a female subject completed an action. For example, "When she finished the race, she collapsed from exhaustion."

What are some alternatives to "when she finished"?

You can use alternatives like "upon her completion", "after she was done", or "once she had completed it" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "after she finished" instead of "when she finished"?

Yes, "after she finished" is also correct and very similar in meaning. The choice between "when" and "after" often depends on the specific nuance you want to convey. "When" can imply a more immediate sequence, while "after" simply indicates a sequence of events.

What's the difference between "when she finished" and "when she had finished"?

"When she finished" uses the simple past tense, while "when she had finished" uses the past perfect. The past perfect is used to emphasize that the action was completed before another action in the past. For example, "When she had finished her work, she went home" implies that completing her work was fully done before she left.