I am finished reading or I have finished r…

User since 2008
Posts: 588

1 March 2009

Hi everyone!
Gymglish suggests the first form:
"Once you are finished reading the book, your problem will be a thing of the past."
I'm used to the second one:
"Once you have finished reading the book..."
Is this gramatically incorrect?
Thanks in advance!

AhQ ['a: kiu]

User since 2006
Posts: 2715

4 March 2009

Thank you, Lucky guy, for your precious information.
But no use to stress on my being out at lunch; everyone has noticed that I am a bit of a scatterbrain.
If you must know, I never have lunch at work; since I am twice out at lunch.
Be lucky!

AhQ ['a: kiu]

User since 2006
Posts: 2715

4 March 2009

From Gee:
(...) Are there other past participles that turned adjectives and fit the same structure? I dunno.

Incredible! Were you out at lunch when you wrote it, Gee?
There are such adjectives galore. I opened my dictionary starting from a. Just by restraining myself to words fit for persons, it's picking up: abandoned - abstracted - addicted -adopted - affected - affiliated - aged - agitated.....
In fact structures with "be + adj." look much like a passive structure using past participle. I guess that's why they seem to go without saying.
As an example: to bore - bored
My homework is boring me. I am bored (adj.) with my homework.
Whereas "finish" doesn't stick to such structure.
Moreover done and gone are irregular forms that easily disconcert very beginners.

AhQ ['a: kiu]

User since 2006
Posts: 2715

1 March 2009

Hello Gwendo!
I won't take a tough stance on the issue because I don't have grammar down to a science. I'll just bring some facts to feed your search.

Finished, along with done and gone, have developped through ages as adjectives (besides being also a possible pp).
I am finished (for I am exhausted);
Blair is finished as a PM;
the workout is finished;
if you switched to the Delavigne blog, Gwendo, you could be hailed by Jean telling you "Oh Gwendo, I am finished with Samatha. I am free."

I am finished reading, I am available now.
If I say, "I have finished reading", it's of course correct too but I wonder if it hadn't a slight difference in meaning. I have finished reading -> I completed the task, everything is in order.

Bill has done his workout -> he has made everything needed to complete the task.
Bill is done with his workout -> he is now free to another occupation.

You ask for Gwendo? She is gone. (-> result: she is not here.)
You ask for gwendo? She has gone. (-> she is not here because we saw her go away.)
Abbreviations are sometimes handy: She's gone! (-> think it as you please!)

Are there other past participles that turned adjectives and fit the same structure? I dunno.

Hello Gwendo! 
 I won't take a tough stance on the issue because I don't have grammar down to a science. I'll just bring some facts to feed your search.  
 
 
 Finished, along with done and gone, have developped through ages as adjectives (besides being also a possible pp). 
 I am finished (for I am exhausted); 
 Blair is finished as a PM; 
 the workout is finished; 
 if you switched to the Delavigne blog, Gwendo, you could be hailed by Jean telling you "Oh Gwendo, I am finished with Samatha. I am free."  
 
 
 I am finished reading, I am available now. 
 If I say, "I have finished reading", it's of course correct too but I wonder if it hadn't a slight difference in meaning. I have finished reading -> I completed the task, everything is in order.  
 
 
 Bill has done his workout -> he has made everything needed to complete the task. 
 Bill is done with his workout -> he is now free to another occupation.  
 
 
 You ask for Gwendo? She is gone. (-> result: she is not here.) 
 You ask for gwendo? She has gone. (-> she is not here because we saw her go away.) 
 Abbreviations are sometimes handy: She's gone! (-> think it as you please!)  
 
 
 Are there other past participles that turned adjectives and fit the same structure? I dunno.

I am finished reading or I have finished reading

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