1
The last week I met my parents-in-law. They are very nice.
Last week I met my parents-in-law. They are very nice.
Use last + time expression, without the or a preposition, to refer to the period immediately before now: ‘last week’, ‘last month’, ‘last year’, ‘last Sunday’.
We normally use the past simple with these expressions: ‘I met her last week.’
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2
On last Wednesday we all went to the zoo.
Last Wednesday we all went to the zoo.
Do not use a preposition before last/next + time expression: ‘last Wednesday’, not ‘on last Wednesday’.
3
We really enjoyed ourselves in Mexico. Last week we all realised that we didn’t want to go home.
We really enjoyed ourselves in Mexico. In the last week of our trip, we all realised that we didn’t want to go home.
‘Last week’ means the week immediately before now.
Use the last + time expression to mean the final part of another period: ‘the last week of our trip’, ‘the last day of the course’.
Check our grammar lesson on the difference between last and the last.
4
Last book I read was fascinating.
The last book I read was fascinating.
Use the last + noun to refer to the final or most recent person or thing in a series: ‘the last book I read’, ‘the last person to arrive’.
5
I haven’t seen his last film yet.
I haven’t seen his latest film yet.
Use latest to mean the newest or most recent: ‘his latest film’, ‘her latest book’.
‘His last film’ can mean the final film he ever made. If he is still making films and we mean his newest film, use ‘his latest film’.
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