Pass, pass by, pass through, and passerby?

Question

Hi, can you help? I passed the grocery store. I passed by the grocery store. What do these two sentences differ? ................Can I say, "I passed the grocery store by bus, by car, or on foot“?.................... A lot of passers-by / (passersby or passers?) paused and watched the monkey feeding itself the spaghettis someone had given it. ....................I passed / passed through the crowd. ...............They passed /passed through the forest. .................The fairy passed/passed through the locked door. .Thanks very much

KrisBlueNZ · Accepted Answer

The difference between "I PASSED the grocery store" and "I PASSED BY the grocery store" is subtle: "passed by" MAY imply a conscious choice. For example, "He collapsed on the street, and everyone just PASSED him BY". In other words, they were aware of him, but deliberately chose to PASS BY. This deliberate act is not necessarily implied by that phrase, though.
I would not say "I passed the grocery store BY BUS", etc. I would say "My bus passed (or DROVE PAST) the grocery store", "I DROVE PAST the grocery store" or "I WALKED PAST the grocery store".
PASSERS-BY is correct and your example is OK. Passers-by are simply people who were already traveling past that place; they were not there BECAUSE of whatever was happening there. They may or may not be aware of whatever is happening, and they may or may not get involved, but they were there by chance.
"I passed the crowd" is OK. "I PASSED THROUGH the crowd" sounds a little odd but is probably OK.
"They PASSED (or PASSED THROUGH) the forest" is also a bit odd, because a forest is normally quite big, and PASSING usually happens fairly quickly, or at least uneventfully.
"PASSED THROUGH the locked door" is good.

Stephenlearner · Answer

Thanks very much. Your explanations are very clear.

Pass, pass by, pass through, and passerby?

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