had already finished vs had finished

Both 'had already finished' and 'had finished' are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'Had already finished' emphasizes that the action was completed before a specific point in the past, while 'had finished' simply indicates completion in the past without emphasizing the timing. The choice between them depends on the level of emphasis on the completion time.

Last updated: March 22, 2024 • 1671 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to emphasize that an action was completed before a specific point in the past.

"had already finished"

Use 'had already finished' when you want to emphasize that an action was completed before a specific point in the past. It adds a sense of completion and timeliness to the past event.

Examples:

By the time I arrived, she had already finished her homework.
He had already finished his meal when the guests arrived.
They had already finished the project before the deadline.

Show examples from the web [+]

Pigpen was released the same year as Vase de noces and when we saw it, we had already finished our movie.
I fell asleep because I had already finished.
We have, for example, the case of the 501 highway in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, where infringement proceedings were initiated when the work had already finished.
A vote against would also mean having knowledge of the facts and drawing a line under the issue as if it had already finished, without clarifying responsibilities.

Alternatives:

had finished earlier
had completed
had concluded
had wrapped up
had accomplished

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate completion of an action in the past without emphasizing the timing.

"had finished"

Use 'had finished' to simply state that an action was completed in the past. It does not add emphasis on the specific timing of the completion.

Examples:

She had finished her book before the movie started.
They had finished their work for the day.
He had finished his speech when the power went out.

Show examples from the web [+]

By then, Mateo had finished the kitchen.
Once saw a man's brain after the worm had finished with him... maggoty cauliflower.
Then somebody told me you always went out after I had finished.
In 1998, I had finished writing "Toy Story" and "A Bug's Life" and I was completely hooked on screenwriting.
I do wish you had finished building our home.
We were supposed to wait until I had finished my thesis.
It would have hurt a lot less if I had finished that last beer.
I mean, long after she had finished her business.
Did I look as though I had finished speaking?
when Marta had finished dealing with you or you with, or whatever.
Once I found out that he had finished Janus, I knew that was all that mattered.
Your father had finished to serve his sentence was war criminal in China, and had been released
A couple of buddies of mine and I had finished a 111-day run across the entire Sahara desert.
In fact, Buster had finished thejuice... and was desperately looking for his next sugar fix... when he discovered the cake in the next room.
And I love how I knew your presentation had finished.
The man in black came before our men had finished.
Our so-called government thought they had finished me.
Jamal Al Fayeed thought he had finished me.
I thought we had finished our conversation in the carriage.
If only Dr Laughton had finished building our guardian deity...

Alternatives:

had completed
had concluded
had wrapped up
had accomplished
had ended

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had already finished vs had finished