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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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passes

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "passes" is correct and usable in written English.
It is a verb which means to move past, to go past, or to move on. Example sentence: The runner passes the finish line with ease.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Most immigrants contribute to society, most want to become good British citizens and most strike me as more like us with every rainy day that passes.

News & Media

The Guardian

He also acknowledges that the SDLP has suffered from being stereotyped as the Stormont psychiatrist, trying to encourage unionists and republicans alike to analyse their problems as each new nervous breakdown hits the peace process, but sometimes missing out on a share of the glory when the crisis passes.

News & Media

The Guardian

Perhaps, like me, you look at the party conferences and despair at the minute positioning that passes as politics.

Friends and colleagues would assume I was sulking – fretful about the budget, the traffic or the possibility that David Beckham would end up trotting around a football pitch for one last medley of complaints to the referee, misplaced passes and light tapping of the ankles of agile opponents as they raced by our national icon.

News & Media

The Guardian

However, he saw limited playing time and threw two interceptions and no touchdowns, completing just 51.4% of his passes.

A butterfly passes in the quavering grace of its flight.

News & Media

The Guardian

Peter Wilby's remark about Indians only being allowed to play cricket in India after a "prolonged struggle" (Sticky wickets, Review, 2 August) is an example of the freedom-struggle revisionism that now often passes for history on the Indian subcontinent.

Talk of such negative experiences passes quickly through tight-knit ethnic communities in the UK and abroad.

News & Media

The Guardian

There was a time when I posed in bikinis, a time when I posed in exotic lingerie - and then the time passes.

News & Media

The Guardian

4. Can't people just read the Cabinet Manual (PDF), which is pretty clear on the rules? 5. Ed, speaking in 2010 makes it clear too, doesn't he? 6. Can we not all just agree, then, that a government is formed when a majority in the Commons passes a vote of confidence? 7. The SNP probably wouldn't dare to vote down a Labour Queen's Speech and therefore isn't Ed Miliband right to call their bluff?

At the moment, Staples says, it's less about passes and more about scoring chances.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "passes" to indicate the passage of time, ensure the subject and verb agree in number (e.g., "time passes" not "time pass").

Common error

Avoid using "pass" instead of "passes" when the subject is singular and in the third person. For example, it's "time passes quickly", not "time pass quickly".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

93%

Authority and reliability

4.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "passes" is as a verb, typically in the third-person singular present tense. It describes an action performed by a subject, such as moving past something or the progression of time. As seen in Ludwig's examples, it fits seamlessly into various sentence structures.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Sport

10%

Opinion

5%

Less common in

Travel

1%

Money

1%

Lifestyle

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "passes" functions primarily as a verb to indicate movement, approval, or the passage of time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and versatile. It appears most frequently in News & Media, Sport, and Opinion contexts. While maintaining a neutral register, careful attention to subject-verb agreement is crucial, ensuring clarity and correctness in your writing. Consider alternatives like ""goes by"" or ""elapses"" depending on the intended meaning.

FAQs

How can I use "passes" in a sentence?

"Passes" can be used to describe movement, approval, or the progression of time. For example, "The runner "passes" the finish line", "The bill "passes" in the Senate", or "As time "passes", memories fade".

What's a synonym for "passes" when referring to the passage of time?

When "passes" refers to the passage of time, synonyms include "goes by", "elapses", or "transpires".

Is it correct to say "the time pass" instead of "the time passes"?

No, it is not correct. The correct form is "the time "passes"". The verb must agree with the singular subject "time".

What can I say instead of "the bill passes"?

Alternatives to "the bill "passes"" include "the bill "gets approved"", "the bill "is ratified"", or "the bill "is sanctioned"", depending on the context.

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Source & Trust

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Authority and reliability

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Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: