Passer avec être ou avoir

Question

Why is « ils sont passées »correct when one says « They passed the morning bringing eggs.. » Isn’t « to pass the morning » or «  to pass the weekend » a transitive use of the verb, therefore « avoir »?

Accepted Answer

Hi Elizabeth, 
'Ils sont passés' is incorrect when the verb passer is used for, to spend time which will always take avoir.
 e.g.
Nous avons passé le weekend à faire le ménage = We spent the weekend cleaning
J'ai passé un bon moment avec eux = I had a good time with them
But you would say -
Ils sont passés avant que tu (n')arrives  = They came by before you arrived
Je suis passé/e devant la pharmacie = I went past the chemist's
Hope this helps!

Answer

I agree with you that if the object is following the verb without a preposition then yes this is a transitive (direct object) construction and calls for avoir. If a preposition followed the verb then the object of the preposition would be indirect and would require être.