The main rule is that 'passed' is a form of the verb 'to pass'. 'past' is not.
So: Most days I pass the newsagent - actually, I passed it yesterday. She asked him to pass the peas - he passed them promptly. Did you pass your exam? Yes, I passed it.
'Past' can refer to 'the past', things which have happened ('In the past, people thought the earth was flat').
It can also refer to something which you have passed, in the sense of moving alongside and then ahead of something.
I went for a walk; I walked down the road, hurried past the rubbish dump, and passed the pub on the corner.
The difference is the verb, but at this time of night and not having properly stufdied English to get the right terminology, I can't explain the difference. Basically, if you use the verb 'I pass something', instead of I hurry, I walk, whatever, then you use 'I passed'. IF you use another verb, like I run, I jog, I hurry, and you want to express going past something, you use 'past'.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2004-11-28 04:48 pm (UTC)So:
Most days I pass the newsagent - actually, I passed it yesterday.
She asked him to pass the peas - he passed them promptly.
Did you pass your exam? Yes, I passed it.
'Past' can refer to 'the past', things which have happened ('In the past, people thought the earth was flat').
It can also refer to something which you have passed, in the sense of moving alongside and then ahead of something.
I went for a walk; I walked down the road, hurried past the rubbish dump, and passed the pub on the corner.
The difference is the verb, but at this time of night and not having properly stufdied English to get the right terminology, I can't explain the difference. Basically, if you use the verb 'I pass something', instead of I hurry, I walk, whatever, then you use 'I passed'. IF you use another verb, like I run, I jog, I hurry, and you want to express going past something, you use 'past'.
Enough! Sorry :)