past
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.the time that happened before now.
n.the period of time that has already occurred, as opposed to the present and the future.
Simple“In the past, people used to travel everywhere by horse and carriage.”
In context“Historians often debate how much our understanding of the past is shaped by the biases of the present.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
n.the form of a verb used to talk about things that already happened.
n.the grammatical tense used to express an action that has already happened or a state that previously existed.
Simple“The teacher explained how to change the verb from the present to the past.”
In context“In English, the simple past is typically formed by adding the suffix '-ed' to the base form of regular verbs.”
UsageUsually used with 'the' as in 'the past'.
Synonymspast tense - 03 A1 Beginner
prep.you use this to say how many minutes have gone after the hour.
prep.used in time-telling to indicate the number of minutes elapsed after a specific hour.
Simple“We agreed to meet at the café at half past four.”
In context“The train was scheduled to depart at twenty past ten, but a signaling fault delayed it by nearly an hour.”
Teacher's tipIn American English, 'after' is often used instead of 'past' for telling time.
Synonyms - 04 A2 Elementary
prep.moving further than a specific building or location.
prep.to a point further than or beyond a specific physical location.
Simple“Walk past the library and you will see the park on your left.”
In context“The hikers continued past the timberline, where the vegetation became sparse and the wind grew significantly colder.”
- 05 A2 Elementary
adj.happening or existing before now.
adj.having occurred or existed in a period of time immediately preceding the present.
Simple“Over the past few days, the weather has been very rainy.”
In context“The company's performance over the past decade has been marked by rapid expansion and significant technological innovation.”
- 06 A2 Elementary
adv.moving so that you go in front of and then behind something.
adv.in a direction that passes a specific point or person.
Simple“A large truck drove past while we were standing on the sidewalk.”
In context“Several cyclists sped past the spectators, their brightly colored jerseys blurring into a single streak of motion.”
Synonyms - 07 B1 Intermediate
prep.further than a particular age, amount, or limit.
prep.beyond a particular age, stage, or limit in quantity or capability.
Simple“It is already past my bedtime, but I want to finish this chapter.”
In context“The athlete realized he was past his prime when he could no longer keep up with the younger sprinters.”
Synonyms
Usage past years · past year · past two