When John and Carter were going to New York they were at university.

[tufguy]

When John and Carter were going to New York they were at university. But there studies at university were about to finish.

What do we need to say if there is a student who is at a school or university but it will end soon? Like a student who is in 12th class and by next month he will have passed this class to get admission to a university. "His schooling will be completed by next month". How about university?

 

[GoesStation]

Write their studies. In the United States a twelfth-grade student who expects to finish high school at the end of the term is a graduating senior. So is a college or university senior (typically a fourth-year student).

 

[emsr2d2]

I can't see the reason for opening with the past continuous. Did they go on holiday/vacation to New York while they were at university together?

 

[tufguy]

I can't see the reason for opening with the past continuous. Did they go on holiday/vacation to New York while they were at university together?

Yes.

 

[tufguy]

Write their studies. In the United States a twelfth-grade student who expects to finish high school at the end of the term is a graduating senior. So is a college or university senior (typically a fourth-year student).

Do we need to say they were the "Graduating seniors" when they went to New York?

 

[emsr2d2]

John and Carter went on holiday/vacation to New York just before they finished university/just before they graduated.

 

[tufguy]

John and Carter went on holiday/vacation to New York just before they finished university/just before they graduated.

If we have to say the same but in present tense then what do we need to say "Their university studies are going to be finished next week"?

 

[emsr2d2]

They're going to graduate next week.
They will graduate next week.
They graduate next week.
They finish university next week.


(Note that finishing their studies isn't the same as graduating.)

 

[tufguy]

They're going to graduate next week.
They will graduate next week.
They graduate next week.
They finish university next week.


(Note that finishing their studies isn't the same as graduating.)

Can we say "Their university gets finished next week"?

What does "Finishing their studies" mean?

 

[emsr2d2]

Can we say "Their university gets finished next week"?
No. That's not grammatical. You might hear "them" say "University finishes next week".

What does "Finishing their studies" mean?
It means that they come to the end of their formal period of studying. They don't have to attend classes or lectures any more and they've taken all their exams. Graduation usually comes a few weeks (possibly months later) at an official ceremony.

See above.

 

[tufguy]

See above.

Can we say "They finish university next week" or "They were about to finish university when they went to London"?

Graduation usually comes a few weeks (possibly months later) at an official ceremony. "usually comes a few weeks (possibly months later) at an official ceremony." What does "A few weeks at an" mean here? Does it mean "A few weeks after an official ceremony"?

 

[GoesStation]

Can we say "They finish university next week" or "They were about to finish university when they went to London"?

Yes.

Graduation usually comes a few weeks (possibly months) later at an official ceremony. What does "A few weeks at an" mean here? Does it mean "A few weeks after an official ceremony"?

The closing parenthesis was misplaced in the quoted sentence. Does it make more sense with my correction?

 

[tufguy]

Yes.


The closing parenthesis was misplaced in the quoted sentence. Does it make more sense with my correction?

Okay, so "Later" can be left out right? But I find "At" awkward here. What does "At" mean here? Does it mean that a ceremony takes place where graduated people are given degrees?

 

[GoesStation]

Okay, so "Later" can be left out right? But I find "At" awkward here. What does "At" mean here? Does it mean that a ceremony takes place where graduated people are given degrees?

No, you can not leave out "later". You can leave out the text within parentheses, which would leave you with Graduation usually comes a few weeks later at an official ceremony. If that's still confusing, you can re-order it to this: Graduation usually comes at an official ceremony a few weeks later.