The phrase "had finished" is the past perfect tense of the verb "finish." It indicates that an action was completed before another action or point in time in the past. For example, in the sentence "She had finished her homework before dinner," the completion of the homework occurred prior to the dinner. This tense is often used to provide clarity in storytelling or reporting events. It helps establish a timeline, showing which actions occurred first. In the context of writing, using "had finished" can enhance the narrative by clearly indicating the sequence of events, making it easier for readers to follow the story.