Passed is a verb: something moved by or succeeded. Past is time already gone, or a preposition meaning beyond. She passed the exam. In the past. Walked past the door. Diction as a set is in word choice.
Can you put it in the past tense slot
If the word is doing the action, it is passed. If it names earlier time or a location beyond something, it is past. He past the test is never right.
Imply versus infer is another pair that looks similar and is not, in imply versus infer. Then versus than is in then versus than. Grammar overall is in ACT grammar rules.
The bottom line
Verb: passed. Time or beyond: past.
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