Understanding the Word "Completed"
Whether you are talking about finishing a challenging academic assignment or describing a successful play in a game of football, the word completed is a versatile and essential part of the English language. As the past participle of the verb "to complete," it functions primarily as an adjective that signals an action has reached its final stage. Understanding how to use this word correctly will help you communicate clearly and professionally in both written and spoken English.
Core Meanings and Usage
The word completed serves a few specific purposes depending on the context. Its most common use refers to something that has been finished or brought to a final conclusion.
1. Finished or Finalized
When something is completed, it means that all necessary parts, tasks, or stages are finished. This is widely used in business, education, and daily life.
- The architect presented the completed plans for the new library.
- Once you have completed the application form, please submit it to the front desk.
- We felt a great sense of relief once the house renovation was finally completed.
2. Sports and Performance
In athletics, particularly in American football, the term refers to a successful action, such as a pass that is caught by a teammate.
- The quarterback threw a completed pass to the wide receiver in the end zone.
3. Legal and Formal Contexts
In specific legal or historical contexts, such as the description of a marriage, the word refers to the formal consummation of a union.
- Historically, the marriage was not considered completed until the couple had engaged in sexual intercourse.
Grammar Patterns
As an adjective, completed usually appears directly before the noun it modifies (e.g., "a completed task") or after a linking verb like "is," "was," or "remains" (e.g., "The project is completed").
It is important to remember that completed is the past participle of the verb "complete." Therefore, it is frequently used to form the passive voice or perfect tenses:
- Passive Voice: The report was completed by the research team.
- Present Perfect: She has completed her degree requirements.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Learners often confuse completed with words like "finished" or "done." While they are often synonymous, they carry different nuances.
- Completed vs. Finished: While you can use them interchangeably in many contexts, "completed" often implies the fulfillment of a specific set of requirements or a checklist. "Finished" is more general and can simply mean that you stopped working on something.
- Redundancy: Avoid saying "successfully completed." Because "complete" already implies finishing something entirely, adding "successfully" is often unnecessary, though it is sometimes used for emphasis.
- Confusing the Part of Speech: Do not use "completed" when you mean the noun form, "completion." For example, say "The project is near completion," not "The project is near completed."
Frequently Asked Questions
Is "completed" always used to mean "finished"?
Mostly, yes. However, "completed" carries a slightly more formal tone than "finished." It is the preferred word in academic, legal, and professional environments.
Can I use "completed" to describe a person?
No, you generally use it to describe tasks, projects, actions, or processes. We do not usually say a person is "completed."
What is the difference between "complete" and "completed"?
"Complete" is the base verb (e.g., "I need to complete this task"), whereas "completed" is the past tense or past participle (e.g., "I have completed the task").
Is "completed" an adjective or a verb?
It can be both! It is the past tense form of the verb "to complete," and it functions as an adjective when it describes a noun, such as in the phrase "the completed work."
Conclusion
Mastering the word completed allows you to express the idea of finality and accomplishment with precision. Whether you are finalizing a project at work or describing a successful event, this word provides a clear way to indicate that a process has reached its logical conclusion. By keeping these usage patterns and grammar tips in mind, you can use completed with confidence in any English-speaking environment.