I know that the next week is usually used to refer to either the week after any reference time (to mean the same as 'the following week') or the seven days from now (the period of seven days starting at the moment of speaking). But I was wondering if the following week could mean the week starting today as well as the week immediately following whatever week has just been referred to. I haven't been able to get any help elsewhere.
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Generally, no. "this" is so common and unambiguous, listeners would assume that, by not using "this" (eg "this week"), you mean some other week. You could probably think of some construct where you result in a phase of "the task is then performed the following week, which happens to be this week"... but that could also be used with "next week"– BobtheMagicMooseCommented Oct 21, 2019 at 8:40
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If speaking now, you wouldn't use the following week to express the seven day period starting today if I understood you right?– Choe GuevaraCommented Oct 21, 2019 at 8:51
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The following week is not used for the week starting today, even if the reference is to the present.– KrisCommented Oct 21, 2019 at 12:51
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1 Answer
I would use the coming week as another way of expressing the seven days from now, and the following week only for the week after that [date].
answered Oct 21, 2019 at 8:32
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You wouldn't use the following week to mean the seven days from now, right? Commented Oct 21, 2019 at 8:36
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Sorry if I didn't make it clear, but that is what I meant to imply. I will edit my answer. Commented Oct 21, 2019 at 9:02
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