'Next year' VERSUS 'The next year'

[Tom]

Hi

Could you please tell me which one of the following sounds better to you?

1- He is planning to get married next year.
2- He is planning to get married the next year.

Tom

[Conchita]

Both sentences sound fine, but have different meanings. The first one means that he is planning to get married the year after this and the second implies that he is planning to get married the year following the one (supposedly) just mentioned (the following year).

[Tom]

Thank you, Conchita

Keeping in mind the currrent year 2006,am I right when I understand the following sentences this way?

1- He is planning to get married next year. (2008)??

2- He is planning to get married the next year. (2007)??

Tom

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

It is 2006.
Now I'll tell you about 3 sisters with wedding plans:
Sally is planning to get married next year (2007). Nancy wants to get married right after she graduates from college in 2008, and Janet says she wants to get married the next year (2009).

This is some wedding information about two of my aunts:
Aunt Pat got married in 1960 and Aunt Bea got married the next year (in 1961).


Precisely when "the next year" is depends on what has just been mentioned in the conversation/sentence. "The next year" can also be used when you're talking about the past.

When you only talk about "next year" (without the word "the"), then it means the year after the current year.

Does that clear things up?

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Alan]

Hi Tom,

We're back to our old friend specificity with the use of 'the' when we are talking about some time (in this case) referred to in particular.

Look at this:

They went there on holiday last year and had a terrible time and decided that was the last year they would ever go there.

Next year they are going to a different hotel and the next year after that they're going to stay at home.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Three Letters for You?