late last year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "late last year" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is generally used to refer to a period of time in the previous year, usually the last few months before the new year. For example, "I visited home late last year and it was wonderful to see my family again."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Trials of this idea are currently under way, one of which should report next year.

The Economist

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

"They gave me their word a year ago and now I want them to honour that.

The Guardian - Sport

According to the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT), the cost of a Milton Keynes season ticket has risen 23.5%, or £930, since January 2010 and is one of a number of fares that have increased around four times more than average wages over this five-year period.

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

But this year is different.

The New York Times

It said that if automatic spending cuts go into force and all the Bush-era tax cuts expire, the nation would slip into recession next year and unemployment would rise to 9.1 percent, from October's rate of 7.9 percent.

The New York Times

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

The New York Times

Nazarbayev permitted a relatively high degree of political activity until the emergence of a reform movement called Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan, backed by several wealthy business people, in late 2001.

The Guardian

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

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "late last year" to clearly indicate an event occurred in the final months of the preceding year, providing temporal context without needing exact dates.

Common error

Be precise; using "late last year" instead of more general terms like "recently" ensures the timeframe is accurately understood, preventing confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "late last year" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, specifying when an action or event occurred. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. It modifies a verb or clause by providing temporal context, indicating that something happened in the latter part of the previous year.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "late last year" serves as a useful adverbial phrase that pinpoints events to the final months of the preceding year. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically sound and widely accepted. It's suitable for many contexts, though perhaps less so for highly formal academic or scientific writing, where specific dates might be preferred. Common alternatives include "the end of last year" and "last December". Use this phrase when you need more precision than "last year" provides, but don't require an exact date.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

end of last year

Focuses on the final portion of the previous year.

towards the end of last year

Adds emphasis to the progression toward the year's end.

final months of last year

Specifically highlights the last few months.

last December

Refers to a specific month in the previous year.

the holiday season of last year

Links the timeframe to a period of specific events.

in the fourth quarter of last year

Uses business terminology to define the period.

the tail end of the previous year

Provides an informal way to say the end of the year.

winter of last year

Refers to a season within the previous year.

latter part of the year before

More formal and slightly less direct phrasing.

in recent months

A more general reference to a recent period.

FAQs

How can I use "late last year" in a sentence?

You can use "late last year" to specify that something happened in the final months of the previous year. For example, "The project was completed "late last year", just before the holidays".

What phrases are similar to "late last year"?

Similar phrases include "the end of last year", "towards the end of last year", and "last December depending on how specific you want to be.

Is it appropriate to use "late last year" in formal writing?

Yes, "late last year" is appropriate for both formal and informal writing, as it clearly indicates a timeframe without being overly casual.

How does "late last year" differ from "last year"?

"Last year" refers to the entire previous year, while ""late last year"" specifies the final portion of that year, usually the last few months.