After each of the following sentences, a list of possible interpretations is given. Choose the interpretation…

Analyze the question: The phrase "last but one" is an idiom. You are asked what position it describes.

Explain the concept: "Last but one" means "last except one", so it is the second from the end. It is also called the penultimate position. The word "but" here means "except".

Examples:

• "The last but one chapter" = the second-to-last chapter.
• "Last but two" = third from the end.

Solution: Imagine the buildings on the road, numbered from the end:

• Last building = position 1 (the very last)
• Last but one = position 2 (the one just before the last)

Checking the options:

• A. "The very last building": this is simply "the last", so it is wrong.
• B. "One of the last buildings": too vague, and it does not give an exact position, so it is wrong.
• C. "The one after the last": nothing comes after the last, so this makes no sense.
• D. "The one before the last": this is the second from the end, so it is correct.

Answer: D, the school is the one before the last.

Tip: Read "last but one" as "last, except one". Take away the final item and the next one is your answer. Remember that penultimate = last but one = second from the end. Don't confuse it with "the last one".