Walk Passed Or Past: Understanding the Difference
Language has always been an intricate thing. With the millions of words existing in the English language, it can be challenging to know which one to use in which context. Two such words are “passed” and “past,” which may seem quite similar but can easily lead to confusion if not used in their correct context. In this article, we will explore the difference between “walk passed” and “walk past” and provide examples to illustrate their correct usage.
Passed vs. Past: What’s the difference?
The words “passed” and “past” are homophones, meaning they sound the same but have different meanings. The primary difference between the two lies in their grammar and usage.
“Passed” is a past participle of the verb “pass.” As an irregular verb, its past tense and past participle are the same. It is a transitive verb that indicates movement or transfer of something from one place, person, or state to another. For instance, one could say, “I passed the exam,” which implies that the speaker successfully completed the exam. Similarly, one could say, “I passed the baton to the next runner,” which indicates the speaker transferred the baton to the next runner.
“Pas” can also mean a passage, an act of passing, or a narrow route through which one can pass. For example, “The highway was busy, but we managed to find a pass through the mountains.”
On the other hand, “past” is a preposition that means a time, place, or event that existed before the present time. For instance, “The store closed a few minutes past nine,” indicates the event of the store closing occurred just past nine. Additionally, “past” also means something that has already occurred or come to an end while “passed” refers to an action that somebody did, and it is now over. For example, “Her past struggles motivated her to work harder.” “Past” can also be used as an adverb to mean going beyond a particular point, for example, “We walked past the statue.”
Difference between “walk passed” and “walk past”
As mentioned earlier, “passed” and “past” are often used interchangeably, which leads to confusion. However, while “walk passed” and “walk past” may appear to be similar, they convey different meanings.
“Walk past” implies walking beyond something, like a building, a statue, or a park. For example, “They walked past the store and continued to the next one,” indicates that two people walked beyond one store and continued shopping at the next one.
On the other hand, “walk passed” refers to walking by something or walking next to something. For example, “She walked passed a group of students laughing,” implies that the woman walked by the group of students.
Examples:
1. As I walked past the restaurant, I noticed that it was closed.
2. The dog walked past the pile of bones and went to bed.
3. She walked passed the jewelry store, trying to avoid the temptation of going inside.
4. I walked past the stationery shop, but I couldn’t resist going inside to buy a planner.
FAQs
1. Can “passed” ever be used as a preposition?
No. “Passed” is a past participle and is used only as a transitive verb. It indicates the action of passing something, i.e., moving or transferring something from one place, person, or state to another.
2. Is “past” always used as a preposition?
No. In some instances, “past” can be used as an adverb, a noun or an adjective. As an adverb, it means going beyond a particular point, as we mentioned earlier. As a noun, it can mean a time gone by or a person’s past, i.e., their history or past experiences. As an adjective, it can describe something that has already happened, i.e., past events.
3. Can you walk past someone or walk passed someone?
You can walk past someone, but you can’t walk passed someone. As we’ve discussed earlier, “walk past” means to walk beyond or to go beyond someone, and “walk passed” means walking by someone or walking next to someone.
4. Can I use “past” and “passed” interchangeably?
No, even though the two words sound the same, they have different meanings, as discussed in this article. It’s essential to use them correctly to avoid confusion and miscommunication.
Conclusion
“Passed” and “past” might appear to be similar in sound, but they convey different meanings. While “walk past” implies walking beyond or going beyond something, “walk passed” refers to walking by or next to something. Understanding the difference between the two will help you use the correct term in the right context and avoid confusion.