last hour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "last hour" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the most recent hour that has passed, often in contexts related to time-sensitive events or activities. Example: "In the last hour, we received several important updates regarding the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The last one was in 1989.

The Economist

His record - two cups within six months of his appointment, a domestic treble in his first full season, a second title in 2005 and reaching the last 16 of the Champions League - set the context for a rueful but masterfully understated parting comment: "I'm sure those people who look at the facts will say that during a period of downsizing, I was reasonably successful".

The Guardian - Sport

The order book was down slightly at £3.6bn from the last update in June but well ahead of the £3.3bn reported this time last year.

The Guardian - Business

Last year, during David Cameron's trip to Beijing, the same paper announced that Britain was "just an old European country apt [that is, suitable] for travel and study".

The Guardian - Opinion

Referred to in court as D, she entered a not guilty plea to a charge of intimidation last week while wearing a niqab after the judge backed down from a previous decision that she would have to show her face to be properly identified.

The Guardian

As a result, the country lost a further 21 positions in the policy evaluation compared to last year, thus replacing Canada as the worst-performing industrial country".

The Guardian

"Scoring is not up, but injuries are up," Tallon said of the current rule last week.

The New York Times

Since last July the state has opted to use just one massive dose of the sedative pentobarbital as its lethal injection, instead of a cocktail of three different drugs.

The Guardian

Last summer the Electoral Commission said 7.5 million eligible voters were not registered, with poor, black and young people least likely to be on the electoral roll.

The Guardian

The shares have underperformed the market by 6% in the last three months and now trade at a discount to the oil service peers.

The Guardian - Business

This was the second time in seven months that Hill has come close to the death chamber: last July he was spared by just 90 minutes and the experience was repeated on Tuesday night with just 30 minutes to go.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "last hour" to clearly refer to the 60-minute period immediately preceding the present moment or a specific point in time. Ensure the context makes it clear what the reference point is.

Common error

Avoid using "last hour" when you intend to refer to the final hour of an event that is yet to occur. "Final hour" or "closing hour" would be more appropriate in such contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "last hour" functions primarily as a noun phrase that modifies a verb or another noun, indicating a specific period of time. Without specific examples provided by Ludwig, this analysis is based on the typical use of such a phrase.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Less common in

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "last hour" is a grammatically sound noun phrase used to specify a recent 60-minute timeframe. Due to the lack of examples in the provided data, Ludwig AI suggests that it's difficult to gauge its frequency across different contexts. However, one can infer that it fits a variety of communicative purposes, ranging from specifying time-sensitive events in news to providing temporal context in business and general communication. Common alternatives include "previous hour" and "most recent hour". While the phrase is generally safe to use, being mindful of contexts where "final hour" might be more appropriate is useful.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Previous hour

Replaces "last" with "previous", indicating the hour immediately before the current one.

Most recent hour

Emphasizes the recency of the hour being referred to.

Past hour

A general way of referring to the hour that has just finished.

Concluding hour

Highlights that it's the final hour of a specific period.

Final hour

Similar to "concluding hour", but can also suggest a sense of urgency or importance.

The hour before

Describes an hour that immediately precedes a specific moment or event.

Last 60 minutes

More specific, using "60 minutes" instead of "hour".

Just passed hour

More informal, indicating the hour that has recently ended.

The hour gone by

Slightly more poetic or literary way to refer to the "last hour".

The hour that ended

A more descriptive way of saying the "last hour".

FAQs

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

You can use "last hour" to refer to the 60-minute period immediately preceding the present. For example, "In the "last hour", the stock price has fluctuated significantly."

What can I say instead of "last hour"?

You can use alternatives like "previous hour", "most recent hour", or "past hour" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "in the last hour" or "during the last hour"?

Both "in the "last hour"" and "during the "last hour"" are grammatically correct and commonly used. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

How does "last hour" differ from "final hour"?

"Last hour" refers to the hour immediately before the present, while "final hour" typically refers to the concluding hour of an event or activity that is coming to an end.