The + last/next/first/second

Question

Hello!When do we use "the" with these expressions?I saw him last week = here it is used as an adverb so no need for "the" (the lats week refers to a period of time from the present day until past)I did it last/first/next = here is is an adverb as well (I'm not sure whether "I did it next" sounds ok)I came in last/second/third/fifth = here it is an adverb as wellIs my reasoning correct?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

The sentence, "I saw him last week.", is correct. Today is Friday, June 1, 2018. "This week" is Sunday, May 27, 2018 to Saturday, June 2, 2018. Last week was Sunday, May 20, 2018 to Saturday, May 26, 2018. The sentence means you saw him on one or more of the days of last week, that is, on one or more days from May 20, 2018 to May 26, 2018.

The sentence, "I saw him the last week

The sentence, "I saw him the last week.", is incomplete. The following would be okay:

"I saw him the last week of May." This means you saw him on one or more days of the last week in May, that is, from May 20 to May 26.

"I did it last/first/next." is okay. For example:

"I had three homework problems in math. The one about determinants was the easiest. I did it first. The one about simultaneous equations was medium in difficulty. I did it next. The one about matrices was the most difficult. I did it last."

The sentences, "I did it the first/next/last.", are ungrammatical in (American) English. You could say, correctly:

"The one about determinants was the easiest. It was the first one (that) I did. The one about simultaneous equations was medium in difficulty. It was the next one (that) I did. The one about matrices was the most difficult. It was the last one (that) I did."

The sentences, "I came in last/second/third/fifth." are okay. The sentences, "I came in the last/second/third/fifth.", are ungrammatical. You could say, correctly:

"I was the last/second/third/fifth to finish."

The + last/next/first/second

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