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Finally vs. In The End vs. At The End

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Common mistakes

1. (NG) You can try many types of diets to lose weight. At the end you cannot slim down if you don’t exercise in your daily routine.
   1. (OK) You can try many types of diets to lose weight. In the end, you cannot slim down if you don’t exercise in your daily routine.
2. (NG) It was an interesting movie, but finally, the bad guys got away.
   1. (OK) It was an interesting movie, but at the end, the bad guys got away.

Grammar words and phrases in context

I finally got the cookbook I had been wanting for such a long time. I’ve looked online and in many different book shops and in the end, I found it at a book shop in the airport. The interesting thing about this cookbook is that it is written in two languages, English and Japanese, so I can study my second language while learning to cook. At the end of the book, there is a picture dictionary of many kinds of Japanese vegetables. That makes shopping easy.

Finally

We use finally in two ways. First, we use finally as the last item in a series or a sequence of things. So, finally is used to end a list. In this use, finally comes at the beginning of the sentence.

1. First, I’ll show you some pens. Next, I’ll show you some pencils. Finally, I will show you some notebooks.
2. We did several things today. First, we had a meeting. After that, we worked on our reports. Then, we had another meeting. Finally, we left the office.

We also use finally when we want to indicate that we have been waiting a long time for something to happen. In this use, finally comes next to the verb.

1. I went to several stores to try and find my favorite coffee. I finally found it at Trader Jack’s House of Coffee.
2. We walked around the city taking photos and enjoying the sights. I finally got to see the Eiffel Tower.
3. After sending hundreds of resumes and going on many interviews, Jack has finally found a new job.

 In The End

We use in the end when we want to indicate that something has happened after a change, or after uncertainty, or after considering all other options. In the end means eventually.

1. You can try many types of diets to lose weight. In the end, you cannot slim down if you don’t exercise in your daily routine.
2. We discussed several different marketing options, but in the end, we decided to try some online ads.
3. Jack tried several different ways to convince Jenny to go out on a date with him, but she rejected him every time. In the end, he realized she wasn’t interested in him.

 We use at the end to talk about the final section of something, such as a book, a movie, a story, a meeting, or some other event. We can’t use in the end in these situations. We use at the end.

1. At the end of the movie, Elsa got on the plane with Lazlo, and Rick stayed in Casablanca.
2. We all stood up at the end of Jack’s speech and gave him a standing ovation.
3. I think you’ll like that book. There is a surprise at the end of it.

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