"next day" vs "the next day"

[Tom]

Hi

I think I asked this question before but really can't remember when; nor can I find the notification e-mail!

Could you please tell me the difference between the two?

"Next day" and "The next day"

Tom

[Alan]

Hi Tom,

This is the old specificity question. 'The next day' refers to the day in particular.

A
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Party Conferences

[Mister Micawber]

.
As a sentence adverbial, I can see no difference-- but then, I was not involved in the original explanation... I think.

PS: Good grief! Surely you don't save all your notification emails, do you?
.
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Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber

[Tom]

I am grateful, Alan and Mister Micawber.

But, to be honest, I need examples.

1- The prince decided to save the queen next day or the next day.

2- She was so tired that she decided to leave everything to next day or the next day.

Tom

[Pamela]

Hi Tom
Both 'next day' and 'the next day' seem fine to me. In past time contexts the definite article may be used in similar cases as 'next', but its use is not obligatory(as my grammar book informs) . But in your second example I'd vote for 'the next day'

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

Here are two of your old threads:

Next time vs. the next time
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic14099.html

'Next year' VERSUS 'The next year'
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic13482.html

With regard to your last question, you should use 'the' in both sentences.

I haven't actually been able to think of any examples in which 'next day' would be able to stand alone (with the exception of situations in which words have been omitted). But maybe I'm just tired...

[prezbucky]

Use "the next day" in both of the examples, Namesake of Mine.

I would tend to use "next day" (or, more correctly, "next-day") as an adjective:

I'm sending these packages using next-day air service.
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[Yankee]

Good example, Mr. Hehe.

----------------------------

Tom (the original poster), I've got an additional rambling thought for you.

You can say the following:

next week
next month
next year

You can use these expressions to refer to the one after the one we're in now.
However, unlike the above, the day after the day we're in now has its own specific name: 'tomorrow'.

Amy

[Pamela]

Hi again
I agree with Amy and prezbucky.