Active or Passive
He was still smiling when the door opened and his wife came in.
why doesn't it fill in 'was opened' so that become 'He was still smiling when the door was opened and his wife came in.'
To my surprised, the door can be opened by itself....
Thanks all!
Search from various English teachers...
Answers · 2
2
Sometimes, we can say this. The door opened, the shops closed, the book sold a million copies... these are just some situations where the inanimate object seems to perform an action.
Saying "the door was opened" is technically correct as well, but it makes us wonder who opened it - it even seems as if there was a third person who opened the door. It's simpler and clearer to accept that the object performs the action.
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn a language from the comfort of your own home. Browse our selection of experienced language tutors and enroll in your first lesson now!
Start Learning Today
