the last
the last — idiom
1. the person or thing that comes after everyone or everything else in a sequence,
the person or thing that comes after everyone or everything else in a sequence, list, or group
Lin was the last to finish the exam, handing in the paper after everyone else had left.
the last + to-infinitive for final in a group
The Watanabe family bought the last house on the street, right where the road meets the forest.
This is the last chapter of the novel — after this, the story ends.
Sofia picked the last cookie from the plate, smiling as the children groaned.
- final
slightly more formal; 'the final' can replace 'the last' in some ordered contexts
- the first
the person or thing at the beginning of a sequence
文法句型
the last + to-infinitive
the last + relative clause
用法筆記
Often followed by an infinitive ('the last to arrive') or a relative clause ('the last person who'). Cannot be used with a possessive — you write 'my last visit', not 'the last of my visit' for this meaning.
常見錯誤
2. the most recent occasion when something happened, especially when contrasting wi
the most recent occasion when something happened, especially when contrasting with the present situation
The last we heard from Jamal, he was teaching English at a school in Kenya.
the last + subject + verb pattern for latest news
Ingrid couldn't remember the last time she had felt so happy and relaxed by the sea.
The last time Thiago visited his grandmother in Porto, she taught him how to bake bread.
When was the last time you saw Mei? She moved away without saying goodbye.
- the most recent
more formal; used in writing or careful speech
- the first time
the earliest occasion
文法句型
the last + time-clause
the last + (that) + clause
用法筆記
Can be followed by 'time' ('the last time') for emphasis or by an implied time reference. In casual speech, 'the last (that) + clause' is common: 'the last I checked, it was still raining.'
常見錯誤
3. the final point or conclusion of a process, event, or period of time
the final point or conclusion of a process, event, or period of time
The football match was exciting until the very last, with the winning goal scored in injury time.
until the (very) last — idiom meaning until the end
Omar stayed with the research project to the last, even when funding ran out.
The concert was not popular, but the band played enthusiastically to the last.
Kwame ate the last of the stew and washed the dishes while humming a Ghanaian folk song.
- the end
simpler and more direct; 'the last' adds a slightly dramatic or emphatic tone
- the beginning
the start of a process or period
文法句型
to/until the (very) last
the last of [noun]
用法筆記
Common in fixed phrases like 'to the last' (until the end), 'until the last' (until the final moment), and 'the last of [something]' (the remaining portion).
常見錯誤
4. the moment or final period of a person's life, especially the time just before d
the moment or final period of a person's life, especially the time just before death
The nurse stayed with the elderly patient to the last, holding her hand through the final hours.
to the last — until the moment of death
Ananya's grandfather remained cheerful and alert to the last, telling jokes even on his final day.
The poet worked on his final manuscript until the last, finishing the last line only hours before he passed away.
Zara visited her aunt every afternoon in the hospice and stayed with her to the last.
- the end
softer, less direct; used when avoiding bluntness about death
文法句型
to/until the (very) last
at the last
用法筆記
Typically used in the fixed phrase 'to the last' meaning 'until death'. More common in formal or literary contexts than in everyday speech. The possessive form ('his last', 'her last') can also mean the final moments of life.