The Governor is said to have inaugarated the bridge the last year

[ROBINDESBOIS]

Is this sentence correct ? I mean the last year?
The Governor is said to have inaugarated the bridge the last year.
If so, why?

[wrholt]

I think that your sentence can be correct in some contexts. But it has a different meaning compared to saying "last year" instead of "the last year".

"Last year" (without any article) always refers to the calendar year before the current calendar year at the time of speaking or writing.

"The last year" by itself would identify the latest year from a previously-identified set of years. For example:

"The bridge was built between 1999 and 2004. The Governor is said to have inagurated the bridge the last year." = the inauguration was in 2004, the last year of the set of years 1999-2004.

For comparison:


"The bridge was built between 1999 and 2004. The Governor is said to have inagurated the bridge last year." = the inauguration was in 2013 (because today is January 14, 2014).

[ROBINDESBOIS]

So, out of context it is not correct.
Maybe, the Governor is said to have inaugarated the bridge the year before.

[wrholt]

Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS

So, out of context it is not correct.
Maybe, the Governor is said to have inaugarated the bridge the year before.

Or "The Governor is said to have inaugurated the bridge the previous year."

Both of these mean the same thing, and they are correct only if the context has already established a particular year of reference. For example:

The bridge was finished in 2005. The Governor is said to have inaugurated the bridge the year before. (Or "the previous year"). = the inauguration was in 2004.