Last December

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Last December" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the month of December in the previous year, often when discussing events or experiences that occurred during that time. Example: "Last December, we celebrated the holidays with our family in a cozy cabin in the mountains."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Last December, Abdulmutallab's attempt over Detroit.

The New York Times - Magazine

Last December, SolarCity began trading publicly.

The New York Times

Last December, it returned to Discovery.

The New York Times

Last December, he proposed.

The New York Times

Last December, I was there one evening.

The Guardian - Opinion

Last December, everything came together.

The New York Times - Sports

Last December, his father was named chairman.

The New York Times

Last December, the bookies were worried.

The Guardian - Music

Last December the story sprang to life.

The Guardian

Last December, he bought the house.

The New York Times

Last December, hunters killed 328 bears.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about events in "Last December", be specific and provide context to avoid confusion with other years.

Common error

Do not use "Last December" without establishing a clear timeline, especially if the surrounding text discusses multiple years. If the text is dealing with more than one year, consider explicitly stating the year for clarity, like "December 2024".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Last December" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb or clause to indicate when an action occurred. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is used to specify the month of December in the immediately preceding year.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

88%

Formal & Business

7%

Science

5%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Last December" is a very common and grammatically sound phrase used to specify the month of December in the year prior to the current one. As Ludwig AI confirms, it serves as an adverbial phrase of time, most frequently used in News & Media contexts to provide temporal context. When employing this phrase, it's important to maintain clarity and context within the surrounding text, especially when dealing with events across multiple years. Consider alternatives like "December of last year" or "the previous December" for variation, but avoid less idiomatic phrases such as "the last December".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

December of last year

Rephrases the time period using a more descriptive structure.

The previous December

Uses "previous" as a synonym for "last", maintaining the same meaning.

December before this one

Explains the temporal relation in a more explicit way.

The December just past

Offers a slightly more formal or literary way to express the same timeframe.

A year ago in December

Provides context relative to the current date, emphasizing the yearly cycle.

December a year prior

Similar to 'a year ago in December' but employs more formal language.

That December

Relies on prior context to specify which December is being referenced.

The December in question

Similar to 'that December', however, it is designed to clarify ambiguity.

The end of the past year

Describes a period that is not fully interchangeable with the QUERY.

The holiday season of the past year

Refers to a wider time frame surrounding December.

FAQs

How do I use "Last December" in a sentence?

"Last December" is typically used to specify an event or occurrence that happened in the December of the previous year. For example: "Last December, we went skiing in Colorado."

What are some alternatives to saying "Last December"?

You can use phrases like "December of last year", "the previous December", or "December before this one" to convey the same meaning as "Last December".

Is it correct to say "the last December" instead of "Last December"?

While grammatically understandable, "the last December" isn't as natural or common as "Last December". "Last December" is the more idiomatic and preferred choice. It's more similar to '"the past December"'.

What's the difference between "Last December" and "late December"?

"Last December" refers to the entire month of December in the previous year, whereas "late December" refers to the latter part of December. The terms are only interchangeable if you want to reference the period comprising the last weeks of the past year.