Past vs Passed
What's the difference?
They sound identical and both relate to time or movement — but one is a verb and the other never is. That's the key.
Quick answer
Passed is the past tense of the verb "pass" (she passed the test). Past is everything else — a noun, adjective, or preposition (in the past, walked past). If it's an action, use passed.
Compared side by side
(verb) the past tense of "pass" — moved by, went past, or succeeded.
- “She passed the exam.”
- “A car passed us on the left.”
- “Time passed quickly.”
(noun / adjective / preposition) a time before now; beyond a point.
- “In the past, we walked to school.”
- “It's half past three.”
- “We drove past the house.”
How to remember it
passed always comes from the verb "to pass" (an action). If you can't rephrase it as "pass/passes," you need past.
Frequently asked
What's the quick test?
Is it an action you could say as "pass"? "She passed by" → "she passes by" ✓, so passed. "Walked past the shop" — past is a preposition here, not an action, so it takes past.
Why is "the time passed" correct but "half passed three" wrong?
"Passed" is the verb (time did something — it passed). "Half past three" uses past as a preposition (beyond three), so no verb, no double-s.