Grammar: The Passive (I)

To be + past participle

• The door is always locked
• The letter was posted yesterday

We use an active verb to say what the subject does:

• The secretary typed the report
• We wash the dishes every day
• Darren played the game

We use a passive verb to say what happens to the subject. Who or what causes the action is often unknown:

• The report was typed (By who? We don't know - it is unimportant)
• The dishes are washed every day

However, if we want to say who does or what causes the action, we use "by".

• The report was typed by the secretary
• The game was played by Darren