the previous december

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "the previous December" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the December that occurred before the current one being discussed. Example: "The project was initiated in the previous December, and we have made significant progress since then."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

By comparison, the number of active Internet users in the entire United States grew just 6percentt last year, with 104.7 million people logging on at least once in December 2001, compared with 98.6 million the previous December.

The New York Times

But in December 2016, they were up 7% from the previous December.

Los Angeles Times

We'd been out there the previous December and there was nothing suspicious in the water.

The Guardian - Sport

That figure was 13.2percentt higher than the 6,760,000 figure in the previous December.

The New York Times

The figure for the previous December was $7.5 million, the highest ever recorded.

The New York Times

Manufacturing output has climbed (by 3.3% last December and by 8.4% over the previous December).

The Economist

But a sense of looming confrontation had been building since Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights the previous December.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

For Apple, the March quarter usually declines compared to the previous December quarter.

Huffington Post

The value of their IRA on the previous December 31 was $4 million as discussed.

Forbes

April is the month every year when the paychecks of women working full-time, year-round catch up with what men earned by the previous December 31.

Huffington Post

Florida winter SST is averaged over 22 38°N, 72 84°W in the previous December [22].

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "the previous December", ensure the context clearly establishes which year's December you are referring to, especially when discussing events across multiple years. This avoids ambiguity and enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "the previous December" without clearly establishing a reference point in time. Without context, it's unclear which year's December you are referring to, leading to confusion. Always provide a clear temporal anchor.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "the previous December" functions as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb or clause by specifying when an action or event occurred. Ludwig AI confirms that examples found are both exact and semantically similar.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Science

14%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "the previous December" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to refer to the December preceding a specific point in time. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is often found in news articles and formal documents to establish clear temporal context. When using "the previous December", ensure you create a clear timeframe for your audience in order to avoid misunderstandings. Consider more succinct phrases like "last December" if the surrounding information already establishes a timeframe. While the phrase itself doesn't carry an overly formal tone, its suitability lies in neutral and professional contexts where clarity and precision are valued.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Last December

Simplifies the phrasing to a more common and direct reference.

The December prior

Replaces "previous" with "prior", maintaining the temporal relationship but using different wording.

The preceding December

Uses "preceding" instead of "previous", offering a more formal tone.

The December just past

Uses "just past" to convey the recency of the December in question.

December one year ago

Uses the phrase "one year ago" for specifying the time frame.

The December before that

Emphasizes the temporal distance by explicitly stating "before that".

December of the last year

Reorders the words while maintaining the same meaning.

The year before's December

Uses possessive form to relate December with the year before, changing structure slightly.

The December in the year before

Provides a more descriptive, albeit longer, way of indicating the same time frame.

The December of the year before last

Refers to a December two years prior, shifting the timeframe further back.

FAQs

How can I use "the previous December" in a sentence?

Use "the previous December" to refer to the December that occurred before a specific point in time already mentioned. For example, "The project started in January, but planning began in "the previous December"."

What is a more concise way to say "the previous December"?

A more concise way to say "the previous December" is "last December". This works well when the context is already clear.

Is there a difference between "the previous December" and "the December before"?

The phrases "the previous December" and "the December before" are very similar and often interchangeable. However, "the previous December" implies a direct and immediate succession, while "the December before" can be slightly more general.

When should I use "the previous December" instead of "December of the previous year"?

Use "the previous December" for a more concise and natural flow in writing, especially when the surrounding context already establishes the year. "December of the previous year" can be used for added clarity when the year is not immediately apparent.