24 被动语态：改变句子视角，不只是把“被”翻出来
被动语态把原来受动作影响的成分放到主语位置，使句子从它出发组织信息。执行者可以保留，也可以省略。选择主动或被动，不只看谁更重要，还要看前文在谈什么、执行者是否已知，以及本句要把什么接成话题。
本章学习目标
学完本章，你应该能够：
- 理解主动与被动在参与者角色和信息组织上的差别。
- 用
be + 过去分词构成不同时态、体和情态的被动。 - 判断哪些结构能自然被动化，并处理双宾语、宾补和短语动词。
- 区分动作被动、结果状态和形容词性过去分词。
- 在阅读中找到真正执行者，在写作中有理由地选择或避免被动。
学前诊断：be + 过去分词 一定在讲动作吗
比较：The window was broken during the storm 与 When we arrived, the window was already broken. 两句都同样突出“打破”这一动作吗？
答案与提示
不一定。第一句容易理解为风暴中发生的被动事件；第二句更突出到达时窗户处于破损状态。be + 过去分词 可能靠近动作被动，也可能靠近结果状态，需结合时间状语、执行者和上下文焦点判断。
1. 核心直觉：同一事件可以从不同参与者出发
主动：
The editor revised the introduction.
- 主语
the editor：动作执行者。 - 宾语
the introduction：受动作影响的对象。
被动：
The introduction was revised by the editor.
the introduction变为主语。the editor可放在by短语中。
两句描述同一基本事件，但信息起点不同。
如果前文一直在谈 the introduction，被动能自然维持话题：
The introduction was too long. It was revised before publication.
被动首先是视角和篇章衔接的选择，不等于“凡是重要的对象都必须被强调”。
2. 基本结构：be + 过去分词
The form was submitted yesterday.
was：限定助动词，承担过去时和主谓一致。submitted：过去分词，建立被动关系。
转换时保留原事件的时间和意义：
The student submitted the form yesterday.
→ The form was submitted yesterday.
不能把过去事件误改成现在：is submitted。
3. 被动时态不是背新表，而是在动词链中放入 be
| 主动意义 | 被动形式 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| 一般现在 | am/is/are + done | The data is checked daily. |
| 一般过去 | was/were + done | The data was checked yesterday. |
| 现在进行 | am/is/are being + done | The data is being checked. |
| 过去进行 | was/were being + done | The data was being checked. |
| 现在完成 | has/have been + done | The data has been checked. |
| 过去完成 | had been + done | The data had been checked. |
| 一般将来 | will be + done | The data will be checked. |
| 情态 | modal + be + done | The data must be checked. |
| 情态完成 | modal + have been + done | The data may have been checked. |
理论上还可形成更长的动词链，但像完成进行被动通常十分笨重，真实写作会优先改写。
4. 否定和疑问：操作第一个助动词
- 否定：
The form was not submitted. - 一般疑问：
Was the form submitted? - 完成时疑问：
Has the form been submitted? - 情态否定：
The form must not be changed.
如果第一个助动词已经存在，就不用再加 do/does/did。
错误：Did the form be submitted?
正确：Was the form submitted?
5. 哪些结构可以被动化
5.1 基本条件：主动结构有可提升的宾语
The assistant printed the documents.
→ The documents were printed.
不及物用法没有宾语：
The guests arrived.
不能说 The guests were arrived 来表达同一事件。
5.2 同一个动词可有及物和不及物用法
- 不及物：
The meeting ended at five. - 及物：
The chair ended the meeting at five. - 被动：
The meeting was ended at five by the chair.
真正决定能否被动化的是本句中的动词结构，不是只看词典里这个动词是否偶尔及物。
5.3 有宾语也不保证自然
have, resemble, fit, lack 等某些表示拥有、关系或状态的动词虽然可带宾语，却通常不形成普通事件被动：
Maya has a laptop.- 不自然：
A laptop is had by Maya.
因此，不能只用“有宾语”这一条机械转换；还要确认动词意义和真实用法允许被动。
6. by 说明执行者，with 常说明工具
The window was opened by the caretaker with a key.
by the caretaker：谁执行动作。with a key：使用什么工具。
执行者在以下情况常省略：
- 不知道：
My bicycle was stolen. - 不重要：
The road was repaired last month. - 很明显：
The suspect was arrested. - 作者要保持前文话题：
The proposal was reviewed and approved.
若执行者正是新信息或对比焦点，则保留：
The final design was created by a student, not by the agency.
7. 双宾语结构：两个不同视角
主动：
The school sent the students a reminder.
7.1 接收者变主语
The students were sent a reminder.
7.2 事物变主语
A reminder was sent to the students.
事物变主语时，to/for 等介词通常要保留。并非所有双宾动词都允许两种被动，也不是所有形式同样自然；应结合动词搭配和语境。
8. 宾语补语结构：补语继续说明新主语
主动：
The committee elected Maya chair.
被动：
Maya was elected chair.
chair 原先补充说明宾语 Maya，被动后继续说明新的主语。
再看：
The feedback made the instructions clearer.
→ The instructions were made clearer by the feedback.
被动不应误删原来的宾语补语。
9. 裸不定式结构：被动后常出现 to
主动：
The coach made the players practise again.
make + 宾语 + 动词原形 中，主动结构本来就没有 to。
被动：
The players were made to practise again.
感官动词也可出现：
Someone saw Maya enter the room.Maya was seen to enter the room.
若主动强调动作进行：
Someone saw Maya entering the room.Maya was seen entering the room.
let 通常不按同一规则写 was let to do。常改为：
They were allowed to leave.
10. 短语动词和介词动词：不要丢掉小词
They looked after the children.The children were looked after.
The team dealt with the problem.The problem was dealt with.
Everyone referred to the new policy.The new policy was referred to.
after/with/to 属于整个动词组合，变被动时不能删除。
有些英语结构允许介词补足语变为被动主语，称为介词被动：
This bed has been slept in.
是否自然受动词、语境和固定搭配限制，不能认为所有介词短语都能这样转换。
11. 动作被动还是状态形容词
The door was closed. 可能有两种理解：
- 某人关上了门：过去动作被动。
- 门处于关闭状态：
closed接近形容词。
可用语境测试：
- 加执行者：
The door was closed by the guard.更像动作。 - 改进行被动：
The door was being closed.明确动作正在发生。 - 与状态副词或系动词搭配：
The door remained closed.明确状态。
并不是每个 be + 过去分词 都能仅凭外形判定为事件被动。
12. get 被动：更口语，也常突出受影响
The window got broken during the move.She got promoted last month.
get + 过去分词 常见于口语，可能突出变化、意外或主语受到影响。它不能在所有正式或静态被动中替代 be：
正式流程说明更自然：The applications are reviewed weekly.
而不是一律写 get reviewed。
13. 报道结构中的被动
People believe that the method is reliable.
可改为：
It is believed that the method is reliable.The method is believed to be reliable.
常见动词：believe, report, expect, consider, know, say。
这类被动能弱化消息来源，但也可能掩盖证据责任。学术和新闻写作中，若来源重要，应明确写出谁报告、依据是什么。
14. 为什么选择被动
14.1 执行者未知或无需说明
Several files were deleted overnight.
14.2 过程或结果比执行者更相关
The samples were stored at 4°C.
14.3 保持篇章主题连续
The proposal was submitted on Monday. It was reviewed the next day and approved on Friday.
14.4 避免不必要的泛指执行者
English is spoken in many countries.
14.5 风险：隐藏责任
Mistakes were made.
如果读者需要知道谁作出决定，这种无执行者被动会显得回避责任。应改为：
The project team made several calculation errors.
15. 阅读够用：主语不等于执行者
例句：
The original schedule was changed after several safety concerns had been raised by staff.
分层：
- 主句主语：
the original schedule，是“被改变”的对象。 - 主句被动：
was changed，执行者未说明。 after从句被动：concerns had been raised。- 第二个动作执行者：
staff，由by引出。
阅读被动时问：
- 句法主语受到什么动作？
- 执行者是否出现？
- 若省略，能否从上下文推断？
be + 过去分词是事件还是状态？
16. 写作够用：主动与被动的选择流程
- 我想从谁或什么开始这句话？
- 执行者已知、重要且应负责吗？
- 受影响对象是否正是前文话题？
- 省略执行者会不会让信息不完整或回避责任？
- 被动动词链的时态、数和过去分词是否正确？
- 句子是否因连续多个被动变得沉重？
较重：
The form was checked, and a decision was made, and an email was sent.
更清楚：
The admissions team checked the form, made a decision and sent an email.
若表格一直围绕 the form 展开，也可以保留有目的的被动。语篇目标决定选择。
17. 自检题
题目
- 改为被动：The assistant updated the file yesterday.
- 判断能否自然被动化：The guests arrived at noon.
- 填空：The results ___ currently ___ (review).
- 填空：The form may ___ ___ (submit) online.
- 改为两种被动：The school gave every student a handbook.
- 改为被动：The committee elected Lina president.
- 改为被动：The coach made us repeat the exercise.
- 改错：The children were looked after by their neighbour.（若无错误说明原因）
- 区分：The window was broken. / The window was being broken.
- 选择
by/with：The package was opened ___ a knife ___ the inspector. - 判断语篇问题：Mistakes were made in the final calculation.
- 翻译：这份报告据信已经在周一提交。
答案与解析
The file was updated by the assistant yesterday.若执行者不重要可省略by ...。- 不能按同一意义转换。
arrive在此不及物，没有可提升宾语。 are currently being reviewed。现在进行被动。be submitted。情态动词后用be + 过去分词。Every student was given a handbook./A handbook was given to every student.Lina was elected president.宾补president保留。We were made to repeat the exercise.被动后出现to。- 无错误。
look after是完整动词组合，被动时after必须保留。 - 第一处可能表示过去动作或关闭/损坏状态，依语境；第二处明确表示动作正在发生。
with a knife by the inspector。工具用with，执行者用by。- 语法正确，但若责任重要，省略执行者会显得回避；应明确谁犯了错误。
The report is believed to have been submitted on Monday.也可写It is believed that the report was submitted on Monday.
18. 复习清单
把“看懂”变成“能独立判断”
确认你已经完成自检题，并能说出本章的判断步骤。