This is an All Ears English podcast episode 2143.
Let's go back in time.
Avoid confusion with past dates.
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In January, we showed you how to refer to future dates without confusing your listener.
Today, learn how to call out dates and times in the past while avoiding confusion in English.
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Hello, Michelle.
How's it going today?
Hey, Lindsay.
I am good.
How are you?
Good.
I'm feeling good.
Glad to be on the mic with you.
Today is a bit of a follow-up from a previous episode that we did on Allers English.
Is that right?
Yes, exactly.
Lindsay, what did you do last weekend?
Last weekend oh well michelle, do you mean this past weekend, because today it's monday morning as we're recording or do you mean the weekend before this past weekend?
Can you just clarify for me here Sorry, I meant like what did you do this past weekend?
Okay, good.
Thank you for clarifying.
I should have.
Yeah, that was a little... See, Lindsay, that gets a little sticky, right?
A little sticky, a little tricky.
Yes.
Yeah.
So we're going to be talking about this today.
I'm excited about today's episode because like Lindsay said, this is a follow up.
Guys, if you didn't listen...
Already, we did episode 2137.
That was this Friday or next Friday, how to clarify calendar dates in English.
So that was all about the future.
When you're talking about days or dates in the future, what do you say?
And that was.
It gets a little confusing, but we came up with some basic ideas.
Yeah, i mean, i think these two episodes are going to be two of the most useful episodes of the entire year, michelle.
That's why i'm so excited.
I hope our listeners can follow now to get more amazing yes, super useful episodes, but i'm excited to get into this.
So guys, make sure you go back, cover your bases with that episode.
And now we're going into the past.
And just to fill you in, I took my dog to the dog park this past weekend.
And I ordered pizza from my very favorite place that does Detroit-style pizza.
What did you do this past weekend, Michelle?
This past weekend, over the weekend, I had some friends over for a little dinner party.
Oh, nice.
Yeah.
And although none of...
I didn't make dinner.
I provided the desserts.
We did our own dinner.
Yeah.
And yeah, the kids were together.
So it was fun.
They're actually our neighbors.
They live across the hall.
So it's kind of fun.
We get to.
That's really nice yeah, so it's like, it's like the friends cast just kidding fun.
Okay, good weekend, love it.
Yes yes, yes.
So um, i'm excited for this episode.
And lindsay, do you want to hear?
We have some great poll results today.
Yes, lately we've been putting up some really fun polls to learn more about your personalities guys, all of our listeners, and so we have a result, a very important result that i'm surprised by, from a previous episode.
What episode was this result from?
This was from 2108.
How to add nuance to your opinions in English.
And this was a big one, guys.
The question was, where would you prefer to live?
And it was either you could choose New York or LA.
So Lindsay, where would you prefer to live?
Oh, New York, no question, Michelle.
I have lived in New York.
I've lived for a very short stint in LA, three months.
I'm not sure if that qualifies, sort of stayed there.
And I'm a New York girl through and through.
And I have a feeling maybe you are too.
Is that true?
Of course.
I would always choose New York.
I love New York.
But our listeners, the results actually... teetered on the side of LA.
That is 54%.
54 of our listeners on Spotify who answered this poll said they would prefer to live in LA and 45 said New York.
And Lindsay, you were saying you were surprised and you had maybe a little theory about why.
I have a feeling it's about the weather, because when you think about la and california, it is beautiful weather.
We have been talking about california on this show a lot.
I've been going out to southern california this year and i have to say michelle, it is amazing the weather out there.
It's just the sun, it is always perfect and 72 degrees, no matter what time of year it is.
It's just incredible.
So i get it.
But the magic of new york michelle, i mean I don't know.
I'm sure I know.
It's, it's.
It's one of those things where you just deal with the weather, because there are so many other wonderful parts of New York.
But it is true.
The weather is not one of the advantages of living in New York.
No, so i would just ask our listeners guys, if you have a strong opinion one way or the other, now you, if you can, tie in an episode question about the two cities, something there, send us that question right, send your question to lindsay all ears englishcom and we want your question.
We want to follow up on this poll and keep the conversation going.
Good stuff, definitely very exciting.
Yeah okay, so let's get into the topic today.
So this was all inspired because i was speaking with a student yeah um, and we were talking about okay, let's say, for example, it's november and you want to talk about something you did in may of the previous year?
Okay right, previous year.
Okay so like so like um, just to clarify, let's say, it's november 2023 right, and you want to talk about something you did in may of 2022?
Oh, that's, yes, yes.
Yeah.
So if someone Lindsay then to you said last May, would you think they were talking about that same year or the year before.
Oh, see, this is hard.
Even for native speakers, it's quite hard.
So we're imagining maybe it's like November or something right now.
And we're looking at last May.
Is that what we're saying?
Yeah.
I would probably say, I would probably, you know, catch the last and think 2022.
Yeah, right.
So May of 2022.
So the year so the May before the most previous one.
Yeah, previous one.
Yeah.
Some people might think the most recent May.
Yeah.
And that's what she was asking me about.
And I realized this is such an important topic.
And it is confusing, like Lindsay said, even for native speakers.
So this is not, you know, this is something that is is a little bit confusing and i wouldn't say there's one completely easy answer for this.
Some of it depends on context um, and.
But we're going to talk about how to be as clear as possible today, and in that other episode we were talking about the future, so now we're going into the past.
Um yeah, i think i think just as a broad perspective here, it's on us as the speakers to be extra clear.
It's like we need that layer of empathy to think.
When I deliver this, whether it's to a native speaker or to a non-native speaker, I think they may get confused.
And I know that.
So I'm going to add some extra words to be super, super clear.
Right.
Yes.
Yes.
Exactly.
So let's talk about it.
So when we're talking about the past, let's say now we're going to say it's December and someone wants to talk about something they did in June.
Okay.
Okay.
So Lindsay, if you want to tell me something you did in june and it's december, would you say this june or last june, or what would you say?
Okay, in this case, i would say this june, because i know we're talking about past tense, right?
So i'm not worried that it's the future june, the very next june of 2024.
And if you said oh lindsay, this june i went to rocky mountain national park, i don't know that you're talking about june of 2023, of this year, just six months.
Yeah okay yeah, Yeah.
But there's also a third choice.
I mean, I, I feel like I would just say in June, like with nothing.
Right.
And yeah.
So we don't need to necessarily add anything, because if we say in June and we know, we're talking about the past.
Yeah.
Right.
You don't, they're, they're going to know that you mean this previous June.
That's a fair point, Michelle.
I like it fewer words, fewer words or, if you do, on some words.
Another thing you could say is this past June.
So in the last episode guys um, in 2137, we talked about saying this coming yes for the future but Lindsay, tell us a little bit about this past.
What that does, it's essentially the equivalent of saying this coming yeah right, this coming January.
You want to make sure, if you want to add that extra layer of clarity for your listener, the person in front of you, just stick in this past june, and that tells me it's the most immediate recent june.
So that solidifies that it's june of 2023, not june of 2022.
Okay, but i also like your theory, michelle.
Just say in june, we went to rocky mountain national park in june, because you're in the past tense and it wouldn't be the one before that.
That would just not make any sense.
I feel like we need to have calendars out for this episode and visuals and everything.
Right.
I think that even saying this past, that's great.
And that's good to be more clear, but you don't need it necessarily.
Like, I almost feel like that's what you would use to clarify if somebody says, wait, Which June?
And you might say, oh, this past June.
Right.
That's a good point.
That's a good point.
You may just hedge on that and put that in the front, instead of going through the whole thing and say which June.
When?
What do you mean?
Right.
If you just want to save your breath with that whole conversation.
But yeah, I think just June is great.
In June, we went to Rocky Mountain National Park.
Right.
So for talking about the past you can always just if it's the most immediate one in the past.
You can always just say the day, the week, the month.
But if it's close enough in the past, you can say this past as well.
Or like, hey, we're in January and we want to talk about something from the previous June.
Then that's where we might say last, like if it wraps around in a month right, so you're here.
I'm sorry if you're in january of 2024 and you want to talk about june of 2022.
Is that what you mean, michelle?
Right exactly okay, so you want to.
So that's when you can start to use last.
Yeah right, because now we're in a different year, so that's when last becomes more relevant.
If we're in january 2023 and we want to talk about june 2022, we wouldn't if we say last.
In that case, is there any way?
We excuse me, in that case sorry, is there any way that we would mean 2021?
No, that's too far in the past.
At that point, you're starting to say in June of 2021 or in June of 21, right?
Summer 21.
Yes.
Right.
You're going too far back.
Yeah.
We don't want to go.
Yeah.
Too far back.
The last is now just for the most immediate, but if the year wraps around.
So like, if it's october 23 and you want to say you did something in april of 2022 um, you could also just say april of 2022 right, you also have that option.
If you want to be crystal clear uh, you could always say the month april of 2022.
Yeah.
And I think it's always a good connection skill.
Guys just hedging on that, assuming that maybe my listeners will get confused, right?
Whoever I'm speaking to.
And so I'm going to be really clear.
I'm going to throw in the date anyways.
Especially if you're back two years, you definitely want to go for that date, right?
Michelle?
Yes.
Yeah.
Okay.
Let's keep going into this.
Cause I know this is a sticking point for our listeners for sure.
Okay.
Well, I think the important thing as the speaker And this goes back to what you are saying, Lindsay the speaker's responsibility.
The important thing is to take out anything that would make it unclear.
Right.
So maybe use years, dates, whatever.
But really think about it when you are speaking.
How can I make sure that my listener just gets it the first time?
Yes.
And on the flip side of that, as a listener, don't be afraid to ask.
Right.
So what's something you could say if you were confused as the listener, Lindsay?
Okay, you could say something like this.
You could say, wait, This June or last June?
And we can even use gestures there, right?
If we want to, it's always good.
This June or last June?
A lot of you know, sticking my hands over my shoulders and going backwards like a traffic director or something.
Yes.
Right, right.
Exactly.
So, I mean, this is all a little bit open to context and interpretation.
Yeah.
So that's important to remember.
However, I think there are really some main points to think about here.
Number one is, Are we like what time of the year or what time of the week are we talking about?
Are we wrapping around to the last week?
So what I mean by that is again, if we are in March of 2024 and we're going to talk about September of 2023,
Yeah.
You can use last.
Yeah.
Right.
Okay.
Okay.
So we have lots to think about here, but you have lots of tools here.
You can just say the month, you can just say the day if you want, if that's going to be clear enough.
You can also use this past, right?
Like how in the future we use this coming.
Yeah, I love that.
And just be ready for questions, right?
Even if you say it and you think it's correct and clear, it still may not be clear.
And maybe that's not your fault, right?
Maybe that's just for whatever reason, the person's not quite getting it.
Be ready for clarification no matter how you say it.
I think that's the point, right?
Yes, exactly.
And again, part of that is just the nature of these words and this topic and it just gets confusing.
So don't stress out about it, because it's one of those things that happens fairly frequently in everyday conversations, when you're talking about when something happened.
Yeah.
Let's do some role plays, Michelle, to wrap up the episode here.
So now we are going to imagine that it is late 2023 and we are recording this in late 2023.
Actually,
That's right.
Right.
December of 2023.
So here we go.
I started learning Arabic last February.
Oh, wow.
So well over a year.
Oh, no, sorry.
I meant this past February.
Oh, got it.
Okay.
So which February was I talking about there?
So it's late 2023 and you said last February.
Now, do you think, Lindsay, do you think that was the best choice?
Probably not.
I feel like I was confused with what I said right away, actually.
Right.
Because it sounds, when you say last and you're in the same year...
Yes, yes.
It's weird, right?
Why would I say last, right?
I probably should have said this past February, which I then clarified.
And I mean, February of 2023.
Okay, because I got confused.
I said, Oh, wow.
So well over a year.
So you thought February of 2022.
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah.
Good.
So that's what happened there.
Now, let's move now.
We are in February 2024.
Fast forward, which is when this episode comes out, I believe.
So here we go.
Here we go.
Okay.
How long have you been in your current position?
Oh, since last January.
Wait of 23 or 24?
23.
Okay.
Okay.
So, in that case, does that feel more in tune for me to say last January?
Um right, i think that it's because you wouldn't say last january, last month, last month.
You could say last month, since last month, since january.
I could also say since january.
Right, if you're talking about 2024, but you didn't say that because you were talking about 23 2023.
So that's why, in that case, i need that last right, because we're going all the way back around the calendar another year Right, Michelle?
Exactly.
Exactly.
I think the key here, guys, is connection.
Remember the point.
It's not about the time.
It's about what you're trying to say.
So hedge off any confusion by initially clearing up if you can.
And if you don't do it that way, be ready for the questions.
Wait, when?
What year?
That's normal.
Okay.
It is normal.
But just try and be as clear as possible with these things.
So I think one of the keys is just to think about okay, if I'm in December, then things in the last year I can use last right.
You have to think about, did we start a new cycle, a new year, a new year?
Yes.
I love that.
I love that.
I love that.
I just think about the calendar.
And just don't avoid having these conversations because it's good to talk about your past.
It's good to go back.
It's common.
You've done things in your life.
You want to share them.
Right.
I think that's the takeaway for today.
And guys, remember to hit follow.
Right, Michelle?
That's right.
OK, well, this is a fun one.
And yeah, just think about your responsibility as a speaker.
And also, don't be afraid if you're unclear about when something happened in the past.
Just ask.
That's fine.
I love it.
Just ask.
Love it.
All right, Michelle, we're off the mic for today.
Have a good day.
Talk to you soon.
Bye.
Bye, guys.
Bye.
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