Deciding when to use the words “past” or “passed” can be puzzling. The word “past” has a few different meanings. It can refer to a time before the present and be used as a noun or an adjective. Here are two examples: “The items in the time capsule are from the past” or “past performances have received standing ovations.”
“Past” can also describe movement, as in “Jeremy ran past Owen,” or take the place of the word "beyond," as in “the path to the river is past the gate.”
The word “passed,” on the other hand, means to go by. The conjugation for the verb “to pass” appears below.
“Past” can also describe movement, as in “Jeremy ran past Owen,” or take the place of the word "beyond," as in “the path to the river is past the gate.”
The word “passed,” on the other hand, means to go by. The conjugation for the verb “to pass” appears below.
Confusion arises when a noun passes past an object. Here are examples of how to handle both words correctly:
She passed her brother without waving.
She ran past her brother without waving.
To muddy the waters further, “passed” can also mean to hand something off, as in “the congregation passed the plate.” Another meaning is to demonstrate knowledge of content, as in “most of the class passed the science test.”
The table below summarizes when to use “past” and “passed.”
She passed her brother without waving.
She ran past her brother without waving.
To muddy the waters further, “passed” can also mean to hand something off, as in “the congregation passed the plate.” Another meaning is to demonstrate knowledge of content, as in “most of the class passed the science test.”
The table below summarizes when to use “past” and “passed.”
A little bit of practice and the tips above will help you to keep “past” and “passed” straight.
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