have/are finished

[ElvisFannetjeh]

Please activate Javascript in your browser to listen to this audio recording

109 Listened

Download mp3	Click to listen

In my lessons I make a lot of grammatical mistakes. I try to work on it, but it is not easy. I always say when my pupils are busy with an exercise: "Are you finished?" or "Is everyone finished?"
My teacher says it should be "Have you finished?"
But I heard or read somewhere that "Are you finished?" is correct too.
Is it really wrong what I say? And if not what is the difference.

[DanielGou]

At first,English is not my mother tongue,and my English is not good.

I think,"Are you finished?" is a sentence of general questions of simple present tense.and "Have you finished?"is a sentence of past perfect tense.

so,I think "Are you finished?"is incorrect in your situation.

btw,many many pepople always spoke "Are you finished?" at restaurant in some countries. :-)

ps:My English must worse than yours.but I like discussing English with other people.Because I'm learning English,now:)

[DanielGou]

Sorry,maybe I need change my opinion.

Because we always hear of a sentence:Are you ready?

This one is same to that one,I think.

[Planta]

Hello there,
Checking over the definition of finished on TheFreeDictionary.com you'll find :

[Everafter]

I guess that you finished is more familiar. See the following example.

Are you done?
Have you done?
The meaning is completely different.

Have you finished is more correct.

[Cerberus™]

I agree with Planta. "Have you done" does not sound natural: you would not say it without an object.