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English Grammar


I am finished reading or I have finished reading

Fugendichter
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!

4 comments

  • 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.
  • User since 2008
    Posts: 588

    1 March 2009

    Heavy stuff at night! Thanks Gee, I hope I got it.
  • 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.
  • 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!

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