When to Use Past vs Passed: Definitions and Examples

Many English learners get confused between the use of past vs passed in the sentences because both words sound similar. Even though both words sound similar, but they have different meanings and uses in English communication. Understanding the difference between these two words is important for improving your English writing and speaking skills.

In this article, you will learn the difference between past vs passed, how to use each word correctly, and examples of sentences using the past vs passed.

Definition of Past

The word past can be used in a sentence as a noun, adjective, adverb, or preposition. It generally refers to something that happened before now or something that has already gone by. Let’s talk about its function in more detail.

1. Past as a Noun

When word past is used as a noun in the sentence, it refers to a previous time or events that have already happened. 

For example:

• We should learn from the past and not repeat our mistakes. 
• In the past, people used letters to communicate.

2. Past as an Adjective

When the word past is used as an adjective, it describes something that is gone or finished. 

For example:

• The past year was full of challenges.
• She has forgotten her past relationships.

3. Past as an Adverb

When used as an adverb, the word past means moving beyond something. Take a look at the following example sentence:

Examples:

• The car drove past my house.
• He walked past me without saying hello. 

4. Past as a Preposition

The word past is also used as a preposition in the sentence. when it is used as a preposition, it means beyond a particular place or time. 

Examples:

• It’s already past midnight.
• We walked past the school on our way home.

Examples of Past

• She liked to reminisce about the past and recall happier times.
• They couldn’t move past the car that was blocking the road.
• Ada’s past year of voracious reading has turned her into a real expert on film history.
• I think we are past the point of no retur.

Definition and Meaning of Passed

The word “passed” is the past tense of the verb “pass” which means:

• to move in a particular direction,
• to succeed, or
• to transfer something.

Usage of Passed 

Here are some examples of sentences using the word passed:

Moving in a Direction

• The bus passed my street five minutes ago.
• She passed me on the way to work.

Succeeding in Something:

• I passed my English exam with a high score.
• He finally passed his driving test.

Transferring Something

• She passed the salt to me at the dinner table.
• The teacher passed out the test papers.

Tip:

If you can replace the word passed with twenty by or move by in the sentence, then passed is the correct word to use in the sentence.

Meanings of Passed

• to move or proceed
• to be transferred
• to throw or kick (a ball)
• To go away
• To die (with religious connotations)
• To give up control 
• To decline to speak or bid
• to be confirmed as a law or rule
• to go from one state of being to another

Examples of Passed 

• My grandmother passed away in January.
• The filly passed us at a trot, leaving a trail of dust in her wake.
• He passed the baton to his young and talented predecessor.
• Excitement passed through the crowd with mere minutes remaining in the match.

Key Differences Between Past vs Passed

Now that you understand the meanings, let’s compare past vs passed in more detail:

Quick Tip

Here is a quick tip to remember the difference between past vs passed:

• If the sentence talks about time, history, or movement beyond a place, use past. 
• If the sentence talks about movement, success, or giving something, use passed.

When to Use Past vs Passed in Sentences

Using past in different contexts

• We cannot change the past, but we can shape our future. 
• The past week has been very busy.
• He walked past me without noticing.
• It is already past midnight.

Using “passed” in different contexts

• She passed me a note in class.
• The train just passed our station.
• I passed my English test.
• He passed the ball to his teammate.

Past vs Passed: Common Phrases and Expressions

Past vs passed are commonly used in English expressions. Let’s explore in more detail.

Common Expression with Past

Here are some common English expression using the word past:

• Let bygones be bygones – forget the past
• A thing of the past – something that no longer exist

Examples:

• Forget the argument; let the past be the past.
• CDs are a thing of the past.

Common Expressions with Passed

Here are some common English expressions using the word passed:

• Passed away – A polite way to say someone died
• Passed out – fainted
• Passed down – given to the next generation

Example:

• My grandfather passed away last year.
• He passed out because he was so tired.
• This necklace was passed down from my grandmother.

Examples of Past vs Passed 

Examples of past

• She liked to reminisce about the past and recall happier times.
• They couldn’t move past the car that was blocking the road.
• Ada’s past year of voracious reading has turned her into a real expert on film history.
• I think we are past the point of no retur.

Examples of passed

• My grandmother passed away in January.
• The filly passed us at a trot, leaving a trail of dust in her wake.
• He passed the baton to his young and talented predecessor.
• Excitement passed through the crowd with mere minutes remaining in the match.

Quick Tips to Remember the Difference

Here are the useful tips to remember the difference between past vs passed when using in sentences:

• If it is about time, history, or going beyond something, use past.
• If it is about moving, succeeding, or handling something, use passed.

Memory Trick

• Past relates to history (H for History and H for Past)
• Passed relates to action (A for Action and A for Passed_

Conclusion

Learning the difference between past vs passed is important for using English correctly in speaking and writing because both words look similar. The word past refers to time, movement beyond something, or history. On the other hand, the word passed refers to an action of passing, moving or succeeding. 

Now that you know the difference between past vs passed, use these two words in your speaking and writing practice, and soon you will be able to use past vs passed confidently without making any mistake in your communication.

I hope this article helped you to learn the difference between past vs passed and how to use them in the sentences correctly.

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