this past october

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "this past October" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the month of October that has just occurred, typically in the context of discussing events or experiences from that month. Example: "This past October, we celebrated our anniversary with a big party."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

This past October, the fighting peaked.

The New York Times

This past October, and again in December, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (I.A.C.H.R).

The New Yorker

This past October, he said, he dropped in on his 500th campus.

The New York Times - Travel

This past October, Treemo raised $2.55M in its first round, which was led by JK&B Capital of Chicago.

TechCrunch

This past October, Tal Abyad was officially cleared of IS fighters, and integrated into Rojava.

Vice

This past October, Hainline distributed a booklet about student athletes and mental health to about 1,100 college athletic directors.

Huffington Post

This past October, Panettiere thoroughly pissed off Japanese fishermen during their annual dolphin hunt in Taiji, Wakayama.

Huffington Post

July 20-Aug.

The New York Times - Arts

Real Betis in late October, early November.

The Guardian - Sport

since October, 2006.

The New Yorker

In late October, Pres.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "this past October", ensure the context clearly indicates you are referring to the October of the immediately preceding year. Avoid ambiguity by specifying the year if necessary.

Common error

Don't use "this past October" if there's a chance your audience might misinterpret which year's October you're referring to. Instead, specify the year (e.g., "October 2024") to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "this past October" functions as an adverbial phrase, specifying the time frame in which an event occurred. It modifies a verb or clause by indicating when something happened, similar to other time-related adverbial phrases.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "this past October" is a grammatically correct and understandable phrase used to refer to the October of the year immediately preceding the present. While acceptable in various contexts, it is less common than the simpler "last October". According to Ludwig, the phrase serves to provide a clear temporal reference, pinpointing events or situations to a specific time. To avoid ambiguity, it is best practice to specify the year if there is potential for confusion. Although it is neutrally formal and understandable, there are no examples to show common use. Therefore it is better to use its counterpart "last October" which conveys a similar meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

last October

Uses a more concise and common phrasing to refer to the same period.

October of last year

Provides a slightly more formal way to indicate the same month.

the previous October

Emphasizes that the October being referred to occurred before the current time.

the October just ended

Highlights the recency of the month.

the October before this one

A more descriptive way to clarify the month in relation to the present.

October a year ago

Specifies the timeframe with a direct reference to 'a year ago'.

recent October

Simplifies the phrase while maintaining clarity about the timeframe.

October gone by

A more poetic or informal way to refer to the specified month.

the October we just had

Informal and emphasizes the immediacy of the past month.

in October of the preceding year

A very formal phrasing, typically used in official documentation.

FAQs

What's the difference between "this past October" and "last October"?

Both "this past October" and "last October" generally refer to the October of the immediately preceding year. "Last October" is more commonly used and concise, while "this past October" provides a slightly more emphatic way of specifying the recent October.

Can I use "this past October" to refer to an October that wasn't the most recent one?

While grammatically correct, using "this past October" to refer to an October other than the one immediately preceding the present is confusing. For any other October, it's best to specify the year (e.g., "October 2020").

What are some alternatives to "this past October"?

Alternatives to "this past October" include "last October", "the previous October", or "October of last year".

Is "this past October" formal or informal?

"This past October" is generally considered neutral in tone, suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, "last October" is often preferred for its brevity and common usage.