Past | Passed
Video: #EasilyConfusedWords passed vs. past from Alianzaeduuy (new tab). (Watching time 19secs)
Past
It can mean former times. Also you can use past to explain that one thing travelling beyond another thing.
The word past locates something in time, or in space. It is possible to use it as a noun, as a preposition, (or as an adjective or even as an adverb)
Past as a noun: before the present
The time is 19 minutes past 2
In order to move forward, we cannot continue living in the past.
The past is not always very easy to forget!
Past as a preposition: beyond in place, beyond in time
My house is just past that tree up ahead there.
I'll meet you at half past one.
Past as an adjective: relating something with elapsed time
Don't hold grudges for past actions.
Past sins will be forgiven.
Past as an adverb: so as to go by
I thought the bus was going to stop, but the driver just drove straight past me.
It was an awsome sight when the jet fighters flew past; it was a full minute before the sound wave hit us.
Passed
Pass is a verb about whether or not you were successful in your exam. If you were talking about last week's exam, you would say "I passed my exam"
Passed is a verb
The verb is to pass. You use it when you are talking about something successful that has happened or if someone has travelled through something, or proceeded to the next level of something... etc etc. It is the past simple form of the verb pass. It can mean to be successful.
Phew, this year has passed so quickly!
All the Waikato students passed their writing papers this year!
She passed with flying colours.
Complete the quiz items below to see if you have understood this lesson. Then click the blue arrow at the bottom of the page to check your answers.
Instructions: Hover or tap the questions below to see the reason for the answers given in the quiz.
1. Write the correct word into the space.
Is it past or passed?
Please slow down - you just drove straight _______ my house!
past ✔
Why: Past is about going beyond something, either in space or time.
2. Select the only sentence that has the error in it.
❍ i) I'm sorry to hear that your cat past away.
❍ ii) I asked for the sugar, but she passed me the salt!
❍ iii) We must always consider our past actions and learn from them.
❍ iv) The time is five minutes past five.
❍ v) Five minutes passed before he turned up.
i) * I'm sorry to hear that your cat past away. * ✔ Yes, This is the only sentence with an error.
Why: In this sentence a verb is needed to express what the cat did (sadly). The verb is pass and the past of pass is passed.
3. Select the one reason why the sentence below is incorrect.
Rather than stopping at the hydration stand, the marathon runner ran straight passed it.
❍ i) Passed has been used incorrectly because it is not used in its present tense.
❍ ii) The use of passed would only work if you swapped the clauses of the sentence around.
❍ iii) You’re trying to trick me; there is nothing wrong with this sentence.
❍ iv) No marathon runner would be stupid enough to skip a refreshment stop.
❍ v) Passed has been used incorrectly; it should be the preposition past, which gives information about where the runner ran.
v) ... it should be the preposition past.... ✔
Why: If the runner moves from one side of the hydration stand to the other he moves past it.
4. Select the correct sentence from the options below.
.
❍ i) Why did I doubt myself? I past the test!
❍ ii) There is no way I will have passed that test.
ii) There is no way I can pass this test. ✔
Why: Both of these sentences require the verb "pass", but only one uses a verb.