As you start writing academically, you might encounter commonly confused words. One such pair is “passed” and “past”. It’s crucial to comprehend the distinction between these two words, as despite their similar spellings, they carry different meanings. Failing to use them correctly can have a negative impact on the quality of your writing. In academic writing, it’s essential to be unambiguous and accurate to effectively communicate your ideas.
Definition of “passed vs. past”
“Passed” and “past” are homophones, which means they sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. “Passed” is the past tense form of the verb “to pass.” It refers to the action of moving from one place to another, proceeding, or going by. As a noun, “past” refers to the time that has gone by. As an adjective, “past” refers to something that has already happened. As a preposition, “past” indicates a position that is beyond a particular point in time or space. However, as an adverb, “past” means beyond in time or order.
Passed
… is the past tense of the verb “to pass”, indicating completed action or movement.
Past
… is a noun, adjective, preposition, or adverb relating to time.
The choice between “passed” and “past” depends on the specific context and the role each word plays in a sentence. Remember that “passed” relates specifically to actions or movement, while “past” is more versatile, functioning as a noun, adjective, preposition, or adverb, and usually relating to time or indicating a position relative to a point in time or space.
Using the word “passed”
In the following explanation, the grammatical function of the word “passed” will be clearly illustrated, along with examples of how it’s commonly used in a sentence.
“Passed” as a verb
“Passed” functions grammatically as the past tense form of the verb “to pass.” Here are three short example sentences to illustrate its usage.
Examples
- She passed her driving test on the first attempt.
- The train passed through the tunnel, disappearing into the distance.
- After hours of studying, he finally passed the exam with a high score.
Tip for using “passed” correctly
Including synonyms for “passed” can improve writing, prevent redundancy, and add nuance. Here are four alternatives with sample sentences.
| Synonyms | Examples |
| Advanced | The team passed to the next round in the tournament. |
| The team advanced to the next round in the tournament. | |
| Completed | She finally passed the challenging research project. |
| She finally completed the challenging research project. | |
| Navigated | The ship passed through the channel of the harbour. |
| The ship navigated through the channel of the harbour. | |
| Succeeded | She studied and passed in completing the project. |
| She studied and succeeded in completing the project. |
Using the word “past”
How “past” is used in a sentence, along with its many grammatical functions, will be explained more thoroughly in the following:
“Past” as a noun
As a noun, “past” refers to a time that has already gone by.
Examples
- The mistakes of the past should be learning opportunities for the future.
- In the past, people relied on handwritten letters for communication.
- Despite the challenges of the past, she has emerged stronger and more resilient.
“Past” as an adjective
As an adjective, “past” describes something that has already happened or existed.
Examples
- The archaeologist uncovered artifacts from ancient past civilizations.
- Her dreams for a better future eclipsed her past disappointments.
- The history book provided a detailed account of significant past events.
“Past” as a preposition
As a preposition, “past” indicates a position that is beyond a particular point in time or space.
Examples
- We walked past the historic monument on our way to the museum.
- The bus drove past the crowded market without stopping.
- She glanced past the open door and continued down the hallway.
“Past” as an adverb
As an adverb, “past” indicates going beyond in time or order.
Examples
- The marathon runner sprinted past the finish line with incredible speed.
- She walked past the bookstore, not realising it was there.
- The train whizzed past as we waited on the platform.
Tip for using “past” correctly
Including synonyms for “past” can enhance writing, prevent repetition and redundancy, and add nuance. Here are four alternatives with sample sentences.
| Synonyms | Examples |
| Beyond (preposition) | We strolled along the path past the old castle. |
| We strolled along the path beyond the old castle. | |
| By (adverb) | The time flew past as we reminisced about old times. |
| The time flew by as we reminisced about old times. | |
| Former (adjective) | Her past colleagues attended the retirement party. |
| Her former colleagues attended the retirement party. | |
| History (noun) | The uncovered artifacts tell the story of our past. |
| The uncovered artifacts tell the story of our history. |
Test yourself!
Practice sheet
To improve your ability to differentiate between “passed” and “past”, fill in the blanks in the given sentences. The correct answers can be found on the second tab.
- She hurried ______ the finish line, securing her victory.
- The _____ few months have been challenging for the team.
- He ______ the difficult test with ease.
- We drove ______ the mountains, enjoying the scenic views.
- The ______ of the ancient civilization fascinated the archaeologists.
- The athlete ______ the torch to the next generation of sports stars.
- Time flew ______ as we reminisced about our childhood.
- The train whizzed ______, leaving the station far behind.
- The ______ of the river indicated a serene and peaceful landscape.
- Despite the obstacles, they ______ the tough selection process.
- She hurried past the finish line, securing her victory.
- The past few months have been challenging for the team.
- He passed the difficult test with ease.
- We drove past the mountains, enjoying the scenic views.
- The past of the ancient civilization fascinated the archaeologists.
- The athlete passed the torch to the next generation of sports stars.
- Time flew past as we reminisced about our childhood.
- The train whizzed past, leaving the station far behind.
- The past of the river indicated a serene and peaceful landscape.
- Despite the obstacles, they passed the tough selection process.
FAQs
- Passed: Use “passed” when referring to an action of moving from one place to another or successfully completing an activity. It functions as the past tense of the verb “pass.”
- Past: Use “past” when referring to a full stop that has already gone by. As a preposition, it indicates a position beyond a point in time or space. As an adjective, it describes something that has happened. As an adverb, it indicates movement beyond time or order.
“Walked past” is correct. In this context, “past” functions as a preposition indicating a position beyond a particular point in space, meaning someone walked beyond or by something. The correct phrase is “walked past.”
“Walked past someone” is grammatically correct. In this context, “past” is used as a preposition to indicate movement beyond a particular point in space. Therefore, the correct phrase is “walked past someone.”
Use “passed” as the past tense of the verb “pass” when describing movement, completion of an activity, or success in an endeavour .
Example
- He passed the exam.
Use “past” as either a preposition, adjective, adverb, or noun. Each meaning relates to time.
Example
- We walked past the shop.
You should say “past me.” In this context, “past” is used as a preposition to indicate movement beyond a specific point in space. Therefore, the correct phrase is “walked past me.”
