second last paragraph

USAGE SUMMARY

"second last paragraph" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a particular section when you are in the middle of a discussion of a longer document. For example, "As was discussed in the second last paragraph, the company plans to expand its staff by 10% in 2021."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Second last paragraph is the important one, but should go further though.

Harvard University

4) Regarding the second last sentence of the second last paragraph "Rapid flowering in spring may be required to complete reproductive development in the relatively short northern latitude summer", please discuss the reasoning more.

eLife

2) The second last paragraph of Results and Discussion on modeling as well as Figure 4 table supplement 1: Too few details are described about temperature both in experiments and models.

eLife

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

On 12 January 2015 this article was amended to change "Australian sovereignty" to "Australian nationhood" in the third last paragraph.

The Guardian - Opinion

I've retrospectively amended the third-last paragraph to remove a reference to how long it would potentially take for the tolls to repay the project cost, as I miscounted the number of zeros and got the calculation completely wrong.

The Guardian

We now elaborate more on this comparison in the manuscript (second-last paragraph of the "Predicting microbial community dynamics" section).

eLife

Authors' response We now included such statement before the beginning of this section (the third sentence in the second to last paragraph of the section Results, Model definition).

Biology Direct

– The matter of attribution, as raised in the second to last paragraph, is a much broader science that merely determining the change in probability due to greenhouse-gas forcing….which is an inherently difficult and uncertain undertaking.

The New York Times

A new and unannouced Amazon Web Service to be called "SDS" is referenced on this Amazon web page discussing customer YouOS (see second to last paragraph – screen shot is also below) and is being tested with a select few Amazon partners.

TechCrunch

She waits until the second to last paragraph to "mention" that payday lenders are providing this wonderful service at "something like a 300% to 400% interest rate".

Huffington Post

Benedict Carey of the New York Times put the figures for bipolar disorder and ADHD -- the biggest and most impressive numbers in the study -- in the second to last paragraph.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider your audience and the overall tone of your writing. While "second last paragraph" is acceptable, "penultimate paragraph" might be more appropriate for formal contexts.

Common error

Do not assume the reader knows which document you are referring to. Always specify the name, title, or section of the text containing the "second last paragraph" you are referencing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "second last paragraph" functions as a modifier indicating a specific paragraph within a text. Ludwig AI provides examples where it's used to pinpoint precise sections for discussion or reference.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

67%

News & Media

25%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "second last paragraph" is a grammatically correct and understandable way to refer to the paragraph immediately preceding the final one. Ludwig AI indicates it is acceptable, though slightly informal, and may be replaced by the more formal "penultimate paragraph" in some contexts. While its frequency is rare, its usage spans various domains including science, news, and academia. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by specifying the document or section you are referencing, avoiding ambiguity for your reader.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Penultimate paragraph

Uses a single word ('penultimate') to convey the same meaning, creating a more concise and formal alternative.

Second to last paragraph

Rephrases the order of words, while retaining the exact meaning and level of formality.

The next-to-last paragraph

Adds hyphens for a slightly more formal appearance, while meaning remains the same.

Next to the final paragraph

Alters the phrasing to describe proximity to the final paragraph.

The second from the end paragraph

Reorders the words slightly while retaining the original meaning.

The paragraph before the end

Emphasizes position relative to the conclusion of the document.

The paragraph immediately before the final one

Focuses on the direct adjacency to the final paragraph for emphasis.

Paragraph two from the end

Provides a more explicit, numerical description of the paragraph's location.

The preceding paragraph of the conclusion

Highlights the paragraph's role as an introduction or setup to the conclusion.

The antepenultimate paragraph

Refers to paragraph that is third from the end (less interchangeable because the query is about the 'second last' paragraph)

FAQs

What does "second last paragraph" mean?

The phrase "second last paragraph" refers to the paragraph that comes immediately before the final paragraph in a document or section.

Is it correct to say "second last paragraph"?

Yes, the phrase "second last paragraph" is grammatically correct and understandable, although alternatives such as "penultimate paragraph" may be preferred in more formal writing.

What are some alternatives to "second last paragraph"?

You can use alternatives like "penultimate paragraph", "second to last paragraph", or "next to the final paragraph" depending on the context.

When should I use "penultimate paragraph" instead of "second last paragraph"?

Use "penultimate paragraph" in formal writing or when you want to sound more precise. "Second last paragraph" is fine for informal communication.