As an expert in the field of linguistics, I can provide a detailed explanation regarding the use of "walked past" versus "passed" in English sentences. The distinction between these two phrases lies in their grammatical roles and the context in which they are used.

Step 1: English Explanation

In English, "walked" is a verb that indicates the action of moving on foot. When used in a sentence, it requires an object or a complement to complete its meaning. "Past" can function as an adverb or a preposition, depending on the context. As an adverb, "past" describes the manner or the extent of the action, while as a preposition, it indicates a relationship in terms of time or place.

The phrase "walked past" is commonly used when describing the action of moving beyond a certain point or person while walking. Here, "past" is acting as an adverb, modifying the verb "walked" to specify the direction of the movement. It implies that the subject of the sentence has moved by or beyond something or someone.

On the other hand, "passed" is the past tense of the verb "pass." When used as a verb, "pass" indicates the action of going beyond or moving ahead of something or someone. In the context of motion, "passed" can stand alone as a complete action without needing an additional adverb like "past."

The rule of thumb for sentences involving motion verbs like "walk" or "run" is that if the sentence already contains a verb that indicates motion, it is more appropriate to use "past" as an adverb rather than "passed" as a verb. This is because "passed" would then be redundant, as it already conveys the sense of moving beyond something.

For example, consider the sentence: "He walked past the library." Here, "walked" is the main verb, and "past" is the adverb that describes the direction of the walking action. The sentence is correct because it clearly communicates that the subject walked by the library.

In contrast, if we were to use "passed" as a verb in this context, the sentence would be: "He passed the library." This sentence is also correct and conveys a similar meaning, indicating that the subject moved beyond the library.

To summarize, the choice between "walked past" and "passed" depends on the specific context and the grammatical structure of the sentence. When a verb of motion is already present, using "past" as an adverb is generally preferred to avoid redundancy.

Step 2: Divider

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The verb in this sentence is walked and past is acting as an adverb. A good rule to keep track of troublesome sentences like these is that if a verb indicating motion is already in your sentence, you will always couple it with past not passed. For example, He passed us by.read more >>