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already finished
/ɔːlˈrɛdi ˈfɪnɪʃt/
completed earlier than expected
I've already finished my homework, so I can go out now.
The speaker completed their homework before the current moment.
neutral
completed before the present time or earlier than anticipated
She had already finished the report by the time the meeting started.
The report was completed prior to the meeting.
Don't worry about the dishes—I've already finished them.
The dishes were cleaned before this moment.
Used to emphasize that an action was completed prior to a specific point in time, often to reassure or provide context.
Collocations
already finished withcompleted or done with somethingalready finished upcompleted all parts of a task
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Avoid Redundancy
While 'already finished' is grammatically correct, in informal speech, 'finished' alone often suffices (e.g., 'I finished it already'). However, 'already' emphasizes the completion relative to a specific time.
Gold Rule
Time Reference
Use 'already finished' when emphasizing that completion occurred earlier than expected or before a certain time.
Present Perfect Context
The phrase often appears in present perfect constructions (e.g., 'I have already finished') to link past completion to the present.
Word Origin
The phrase combines the adverb 'already' (from Old English 'ealdor' meaning 'long ago') and the past participle 'finished' (from Old French 'finiss-', from Latin 'finire' meaning 'to end'). The adverb 'already' has been used since Middle English to indicate something completed prior to a point in time.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in conversational English to indicate completion relative to a past or present moment. Often paired with 'by now' or 'before [time]' for clarity.
Word Breakdown
already
before or by now
adverbfinished
completed
past participleEnglish Dictionary