second paragraph from the bottom

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'second paragraph from the bottom' is correct and can be used in written English.
It is typically used to refer to a particular paragraph in a longer document or text. For example, "Please refer to the second paragraph from the bottom of the letter for more information about the change in policy."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Lastly, the second paragraph from the top and third paragraph from the bottom have been changed to clarify that fishing presents a bigger threat to juvenile turtles than to hatchling turtles.

Science Magazine

3. Page 6, second paragraph from bottom, possible definition error: the variance of a random variable is its second central moment, not the difference between first and second moment.

Biology Direct

Don't have the file name be the first paragraph from the document!

WikiHow

After that, Reader displays the first paragraph from each site or blog; click to read more.

The New York Times - Tech

(Second from the bottom) First vertical derivative (VD).

Earth, Planets and Space

(She has gotten to the third line from the bottom).

The New York Times

The third one from the bottom says "Security".

WikiHow

In literacy the United States was eighth from the bottom; in numeracy third from the bottom; and in problem solving sixth from the bottom.

Huffington Post

Fourth from the bottom".

The New York Times

Japan was third from the bottom.

The New York Times

He graduated fifth from the bottom of his class.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referencing the "second paragraph from the bottom", ensure the document is finalized to avoid paragraph shifts that could make the reference inaccurate.

Common error

Avoid using "second paragraph from the bottom" in documents that are frequently edited or updated, as content changes can easily alter paragraph order and invalidate the reference. Instead, consider referencing the paragraph by its content or a unique identifier within it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "second paragraph from the bottom" functions primarily as an adverbial phrase of location, specifying the position of a particular paragraph within a text by counting from the end. It provides a relative reference point for navigating the document.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "second paragraph from the bottom" serves as a directional marker, pointing readers to a specific paragraph within a text. While grammatically sound, as supported by Ludwig, its usage frequency is rare, often appearing in News & Media, Wiki, and Science contexts. From a writing perspective, precision is key; using alternative references like "penultimate paragraph" might offer clarity. It's important to note that while such references are useful, they are easily invalidated if the document's content is modified. Therefore, for dynamic documents, referencing by content might prove more reliable. Despite the lack of exact matches, Ludwig analysis helps to understand the importance of this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

penultimate paragraph

Focuses on the paragraph being the second to last, without explicitly mentioning counting from the bottom.

second to last paragraph

Emphasizes the paragraph's position as being next to the final paragraph.

paragraph before the last

Highlights the sequence, indicating the paragraph precedes the final one.

next to last paragraph

Similar to "second to last paragraph", but with slightly different wording.

the paragraph two positions from the end

A more descriptive way to specify the paragraph's location.

antepenultimate paragraph

Refers to the third-to-last paragraph but could be misunderstood.

second paragraph counting upwards

Specifies directionality but lacks common usage.

paragraph located near the end

A vague reference to a paragraph close to the end.

paragraph preceding the conclusion

Highlights that it precedes conclusion.

a paragraph in the later section

Less precise, referring to position within the document.

FAQs

How to use "second paragraph from the bottom" in a sentence?

You can use "second paragraph from the bottom" to direct a reader's attention to a specific part of a document, such as, "Please review the financial projections outlined in the second paragraph from the bottom of the report."

What can I say instead of "second paragraph from the bottom"?

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

Is it ever inappropriate to use the phrase "second paragraph from the bottom"?

It's best to avoid using "second paragraph from the bottom" in dynamic documents or drafts where paragraph order might change. In these cases, referencing the content of the paragraph directly is more reliable.

How can I make a reference to a paragraph more specific than "second paragraph from the bottom"?

To be more specific, you can combine the positional reference with a brief description of the paragraph's content, such as, "In the second paragraph from the bottom, which discusses budget allocations...". This helps the reader quickly identify the correct section.