last weeks

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "last weeks" is not correct in standard written English.
It is likely a mistake and should be "last week" or "the last few weeks" depending on the intended meaning. Example: "I have been very busy in the last weeks with various projects."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

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

"It's only what happened a couple of weeks ago or next week that matters.

The Guardian - Sport

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

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "last week" when referring to the single week immediately preceding the current week. For multiple weeks, use "the last few weeks" or "recent weeks".

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "last weeks". The correct forms are "last week" (singular) or "the last few weeks" (plural).

Linguistic Context

The phrase "last weeks" is intended as a temporal noun phrase, aiming to specify a period in the recent past. However, it's grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the correct form is "last week" or "the last few weeks".

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the intention behind the phrase "last weeks" is to indicate a period in the recent past, it is grammatically incorrect in standard written English. Ludwig AI suggests correcting it to "last week" when referring to the single preceding week, or "the last few weeks" for a period covering multiple weeks. Therefore, always use the grammatically correct alternatives to ensure clear and effective communication. Due to the phrase's incorrectness, it lacks any notable presence in authoritative sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

last week

Refers to the single week immediately preceding the current week, correcting the grammatical error of pluralizing "week".

the past few weeks

Indicates a period covering several weeks leading up to the present, replacing the grammatically incorrect form.

recent weeks

Similar to 'the past few weeks' but emphasizes the recency of the weeks in question.

the last few weeks

Explicitly specifies a limited number of weeks before the current one.

in recent weeks

Focuses on actions or events occurring during the recent period.

over the past weeks

Emphasizes the duration and passage of time over the recent weeks.

the previous weeks

Specifies weeks prior to the current one without a defined quantity.

prior weeks

A more concise way to refer to weeks that occurred before the current one.

the weeks before

A more general reference to weeks preceding the present.

earlier weeks

Refers to weeks in the more distant past compared to "last week".

FAQs

What's the correct way to refer to the week before this one?

The correct way to refer to the week immediately preceding the current one is to use the phrase "last week".

How do I talk about a period covering multiple weeks before now?

To discuss a period covering several weeks leading up to the present, use phrases like "the past few weeks" or "recent weeks".

Which is correct: "last week" or "last weeks"?

"Last week" is the grammatically correct form. "Last weeks" is not standard English.

What are some alternatives to saying "the last few weeks"?

Alternatives include "in recent weeks", "over the past weeks", or "the previous weeks", depending on the specific context you wish to convey.