You all know about this phrase... "Last but not least".
We hear it all the time right?
BUT!!! So many people don't know how to use it correctly.
Last but not least... There's a meaning to that.
Ever thought about the meaning behind this common phrase?
Or just use it any-O-how? Just pop it at the end of a list of things just to sound cool?
Think about it a little...
Last but not least...
Do you get it?
Ok here's an example...
I would like to thank... Tom, Dick and last but not least... Harry...
Means I would like to thank everyone... and at the end of the list, I would like to thank Harry, but just because he's at the end of the list, doesn't mean I thank him the least...
That's how you use the phrase...
There are 3 important things to retirement
Savings, investment, last but not least, expense control.
Means all are important, just because expense control is at the end of the sentence, doesn't mean it's the least important.
Whereas, a lot of times, people use this phrase and pop it at the end of any list of items.
To make a cake, you add flour, eggs, milk, last but not least, sugar...
No... that's not the way to use it.
Or, Hi ERSG, when you go to the supermarket can you please help me buy rice, sugar, last but not least, some chicken...
No... that's not the way to use it.
Last but not least is used when there appears to be a ranking of importance and you want to negate the assumption of un-importance of something at the end of the list.
It is not used for any listing where there's no meaning in the list.
It depends on how the sentence starts...
"Son, there are 3 important things I need you to buy from the shop. Batteries, sugar, last but not least, a spoon."
The phrase last but not least here indicates that there are 3 important things to buy, and the last item even though it's at the end doesn't mean it's any less important.
Alternatively, if the sentence is...
"Son, I need you to buy from the shop. Batteries, sugar, last but not least, a spoon."
This is the wrong way to use the phrase.
Cos in this case the phrase "last but not least" doesn't mean anything.
Did you know that?
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