we all know the $1 refers to the first parameter of a line along with $2 for the second, but how could I recognise the last word in a line. I suspect it would have something to do with the $len or $right commands.

It's more to do with token identifiers you can use $gettok($1-,-1,32) or, knowing that $0 returns the total number of tokens in $1-, attach $ to the front of the value $0 returns and evaluate: $($ $+ $0,2)