語態(Voice)，作為一個語法范疇，是表示主語和動詞之間的主動或被動關系的動詞行式。英語動詞有兩種語態：主動語態(Active Voice)和被動語態(Passive Voice)。當主語為動作執行者即施動者時，動詞用主動態；如果主語是動作的承受者即受動者時，動詞便用被動態。例如：
(1) John helped Peter.
(2) Peter was helped by John.
句(1) helped是主動態；句(2)was helped是被動態,可見主動態是無標記的，而被動態是有標記的。
構成
被動語態由助動詞be的時態之一和及物動詞的過去分詞構成。被動語態可用于各種時態，其時態變化通過助動詞be的不同形式來體現。如：一般現在時的被動態構成形式為助動詞am/is/are + 過去分詞；而一般過去時的被動態構成形式為was/were + 過去分詞。本冊要掌握的被動語態形式有：
一般現在時：am/is/are + 過去分詞
e.g. Football is played all over the world.
I’m often asked to do this work.
我常常被派做這項工作。
一般過去時：was/were +過去分詞
e.g. The terracotta warriors were found in 1974 near Xi’an.
They were discovered by workers in a field outside the city.
When was the building completed?
這座大樓什么時候建成的？
一般將來時：will (shall) + be +過去分詞
be going to + be + 過去分詞
e.g. The result of the exam will be known soon.
They are going to be given a difficult test.
一般過去將來時：should(would) be+過去分詞
e.g. The teacher said the results would be published soon.
He told me that the film would be shown the next week.
現在進行時：am/is/are + being +過去分詞
e.g. The new airport is being built by a foreign company.
一家外國公司正在承建這座新機場。
The song is being sung by the girls now.
過去進行時：was/were being+過去分詞
e.g. The song was being sung by the girls when I got there.
The student was being criticized when I went into the
teacher’s office.
將來完成時：will have been+過去分詞
e.g. By the end of next term 2000 English words will
have been learned.
The building will have been built by next year.
現在完成時：has/have + bee n +過去分詞
e.g. All the tickets have been sold .
The book has been translated into many languages.
這本書已被譯成多種語言。
過去完成時：had been+過去分詞
e.g. Forty schools had been visited by last year.
All the tickets had been sold out when I got to the cinema.
過去將來完成時：would have been+過去分詞
e.g. He said many words would have been learned by 2001.
They promised that ten books would have been published
by the next month.
情態動詞：情態動詞 + be + 過去分詞
e.g. This road must be mended.
The machine parts may be needed in our work.
工作中可能需要這些機器零部件。
動詞不定式：to be + 過去分詞
e.g. I’m glad to be asked questions.
It is impossible for lost time to be made up.
失去的時間不可彌補。
主要用法
被動態常用于下列幾種場合：
1．當不知道或不必提出動作的執行者時（這時都不帶由by引起的短語）；
Printing was introduced into Europe from China.
印刷術是從中國引入歐洲的。
The airplane was made in U.S.
Such books are written for children. 這種書是為兒童寫的。
2. 動作的承受者是談話的中心（這時可帶有由by引起的短語）；
The song was composed by a student.
這首歌曲是一個學生譜寫的。
Thousands of rivers are polluted in the country.
3. 出于禮貌措詞等原因而不愿說出動作執行者是誰。
You are requested to get here in time.
請您準時來這兒。
帶行為主體的被動態
行為主體就是動作的執行者，即執行動詞所表達的動作的人或物。在被動句中，往往不提及行為主體；但當強調動作的執行者時，可用介詞by引出行為( by +主體行為主體),置于被動態句的末尾，說明是什么人或物應對有關事件負責。
e.g. The village was destroyed by a bomb.
這個村莊毀于炸彈。
The painting is very valuable. It was painted by Van Gogh.
這幅畫很值錢，它是梵高畫的。
其它用法補充
1.“It + 被動語態+ that 從句”。表示謹慎或不太肯定的語氣。常用于該結構的動詞有：say, think, believe, agree, expect, consider, feel, know, decide, report, suggest, prove 等。
e.g. It is said that prices will rise again this month.
據說本月物價還將上漲。
It is thought that about a million dogs are born each year.
據認為每年約有一百條狗出生。
It is reported that all the passengers died in the crash.
據報導所有乘客在那次飛機墜毀中遇難。
It is agreed that we will have two weeks holiday this year.
2. 用于通告標題廣告等的被動態往往省去助動詞be。
e.g. No Chinese spoken here.
Shoes repaired.
Famous Painting Stolen. 名畫被盜。
語法經典練習：
1._____ a new library _____ in our school last year?
A.Is; built B.Was; bulit C.Does; build D.Did; build
2.An accident ____ on this road last week.
A.has been happened B.was happened C.is happened D.happened
3.Cotton ____ in the southeast of China.
A.is grown B.are grown C.grows D.grow
4.So far,the moon ____ by man already.
A.is visited B.will be visited C.has been visited D.was visited
5.A talk on Chinese history _____ in th school hall next week.
A.is given B.has been given C.will be given D.gives
6.A lot of things ____ by people to save the little girl now.
A.are doing B.are being done C.has been done D.will be done
7.The doctor _____ for yet.
A.isn't sent B.hasn't been sent C.won't be sent D.wasn't sent
8.--When ___ this kind of computers______? --Last year.
A.did; use B.was; used C.is; used D.are; used
9.Who _____ this book _____?
A.did; written B.was; written by C.did; written D.was;written
10.Mary ____ show me her new dictionary.
A.has asked to B.was asked to C.is asked D.asks to
11.A story _____ by Granny yesterday.
A.was told us B.was told to us C.is told us D.told us
12.The monkey was seen _____ off the tree.
A.jump B.jumps C.jumped D.to jump
13.Older people ____ well.
A.looks after B.must be looked after C.must look after D.looked after
14.Our teacher ______ carefully.
A.should be listened to B.should be listen C.be listened D.is listened
15. In some part of the world, tea _______ with milk and sugar.
A. is serving B. is served C. serves D. served
16. It was reported that the murderer _______ arrested.
A. has been B. had been C. has D. had
17. Do you think that the bridge ______ in a year?
A. would be completed B. will be completed C. had been completed D. is being completed
18. Great changes _______ in China since the People’s Republic of China _______ in 1949.
A. have taken place; was founded B. has taken place; was founded
C. have been taken place; founded D. took place; founded
19.-Why does Ling Ling look so unhappy? -She has _______ by her classmates.
A. laughed B. laughed at C. been laughed D. been laughed at
20. Doctors _______ in every part of the world.
A. need B. are needing C. are needed D. will need
21. I promise that matter will _______.
A. be taken care B. be taken care of C. take care D. take care of
22. No permission has ________ for anybody to enter the building.
A. been given B. given C. to give D. be given
23. I _______ ten minutes to decide whether I should reject the offer.
A. gave B. was given C. was giving D. had given
24. Can such a thing _____ happening again?
A. prevent from B. prevented from C. be prevented from D. to prevent from
25. A new house ________ at the corner of the road.
A. is building B. is being built C. been built D. be building
26. This bike ________ last year.
A. bought B. has been bought C. was bought D. had been bought
27. Did you see the house that _______ by fire last year?
A. was destroying B. destroyed C. would destroy D. was destroyed
28. It _______ whether she will get her work in the hospital.
A. hasn’t been decided B. isn’t deciding C. doesn’t decide D. hasn’t decided
29. The pen _______ me. It is hers.
A. isn’t belong to B. wasn’t belong to C. doesn’t belong to D. didn’t belong to
30. I can’t use my bike because it _______.
A. is repairing B. is being repaired C. will repair D. was repairing
31. The chairman told the speaker that she ______ to speak a little louder so as to make herself _____.
A. was expected; heard B. had expected; hear . had hoped; hear D. was hoped; heard
32．- The window is dirty.
- I know. It _____ for weeks. （2004全國03）
A. hasn’t cleaned B. didn’t clean C. wasn’t cleaned D. hasn’t been cleaned
33. By the end of last year, another new gymnasium _______ in Beijing. (2003上海春季, 27)
A.would be completed B.was being completed C.has been completed D.had been completed
34.-How long _______ at this job?
-Since 1990. (NMET 2003北京春季, 27)
A.were you employed B. have you been employed
C.had you been employed D.will you be employed
35.-What happened to the priceless works of art?
-_______. (NMET 2003北京春季, 34)
A.They were destroyed in the earthquake B.The earthquake was destroying them
C.They destroyed in the earthquake D.The earthquake destroyed them
36. This is Ted’s photo.We miss him a lot.He _______ trying to save a child in the earthquake.
A.killed B.is killed C. was killed D.was killing (NMET 2002 北京春季, 27)
37. Rainforests and burned at such a speed that they will disappear from the earth in the near future. (2002 上海春季, 30)
A.cut B.are cut C.are being cut D.had been cut
38. Selecting a mobile phone for personal use is no easy task because technology _______ so rapidly.
A.is changing B.has changed .will have changed D.will change (NMET 2001, 24)
39. Hundreds of jobs _______ if the factory closes. (NMET 2001北京春季, 12)
A.lose B.will be lost C.are lost D.will lose
40. A new cinema _______ here.They hope to finish it next month.
A.will be built B.is builtC.has been built D.is being built (NMET 2001北京春季, 17)
Keys:
1-5 BDACC 6-10 BBBBB 11-15 BDBAB 16-20 BBADC
21-25BABCB 26-30CDACB 31-35ADDBA 36-40CCABD