past

The time before now, including things that happened then.

• Life was different in the past.
• She rarely talks about her past.
• We learned from mistakes made in the recent past.

How to use it: in the past (People travelled more slowly in the past.)

Similar words: earlier times, bygone days

Opposites: future, present

Common phrases: in the past, distant past, recent past, remember the past

A verb form used to talk about things that happened before now.

• Use the past in this sentence.
• We practised the simple past today.
• What is the past of “bring”?

How to use it: the past of a verb (The past of “go” is “went”.)

Similar words: past tense

Common phrases: simple past, past of something, in the past

Referring to a period of time that has just gone by.

• The past week has been busy.
• We have moved twice in the past year.
• Have you seen her during the past few days?

Similar words: last, previous

Opposites: next, coming

Common phrases: past week, past year, past few days

Already finished or no longer happening.

• The danger is past now.
• Those difficult days are long past.
• When the worst was past, we began repairing the house.

Similar words: over, finished, ended

Opposites: ongoing

Common phrases: danger is past, trouble is past, long past

Moving by someone or something and continuing beyond them.

• A bus went past.
• He walked past without saying hello.
• Did you see the bird fly past?

Similar words: by

Common phrases: walk past, drive past, go past, rush past

By the side of someone or something, while moving further along.

• Walk past the shop.
• We drove past your house yesterday.
• A cat ran past me and disappeared.

How to use it: past someone/something (She walked past me without stopping.)

Similar words: by

Common phrases: past the door, walk past something, drive past someone

Further than a place, point, time, or amount.

• It is ten past six.
• Their house is just past the bridge.
• The spending has gone past our agreed limit.

How to use it: past a time/place/limit (We stayed up past midnight.)

Similar words: beyond

Common phrases: past midnight, half past ten, past the limit, past the bridge

No longer able or willing to do or feel something.

• I’m past caring now.
• By midnight, she was past feeling hungry.
• He was past hoping for an apology.

How to use it: be past doing something (I’m past worrying about what they think.)

Similar words: beyond

Common phrases: past caring, past worrying, past hope