last quarter

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "last quarter" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to refer to the final three months of a fiscal or calendar year, often in business or financial contexts. Example: "Our sales have increased significantly compared to the last quarter, indicating a positive trend in our growth."

✓ Grammatically correct

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

When using "last quarter", ensure you've clearly defined the context (fiscal or calendar year) to avoid ambiguity for your audience.

Common error

Avoid assuming everyone knows your company's fiscal year. Always specify the year alongside "last quarter" (e.g., "last quarter of 2024") for clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "last quarter" functions as a temporal specifier, indicating a specific three-month period preceding the current one. It modifies nouns related to business performance, such as profits, sales, or growth.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Formal & Business

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News & Media

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Science

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Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "last quarter" is a common and grammatically sound way to refer to the immediately preceding three-month period, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Although no exact examples were found in the provided data, it's widely used in business and financial contexts to analyze performance trends. To ensure clarity, especially in formal writing, it's crucial to specify the year alongside "last quarter". Related phrases like ""previous quarter"" or specifying the exact months (e.g., "October to December") can enhance precision. Overall, "last quarter" serves as a valuable tool for concise communication about past performance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previous quarter

Replaces "last" with "previous", maintaining the same timeframe but using different wording.

most recent quarter

Emphasizes the recency of the quarter being referred to.

fourth quarter

Specifies the quarter by its numerical position in the year.

final quarter

Highlights that it is the concluding quarter of a period.

last three months

Breaks down the quarter into its constituent months.

quarter ending

Focuses on the end date of the quarter.

the quarter before

Indicates the immediately preceding quarter without explicitly stating 'last'.

preceding trimester

Uses 'trimester' as a synonym for quarter, offering a less common but still accurate alternative.

three-month period prior

Expands the timeframe description to be more explicit.

the earlier quarter

Generalizes the timeframe to simply indicate a previous quarter.

FAQs

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

Use "last quarter" to refer to the three-month period immediately preceding the current one. For example, "Our sales increased significantly in the "previous quarter"."

What is the difference between "last quarter" and "previous quarter"?

"Last quarter" and ""previous quarter"" are often interchangeable, both referring to the quarter immediately before the current one. However, "previous quarter" might be slightly more formal.

What's another way to say "last quarter"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "fourth quarter", "final quarter", or specify the months, such as "October through December".

Is it necessary to specify the year when using "last quarter"?

Yes, it's often best to specify the year, especially in documents that might be read later or when discussing trends over multiple years. For example, "The "most recent quarter" of 2024 showed strong growth".