Walking Passed or Walking Past: What’s the Difference?
As a native English speaker, you might think that walking passed and walking past are interchangeable phrases. However, both phrases have different meanings, and using the wrong phrase could lead to confusion. In this article, we will explore the difference between walking passed and walking past, along with examples of how to use them correctly.
What is Walking Passed?
Walking passed is when you physically move beyond someone or something. It is an action that describes how a person moves around or past a particular object or person. For example, “He walked passed the park on his way to work.” In this sentence, the man moved beyond the park, indicating his physical presence going in the direction of his work.
Another example could be, “The bus went passed the coffee shop.” Here, the bus went beyond or physically past the coffee shop.
Keywords: Walking past, Walking through
What is Walking Past?
Walking past, on the other hand, refers to the time frame or duration in which an object or person is passed. It is more of a time-based adverbial phrase, which provides insight into the passage of time. For instance, “She walked past the building ten times today, trying to catch a glimpse of the celebrity.” In this example, the woman passed by the building ten times throughout the day, indicating the number of times the lady passed that particular building.
Another example of walking past could be, “I saw him walking down the street, but I walked past him without saying hi.” In this instance, the narrator passed the other person without speaking to him.
Keywords: Duration, Walking passed, Passing by.
What are the differences between Walking Passed and Walking Past?
To differentiate between walking passed and walking past, consider the following:
1. Walking passed refers to an action that describes how someone is physically moving beyond an object or person. At the same time, walking past refers to the time frame or duration through which an object or person is moving.
2. Walking past is time-based and can easily replace words like around, through, and by while walking passed cannot substitute in the same manner.
3. If you’re unsure of which phrase to use, remember that walking passed refers to a physical movement while walking past deals more with the number of times and duration something or someone is passed.
How to Use Walking Passed and Walking Past Correctly?
In some instances, walking passed and walking past can be employed together in a sentence. Here’s an example sentence that makes use of both phrases:
“John walked past the park, and he waved at his friends who were walking passed the park.”
In the sentence above, John walked past the park, referring to his direction of movement. He then waved at his friends passing the park, indicating their physical presence in proximity to the park.
Another example could be: “She walked past the shop multiple times, while he walked passed it just once.”
In conclusion, remember to use walking past when referring to duration or frequency and walking passed to describe physical movements beyond something or someone. While the difference may seem subtle, knowing the proper way to utilize these phrases can improve your writing and communication skills. So, the next time you’re walking around, make sure you know whether you’re walking past or walking passed.