"he finished writing" vs "he finished to write"

Question

"he finished writing" vs "he finished to write"

The phrase 'he finished writing' is correct, while 'he finished to write' is incorrect. In English, the verb 'finish' is typically followed by a gerund (verb form ending in -ing) rather than an infinitive (to + base form of the verb). Therefore, 'he finished writing' is the appropriate and commonly used construction.

Last Updated: March 25, 2024

Use 'he finished writing' to indicate that someone completed the act of writing.

Examples:

He finished writing the report before the deadline.
She finished writing her novel last night.
They finished writing the script for the play together.
After hours of work, he finally finished writing the code.
The students finished writing their essays in class.

The correct form is 'he finished writing.' Use the gerund form of the verb after 'finish.'

Answer 1

he finished writing

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English. The verb 'finish' is followed by a gerund (verb form ending in -ing) to indicate the completion of an action.

Answer 2

he finished to write

This phrase is incorrect in English. The verb 'finish' is followed by a gerund (verb form ending in -ing) rather than an infinitive.

"he finished writing" vs "he finished to write"

he finished writing

he finished to write

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