Next & The next

[mohaimel]

I am facing difficulty to know what to use when I use next week. Should I use next week or the next week? When are next and the next used?

Thanks in advance for usual support.

[Harry Smith]

Originally Posted by mohaimel

I am facing difficulty to know what to use when I use next week. Should I use next week or the next week? When are next and the next used?

Thanks in advance for usual support.

Next week is equal to future week. The next week is equal to the following week. We use next week in sentences referring to the future. We use the next week in reported speech.

[mohaimel]

Originally Posted by Harry Smith

Next week is equal to future week. The next week is equal to the following week. We use next week in sentences referring to the future. We use the next week in reported speech.

Thank you Harry for your prompt response. Yet it is not crystal clear. Would you explain more as I could not understand the use of the next week when you said reporting speech.

Thanks you for kindness

[Harry Smith]

Originally Posted by mohaimel

Thank you Harry for your prompt response. Yet it is not crystal clear. Would you explain more as I could not understand the use of the next week when you said reporting speech.

Thanks you for kindness

Well, look here.
He said, "I'll visit my native town next week."(It's direct speech)
He said that he would visit his native town the next week.(It's reported speech.)

[albertino]

Originally Posted by Harry Smith

Well, look here.
He said, "I'll visit my native town next week."(It's direct speech)
He said that he would visit his native town the next week.(It's reported speech.)

Caution: I'm not a teacher but I would like to share my knowledge with others.
Harry, if you don't mind I would like to add something on yours.

General definitions:
"Next week" means immediately after this week, whereas
"The next week" means a period starting from the present moment.

Let's see the explanations given by "Chambers Essential English Grammar and Usage", P370 on the usage of next and the next:

"You use next (please refer to the defintion given above as well) rather than the next when referring by name to days, months, seasons or festivals, e.g.
I'll see you after the meeting next Friday.
Next week we're going to start a new course.
Arsenal are playing Manchester United next month.
The conference isn't (convened) till next summer.

Notice that references to days of the week of the form next Friday can be confusing, because people may not be sure whether you mean Friday in the present week or Friday in the week after this one. In general, people tend to refer to the Friday of the present week as this Friday, or this coming Friday, or to say that something is happening on Friday, e.g.
Your entry should arrive here no later than this coming Friday.
I've got two tickets for the concert this Friday at the Royal Concert Hall.
We leave here on Friday.
Next Friday and Friday next usually refer to the Friday of next week, not the Friday of the week.

You use the next to refer to a length of time from now into the future, e.g.
The next few months will be very busy.
I'll be working at home for the next couple of days.
The car park will be out of use for the next three weeks.

Notice that the next week means the seven days from today until the same day in the week after this.
So, the next month means four weeks starting from today, and the next year means the twelve months from now till the same time in the year after this, e.g.
He intends to concentrate on writing for the next year."

[Harry Smith]

Maybe you want to say that the next week is the following week in other words.

Originally Posted by mohaimel

I am facing difficulty to know what to use when I use next week. Should I use next week or the next week? When are next and the next used?

Thanks in advance for usual support.

The week after the present one is called "next week": the week before the present one is called "last week". The same with month and year, i.e. next month, next year., last month, last year. When we have a specific week, month, or year in mind, as long as is not the present one, we can refer to the week, month, year that comes after that week as "the next week, month, year".

Dave: When's the party?
Don: Not next week but the week after (next week).

I lost my job in 1976 and went to university the year after.


Do the same with "last week/month/year" and "the last week/month/year".

Dave: Did you see Dave last week?
Don: No, the week before (last).

[Dr. Jamshid Ibrahim]

I believe Albertino is right:
Next week: a point in time.
The next week: a period of time (7 days)

Similarly you can say
Since last week/month
For the last week.

[Teia]

Originally Posted by mohaimel

Thank you Harry for your prompt response. Yet it is not crystal clear. Would you explain more as I could not understand the use of the next week when you said reporting speech.

Thanks you for kindness

"I`ll arrive in London next week", Mary said - direct speech

Mary said [that] she would arrive in London the next/following week - indirect speech

[Teia]

Originally Posted by albertino

Caution: I'm not a teacher but I would like to share my knowledge with others.
Harry, if you don't mind I would like to add something on yours.

General definitions:
"Next week" means immediately after this week, whereas
"The next week" means a period starts from the present moment.

Let's see the explanations given by "Chambers Essential English Grammar and Usage", P370 on the usage of next and the next:

"You use next (please refer to the defintion given above as well) rather than the next when referring by name to days, months, seasons or festivals, e.g.
I'll see you after the meeting next Friday.
Next week we're going to start a new course.
Arsenal are playing Manchester United next month.
The conference isn't (convened) till next summer.

Notice that references to days of the week of the form next Friday can be confusing, because people may not be sure whether you mean Friday in the present week or Friday in the week after this one. In general, people tend to refer to the Friday of the present week as this Friday, or this coming Friday, or to say that something is happening on Friday, e.g.
Your entry should arrive here no later than this coming Friday.
I've got two tickets for the concert this Friday at the Royal Concert Hall.
We leave here on Friday.
Next Friday and Friday next usually refer to the Friday of next week, not the Friday of the week.

You use the next to refer to a length of time from now into the future, e.g.
The next few months will be very busy.
I'll be working at home for the next couple of days.
The car park will be out of use for the next three weeks.

Notice that the next week means the seven days from today until the same day in the week after this.
So, the next month means four weeks starting from today, and the next year means the twelve months from now till the same time in the year after this, e.g.
He intends to concentrate on writing for the next year."

1. .."The next week means a period starts [correction : starting]from the present moment."

I am sorry but I don`t agree with you.
Where have you found this statement? "The next week" does not mean a period starting from the present moment. This phrase, i.e. "the next week", simply means "the following week" :
"I`ll go there next week"-direct speech
He said he`d go there the next / following week.

See, please, Harry`s answer which is very clear regarding the use of "next week" vs. "the next week".

2. "So, the next month means four weeks starting from today, and the next year means the twelve months from now till the same time in the year after this ."

- NOT necessarily, i.e. :

Today is Wednesday. Next week, I am going to see a doctor. - it means that I am going to see a doctor on one of the days of the following week - I did not specify which day : it might be Monday, Tuesday, etc., or :

It`s July. "I`ll have my holiday next month." It means I planned to leave on holiday in August but still, I did not say the exact day. It might be on August 3rd, or August 14th, etc. - so, it does not necessarily mean I`ll leave on holiday exactly in four weeks from now on.