last evening

USAGE SUMMARY

"last evening" is correct and usable in written English.
For example, you could say: "Last evening we had dinner together with friends."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

52 human-written examples

Last evening, there was no response.

The New York Times - Sports

On our last evening, we decided to look for animals.

The New York Times - Magazine

A call to his lawyer was not returned last evening.

The New York Times

The covers were replaced after the water subsided last evening.

The New York Times

Last evening, four women showed up at Ms. Gordon's house.

The New York Times

The following changes in the Government were announced last evening [Feb.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

The Rainbow Room was closed last evening.

The New York Times

The pilot was not identified last evening.

The New York Times

"We reviewed all the repairs we made last evening.

The New York Times - Sports

Dr. Arbit could not be reached last evening.

The New York Times

A spokesman for the company would not comment last evening.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "last evening" to clearly indicate an event that occurred the evening before the current day. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "late evening" when you mean "last evening". "Late evening" refers to a time within the evening, whereas "last evening" refers to the entire evening of the previous day.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "last evening" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, specifying when an event occurred. Ludwig confirms its correctness and usability, providing examples of its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "last evening" is a grammatically sound and frequently used temporal adverbial, denoting the evening before the current day. As Ludwig highlights, it's employed across diverse contexts, especially in News & Media. While interchangeable with phrases like "yesterday evening", it maintains a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal communication. Remembering that "last evening" specifies a time frame while "late evening" indicates time within an evening, ensures accurate and effective writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

yesterday evening

Replaces "last" with "yesterday" indicating the evening of the day before the current one.

the previous night

Uses "previous night" to convey the same meaning of the evening before.

the night before

Simple and direct alternative, focusing on the night preceding the current day.

on the evening of yesterday

More formal and slightly longer alternative emphasizing the specific time.

the prior evening

Uses "prior" as a synonym for "last", maintaining a formal tone.

earlier this evening

Implies the evening is still ongoing but referencing an earlier part of it.

that evening

Refers to a specific evening already mentioned in the context.

during the evening

Focuses on the period of time rather than the day.

the twilight hours

A more poetic and descriptive way to refer to the evening.

in the p.m.

An abbreviated form for indicating the evening time, often used in schedules.

FAQs

How can I use "last evening" in a sentence?

You can use "last evening" to refer to something that happened the evening before today, such as "Last evening, we went to the cinema".

What's the difference between "last evening" and "yesterday evening"?

Both "last evening" and "yesterday evening" have the same meaning and can be used interchangeably.

Is it correct to say "last night" instead of "last evening"?

Yes, "last night" is a common alternative to "last evening" and is often used in more informal contexts.

Can "last evening" be used in formal writing?

Yes, "last evening" is appropriate for both formal and informal writing. It's a clear and direct way to specify the time frame.