similar to last year vs similar to the last year

The phrases are both correct, but they would be used in dissimilar contexts. 'Similar to last year' is more commonly used and is appropriate when comparing to the previous year without specifying a particular year. 'Similar to the last year' is less common and is used when referring to a specific year that was previously mentioned.

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Last updated: October 28, 2024 • 12697 views

similar to last year

This phrase is correct and commonly used when comparing to the previous year without specifying a particular year.

This phrase is used when making a general comparison to the previous year without mentioning a specific year. It is a common expression in English.

Examples:

The sales figures this year are similar to last year.
The weather conditions are similar to last year.
The company's performance is similar to last year.

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We must avoid a situation similar to last year where industry across Europe was brought to a standstill by a small group of people.
Wouldn't it be better to do something similar to last year's event?
This is not an accident, because if we conduct a stress test similar to last year's, which has not managed to restore confidence in the European banking sector, this might damage the credibility of the European Union.
Because the viruses causing each year's epidemics are usually similar to the last year's it is possible to produce a vaccine for the coming influenza season with a good chance that it will be protective.
Overall, the Court's audit opinion on the accounts is now unqualified - positive, if you wish - but the opinion on underlying transactions is broadly similar to that of last year.
To that end, it is most important that the EU prepares for such eventualities, so as to ensure that consumers and airlines do not encounter delays similar to those of last year.
We need to ensure that situations similar to those that occurred last year do not happen again in the future.
But why is this situation persisting, and why are the underlying transactions in a situation broadly similar to that of last year?
The auditors have refused to clear 92% of the European Union's expenditure for 2009, and they estimate that at least GBP 6 billion should not have been paid out - a similar amount to that of last year, which has not yet been recovered.
There was something similar last year.
We followed a similar procedure last year and the year before.
Someone I was close to had a similar accident last year.
Here is what a similar set went for last year at auction.
A similar project was started last year at the Vojany power plant.
In a similar report last year we had requested an early proposal from the Commission and I welcome the fact that Commissioner Fischler was able to respond to our wishes in this regard.
It maintains the focus on the better regulation agenda in line with previous similar initiatives taken last year by the European Parliament.
Because I'm a good lawyer who handled a similar case for you last year.
After similar abuses were observed last year in Mexico and Brazil, a number of major department-store chains decided not to sell horsemeat from those countries any longer.
These are the questions we are putting to the Commission, and we must insist, as we did in a similar resolution last year, on the establishment of a European civil protection authority.
A shark storm similar to the one that tore through the Los Angeles region last year.

Alternatives:

similar to the previous year
similar to the year before
similar to the previous year's results
similar to last year's data
similar to last year's performance

similar to the last year

This phrase is correct but less common. It is used when referring to a specific year that was previously mentioned.

This phrase is used when referring to a specific year that was previously mentioned in the conversation or text. It is less commonly used compared to 'similar to last year.'