passage
B1Formal, Neutral. It is common in both written and spoken English, especially in descriptive, academic, and administrative contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A route or channel through which something can move or be moved; a segment of text, music, or a journey; the process of passing from one state, place, or time to another.
1) A narrow way allowing access between buildings or connecting different rooms inside a building (corridor). 2) The process of time passing. 3) In politics/legislation: the process by which a bill becomes law. 4) In biology/medicine: the act of something moving through (e.g., passage of food).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word often carries connotations of movement, transition, or a contained segment. It can be physical, temporal, or abstract. Distinguish between countable (a passage, two passages) and uncountable (the passage of time) uses.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English uses 'passage' more frequently for indoor corridors in houses. American English prefers 'hall' or 'hallway' for domestic interiors, often reserving 'passage(way)' for larger, more institutional settings or nautical contexts.
Connotations
In BrE, 'passage' can sound slightly more old-fashioned or descriptive for a corridor. In AmE, it often implies a more formal or narrow route.
Frequency
More frequent overall in British English, particularly in its 'corridor' sense. In American English, other synonyms (excerpt, hallway, legislation passing) are often used.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
passage of + [noun] (time, bill, food)passage through + [noun] (mountains, life)passage from + [source] to + [destination]passage into + [state]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Rite of passage”
- “Bird of passage”
- “Work one's passage”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The passage of the new tax bill will affect our Q4 projections."
Academic
"The researcher analysed a key passage from the medieval manuscript."
Everyday
"There's a narrow passage between the garage and the fence."
Technical
"The engineer designed a cooling passage within the turbine blade."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Not a standard verb in modern English.
American English
- Not a standard verb in modern English.
adverb
British English
- Not a standard adverb.
American English
- Not a standard adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not a standard adjective.
American English
- Not a standard adjective.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Read this short passage from the story.
- The kitchen is at the end of the passage.
- We booked our passage to Australia by ship.
- With the passage of time, her memories faded.
- The bill is awaiting passage through the Senate.
- A narrow mountain passage connected the two valleys.
- His writing is characterised by dense, lyrical passages that require careful parsing.
- The rite of passage into adulthood varied significantly across cultures.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a PAGE from a book you PASS through to get to the next one. PASS + PAGE = PASSAGE.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY (e.g., "passage through life"), TIME IS MOTION ("passage of time"), TEXT IS A LANDSCAPE/TUNNEL ("navigating a difficult passage").
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid directly translating "passage" as "пассаж" for a corridor - this is an archaic false friend. Use "коридор" or "проход".
- "Passage of time" is "течение времени", not a direct cognate.
- In the sense of a text excerpt, it's closer to "отрывок" or "фрагмент", not "пассаж".
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a verb (to passage) - the verb is 'to pass'. 'Passage' is almost exclusively a noun.
- Confusing 'passage' with 'passenger'.
- Using 'passage' for a very wide or open area; it implies a degree of enclosure or defined route.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'passage' LEAST likely to be used in modern American English?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is neutral to formal. It is perfectly acceptable in everyday speech, but synonyms like 'hallway' or 'part' might be more casual in specific contexts.
They are similar but not identical. A 'passage' is a continuous segment of writing, which could be several paragraphs, one paragraph, or even a single sentence. A 'paragraph' is a specific unit of text.
'Passage' is a noun focusing on the route, process, or segment itself. 'Passing' is a gerund/noun focusing more on the active event of going by or dying (e.g., the passing of a train, his passing).
Yes, primarily in soccer/football and hockey to mean the act of passing the ball or puck to a teammate. E.g., 'He made a brilliant passage to the striker.'