Writing Tip 19: (a.k.a. “Passed Perfect – or Not”)
Confusing “past” and “passed” is a funny thing. Perhaps people type too quickly. Perhaps, there’s a bigger confusion to address.
Yes, “past” and “passed” are homonyms, two words that sound the same, but that doesn’t mean they are synonyms, two words that mean the same thing. Remember:
- “Past” usually refers to time, and
- “Passed” is the past tense (tricky, eh?) of “pass.”
World, I’m tired of shaking my heads at you on this one. Edit yourself carefully!