英语语法精讲：主动语态之形，被动语态之意
在《语态：主动与被动的关系》一文里，提到有些动词有主动语态之形，但却有被动语态之意。这些动词包括及物的(transitive verbs)、不及物的( intransitive verbs)、动名词(gerunds)和不定式动词(
infinitives)。这些动词很特别，但数目不多。例如：
Ⅰ及物动词 ① That house is building (= being built).
② The trumpets are sounding ( = being sounded).
③ The film is showing now (= being shown now).
④ The guns are firing (= being fired).
⑤ The drums are beating ( = being beaten).
Ⅱ不及物动词 ⑥ The middle house won't let.
⑦ Porcelain sinks clean easily.
⑧ Such potatoes peel well.
⑥-⑧中的“出租”、“清洗”和“削”都有“被”的意思。
Ⅲ动名词 ⑨ Your office needs cleaning (= to be cleaned).
⑩ The computer wants servicing (= to be serviced).
11. This watch requires winding up ( = to be wound up).
12. That good point bears repeating (= to be repeated).
Ⅳ不定式动词 13. This is an apartment to let.
14. Give him a chair to sit down.
15. There is nothing to do for the time being.
16. You are to blame.
13-16中的不定式动词都有被动之意，情况和⑥-⑧中的不及物动词类似，都是具有主动语态之形，含有被动语态之意。然而，这种用法虽很特殊，却不普遍。当这些动词回到本来的性质时，还是有被动语态的，
只是含义有些不同。例如17和18中的(a)和(b)的含义便有些不同：
17.a) His books sell well.
b) His books are sold well.
18.a) Your shoes have worn well.
b) Your shoes have been worn well.
(a)的句子表示“书的销路好”和“鞋子耐穿”，都是因为主语有内在的优点。至于(b)的句子，它们只把事实反映出来，没有别的含义。
最后，当感官动词当接系动词用时，它们也是有主动语态之形，被动语态之意：
19.Honey tastes sweet.
20.Glass feels smooth.
21.Perfume smells good.
22.The sky seems to appear dark.
23.The weather has turned hot.
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