last two years

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "last two years" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the most recent two-year period prior to the current date or a specific point in time. Example: "In the last two years, we have seen significant improvements in our sales figures."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

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

Two were given a gel containing PRO 2000 (in different concentrations for each group), along with advice about how to use it, a regular supply of condoms and counselling on safe sexual practice and sexual health.

The Economist

Scheduled to make the 1,492km 9277 miles) journey every day except Christmas Day, the A320 plane has seen passengers delayed for as little as two minutes and as long as 12 hours and 18 minutes.

The Guardian - Money

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

Specifically, the Nasdaq excludes anyone who was employed the company in the past three years.

The New York Times

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

The New York Times

A pricing dispute prompted the country to reorient its exports towards China, aided by the opening of a pipeline connecting the two countries in 2009.

The Guardian

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

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "last two years", ensure the context clearly defines the starting point for the two-year period, especially in reports or analyses covering extended durations.

Common error

Avoid using "last two years" without specifying a reference point. For clarity, state "in the last two years (2023-2025)" to prevent misinterpretations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "last two years" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, specifying a duration in the recent past relative to the present moment. Since there are no examples available, grammatical correctness is based on standard English rules.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "last two years" is a grammatically sound and generally acceptable way to denote the period covering the two years immediately preceding the present. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is correct. While the analyzed data lacks specific examples, it's a common temporal phrase suitable for various contexts. For precision, always clearly define the specific years you are referencing to avoid any ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

previous 24 months

Replaces "years" with a specific time measurement (months) while maintaining the same duration.

past couple of years

Uses the more colloquial "couple" instead of "two", suggesting a slightly less precise timeframe.

recent two-year period

Emphasizes the period as being recent, adding a sense of immediacy.

last 24 months

Replaces "years" with "months" and "two" with "24" for a precise duration.

two years prior

Indicates a period two years before a specific point in time, rather than the present.

the preceding two years

Uses more formal language to refer to the two years immediately before the current one.

two years running

Suggests something has happened consistently over the past two years.

the last pair of years

Emphasizes the grouping of two years together.

most recent two years

Highlights the recency of the specified time frame.

last two-year stretch

Implies a continuous period of two years with a specific characteristic.

FAQs

What is another way to say "last two years"?

You can use phrases such as "past couple of years", "previous 24 months", or "recent two-year period" depending on the context.

How do I specify which "last two years" I am referring to?

To avoid ambiguity, clearly define the timeframe you are referencing. For instance, you could say "In the last two years (2023-2025)" or "From 2023 to 2025".

Is it better to say "past two years" or "last two years"?

Both phrases are generally acceptable. "Past two years" might be slightly more formal, while "last two years" is more common in everyday conversation.

When should I use "in the last two years" versus "over the last two years"?

"In the last two years" is used to specify occurrences within that period. "Over the last two years" emphasizes the duration or continuous nature of an event during that time.