the penultimate line

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence "the penultimate line" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the line or item right before the last one in a set of items or lines. For example, "In the third stanza, the penultimate line reads 'the longest and hardest of days.'".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

Later, in the penultimate line, "smote" seems needlessly fierce.

The Guardian - Books

The penultimate line should read "a command neither canter nor carrot" not "not carrot".

The Guardian - Books

The penultimate line was YOU STARE INTO THE VOID; the last was DEATH IS IMMINENT.

The Guardian - Books

The penultimate line in the penultimate verse was another tricky one.

The Guardian - Books

It's the valkyrie who, like a primitive Statue of Liberty, shines her torch in the penultimate line.

The Guardian - Books

He reached the penultimate line, "I will hold your hand but as long as all may...". and was unable to remember the end of the poem.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Because Haddon wants his tragedy to be a farce, or at least a romance - in the penultimate lines of this uneven novel, George realises: 'It was time to stop all this nonsense' - Haddon almost betrays the darkest insight of his strange book: that people would rather die than experience sexual jealousy, rather go mad than imagine sexual betrayal and never be free of the picture.

The Guardian - Books

From a 1975 "Rosenkavalier" I can never forget how Josephine Barstow as Octavian clenched her hands, in polite frustration, like fists — a tiny effect, yet scorching like a brand — on the penultimate note of her final line in Act I. Other examples stay in my head.

The New York Times

The eleventh, or penultimate, line begins on the stressed syllable of the iambic foot and drops the unstressed syllable an acephalous (or "headless") catalectic line that results in a truncated seven-syllable iambic tetrameter line.

Wikipedia

"The miming is all of I," says the poem's penultimate line.

The Guardian - Books

"This is my home," Horace insists in the cycle's penultimate line.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "the penultimate line" when you need to be precise in referring to the second-to-last line in a poem, paragraph, or any text. It is especially useful in analytical or critical writing.

Common error

Avoid using "penultimate" when you mean "ultimate" (the last). "Penultimate" specifically means 'second to last', not the final one.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the penultimate line" functions as a noun phrase acting as an adjectival modifier. It specifies which line is being referred to, modifying a noun (e.g., 'line', 'verse', 'sentence'). Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

23%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the penultimate line" is a grammatically sound and useful phrase for pinpointing the second-to-last line in any text. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While "penultimate" may seem formal, the phrase enjoys broad usage across diverse contexts, from news and books to scientific papers, though less so in strictly formal business settings. Alternatives like "second to last line" offer simpler options, but "the penultimate line" provides precision when needed. Remember, it is not to be confused with “ultimate”. It's important to use this expression accurately to ensure clarity in writing and analysis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

second to last line

Replaces "penultimate" with a more common phrase, maintaining the same meaning.

next to last line

Uses "next to last" instead of "second to last" or "penultimate", indicating the same position.

the second last line

Shortens the expression of the line position.

one before the last line

Rephrases the concept using a more descriptive construction.

second from the end

Focuses on the position relative to the end rather than using a specific ordinal adjective.

the line before the end

A shorter, more casual way to express the same idea.

the line preceding the final line

Emphasizes the relationship between the penultimate line and the final line.

the line immediately before the last

Emphasizes the immediacy of the penultimate line's position before the last line.

the preceeding line of the last one

Changes the structure while keeping the meaning equivalent.

antepenultimate line

Refers to the line before the penultimate line, moving one position further from the end.

FAQs

What does "the penultimate line" mean?

"The penultimate line" refers to the second-to-last line in a sequence, such as a poem, paragraph, or list. It's the line immediately before the final one.

How to use "the penultimate line" in a sentence?

You can use "the penultimate line" in a sentence like this: "In the poem, the key message is revealed in "the penultimate line"."

What's a simpler way to say "the penultimate line"?

Simpler alternatives to "the penultimate line" include "the second to last line" or "the next to last line".

Is it correct to say "antepenultimate line" instead of "the penultimate line"?

No, the "antepenultimate line" refers to the third-to-last line, while "the penultimate line" refers to the second-to-last line. They describe different positions.