this past august

USAGE SUMMARY

"this past August" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to the month that has just passed, usually the month prior to the current month. For example, "This past August, I went on vacation to the Caribbean."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

This past August, though, the government finally established new rules that call for open auctions in Beijing.

The New Yorker

Riding the Next Big Wave "Surfing is the next big thing" in fashion, said Kal Ruttenstein this past August.

The New York Times

Fast forward to this past August.

TechCrunch

This past August Houston decided to go for the kill.

Forbes

This past August it landed a deal with Knowledge Universe.

Forbes

Another manager, Stephen Lurito, American Century's new chief investment officer for U.S. growth equity, joined Ultra this past August.

Forbes

The company's most recent school-friendly efforts included releasing a $999 iMac specifically for the educational market this past August.

TechCrunch

For example, app measurement, ad and analytics company Flurry released its audience segmentation tool called "Personas" this past August.

TechCrunch

This past August, she celebrated five years of sobriety.

Huffington Post

This past August I developed a chronic cough that only got worse as time went on.

Huffington Post

This past August, a former first lady of New Jersey died from a recent babesiosis infection.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "this past august" to clearly specify the August immediately preceding the current date, avoiding ambiguity with future Augusts.

Common error

While acceptable, "this past august" can sound less formal than alternatives like "august of last year" in academic or professional writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "this past august" functions as a temporal specifier, indicating a particular time frame. It modifies a statement by pinpointing when something occurred, as demonstrated by Ludwig, the AI, which identified its correct and usable status.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "this past august" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed phrase to denote the August immediately preceding the present time. As Ludwig confirms, it is correct and usable in written English. While its use is prevalent in news and media, it also appears in formal and business contexts. For greater clarity, particularly in formal writing, alternatives like "august of last year" may be preferred. When using this phrase, ensure it clearly refers to the intended timeframe to avoid any ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

last august

Omits "this past", offering a more concise way to refer to the same month.

august of last year

Rephrases the time reference to a more explicit calendar-based format.

the previous august

Uses "previous" instead of "past" for a slight variation in wording.

august just gone

Employs "just gone" for a more informal, conversational tone.

august of this year

Focuses on the specific year to remove ambiguity when discussing August in the current year.

earlier this august

Specifies a period earlier within the named month.

the august before this one

Replaces "past" with the longer but synonymous phrase "before this one".

most recent august

Uses "most recent" to emphasize the immediate past.

the august that just ended

Uses "that just ended" for a more descriptive reference.

in august of the year before

Significantly alters structure to denote a past August indirectly.

FAQs

What does "this past august" mean?

It refers to the month of August in the year immediately preceding the current one. It's used to specify a time frame clearly and without ambiguity.

Is it better to say "this past august" or "last august"?

Both are generally interchangeable, but "last august" is more concise. "This past august" can add emphasis or clarify when the context might be confusing.

How can I use "this past august" in a sentence?

You can use it to set a specific time frame, for example: "This past august, we launched a new product line."

What are some alternatives to saying "this past august"?

Alternatives include "the previous august", "august of last year", or "august just gone", depending on the level of formality and desired emphasis.