Which past or passed

Here is a confirmatory test for this lesson. This test can also be: Edited i. Printed to create a handout. Sent electronically to friends or students. Did you spot a typo? Grammarly's app will help with: 1 Avoiding spelling errors 2 Correcting grammar errors 3 Finding better words This free browser extension works with webmail, social media, and texting apps as well as online forms and Microsoft Office documents, like Word and Teams.

Download the app. The words sound identical, though, and they occupy some of the same semantic territory, which can make it really hard to keep them straight. If you pass a park on a drive through town and want to talk about it later you can say either of the following:. The way to keep them straight is to remember that past only ever has that form, but passed is really just a version of the verb pass , so it can take the forms pass , passes , or passing as well.

To see which word is the one you want, put the same sentences in the future tense and see what happens:. Both words appear in idioms as well. The phrase for when someone has lost consciousness or fallen asleep is passed out :. It's the past tense of the verbal phrase pass out , which we can see clearly in the future tense:.

If this pair has given you trouble in the past, we recommend you give this article a passing glance from time to time. In summary: To keep past and passed straight, remember that past always has the same form, while passed is one of the forms of the verb pass.

By putting a sentence in the future tense you can see which you want. Change "I drive past your house" to "I will drive past your house," and you find that past remains the same. If the answer is yes, you know it is passed you need. Happy learning! Want to improve your English? Click here to find out more. Our most popular course, General English suits every level of learner. It builds general proficiency in English by working on the four main language skills — reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Passed vs. Share Tweet Share Email. This particular pair of words are two which are very commonly confused. Definitions and Examples of Passed and Past If we take a look at the definitions of our homophones, it will become much easier to learn how to use them correctly. Some examples of this are: Time really passed quickly today. Jake passed the ball and I scored a goal!

I passed all of my exams. I drove past her house on the way to work. In the past I had more money. Summary These two words, past and passed, are two words that cause a lot of confusion in the English language.