passed a bill

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "passed a bill" is correct and can be used in written English.
For example: "The House of Representatives passed a bill to reform the health care system last week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

O.K.! Piracy Bill A Senate committee passed a bill that provides copyright protection to fashion designers.

The New York Times

The parliament passed a bill reinstating Dreyfus.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The Senate passed a bill.

The Guardian

The House has passed a bill.

The New York Times

"The House's position is: We passed a bill.

The New York Times

(Congress passed a bill to remove it in 2000).

The New York Times

It passed a bill, H.B. 658, to make things worse.

The New York Times

— The House unanimously passed a bill by Reps.

The Washington Post

■ The House passed a bill to revive net neutrality.

The New York Times - Tech

We passed a bill to defund Planned Parenthood.

The Washington Post

Lawmakers passed a bill this week to remove the flag.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use active voice with "passed a bill" to clearly attribute the action to a specific body. For example, "The Senate passed a bill..." is clearer than "The bill was passed...".

Common error

Avoid using singular verbs with plural subjects when using the phrase "passed a bill". For example, it's incorrect to say "The lawmakers passes a bill"; instead, use "The lawmakers passed a bill".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "passed a bill" functions as a declarative statement indicating that a legislative body has formally approved a proposed law. Ludwig AI confirms that this is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "passed a bill" is a grammatically correct and common way to describe a legislative body approving a proposed law. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, and its frequent use in news, academic texts, and encyclopedias indicates its broad applicability. When using this phrase, ensure subject-verb agreement and consider specifying which legislative body performed the action for clarity. While alternatives like "approved a bill" and "enacted a bill" exist, they carry slightly different nuances. The register of "passed a bill" is generally neutral, making it suitable for various professional and informative contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approved a bill

Replaces "passed" with a synonym emphasizing agreement or endorsement.

enacted a bill

Uses a more formal term for putting a bill into law.

adopted a bill

Similar to "approved", but can also imply incorporating the bill into a larger framework.

legislated a bill

Emphasizes the law-making process more directly.

the bill was passed

Changes the sentence from active to passive voice, altering the emphasis.

the legislation was approved

Uses "legislation" instead of "bill" and "approved" instead of "passed".

the house approved the measure

Substitutes "bill" with "measure" and specifies "house" as the approver.

the senate ratified the act

Uses "senate" and "ratified" to specify a different legislative body and action.

the assembly endorsed the proposal

Uses "assembly" and "endorsed" to describe a similar legislative process.

the law was enacted

Focuses on the resulting law, rather than the act of passing it.

FAQs

How is "passed a bill" used in a sentence?

The phrase "passed a bill" is used to indicate that a legislative body has approved a proposed law. For example, "The House of Representatives "passed a bill" regarding environmental regulations".

What are some alternatives to "passed a bill"?

You can use alternatives such as "approved a bill", "enacted a bill", or "adopted a bill" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "the bill was passed"?

Yes, "the bill was passed" is grammatically correct, but it's in the passive voice. Using the active voice, like "The Senate "passed a bill"", is often clearer and more direct.

What's the difference between "passed a bill" and "approved a bill"?

While similar, ""passed a bill"" generally refers to the formal act of a legislative body voting in favor of a bill, while "approved a bill" can imply a broader endorsement or agreement, not necessarily a formal legislative vote.