浅析英语中主动语态与被动语态的转化
2014-08-15任丽霞内蒙古乌兰察布市集宁区第七中学
任丽霞(内蒙古乌兰察布市集宁区第七中学)
我们知道,英语语法中有十几种时态,时态以时间为主轴.而语态只有两种,即主动语态和被动语态.每一种时态在语法允许范围内,都可以转化成它的被动语态.那么,主动语态是如何转化成被动语态的呢?或者,二者之间又有哪些特例呢?带着这些问题,让我们一起读以下的内容吧!
主动语态表示主语是动作的执行者;被动语态表示主语是动作的承受者.例如,我们常说“我们说英语”或“英语被我们讲”,前者是主动语态,后者是被动语态.为什么要用被动语态来表达呢?当我们不知道谁是动作的执行者或没必要指出谁是动作的执行者,或需要强调动作的承受者,而不是执行者时,都要用被动语态.要想知道主动语态如何变成被动语态,首先需要了解每一种时态的主动结构,在此基础上,再转化被动语态.
让我们先看一个例子:
例 Many people speak English.
English is spoken by many people.
通过上面的例子我们可以看出,把主动语态的宾语(English)变成被动语态的主语(English),主动语态的谓语(speak)变成被动语态的谓语(is spoken),主动语态的主语(many people)变成by 的宾语,组成介词短语,放在被动语态中谓语之后.如果动作的执行者无需说明或不必强调时,by 短语可省略.
被动语态的核心部分就是谓语,即be+V.pp.在不同的时态中,be 的形式不同.下面我们就分别看看不同时态的被动语态的构成.在一般现在时中,be 的三种形式is,am,are,所以一般现在时的被动语态就是is/am/are+V.pp.在一般过去时中,be有两种形式was 和were,所以一般过去时的被动就是was/were+V.pp.
例 (1)Colour TVs are sold at the shop.
(2)This kind of paper is made in our country.
(3)The book was bought by my father yesterday.
(4)I was given some books by my father last week.
(5)Some books were given to me by my father last week.
知道be+V.pp 是被动语态的核心部分,其他各种时态的被动语态都会迎刃而解.例如现在进行时的被动是is/am/are being+V.pp.一般将来时的被动就是will/shall be+V.pp.现在完成时的被动即have/has been+V.pp.情态动词的被动也遵循这一规则,即情态动词+be+V.pp.动词不定式的被动即to be+V.pp 下面通过实例来看各种形式的被动语态.
例 (6)The song is being sung by the singer.
(7)A new school will be opened by us in our hometown next year.
(8)A lot of buildings have been put up by them in Jiangxi.
(9)The homework should be finished in 2 hours.
(10)The homework has to be written now.
主动语态变被动语态时,有几点需要大家注意.
一、在含有双宾语的主动语态变被动语态时,若将直接宾语作为被动语态的主语,必须根据习惯在原间接宾语前加to 或for.如上面的例(5).
二、含有复合宾语的主动语态变被动语态时,只能将宾语改为主语,原宾语补足语变成主语补足语,位置不变.如宾语补足语是由不带to 的动词不定式充当时,改为被动语态后,动词不定式前必须加上to.
例 (11)They must name the baby Tom.
The baby must be named Tom(by them).
(12)I often see him read English.
He is often seen to read English(by me).
(13)The news made him jump excitedly.
He was made to jump excitedly(by the news).
三、不及物动词加介词或副词构成及物动词短语,变被动语态时,把这一短语作为一整体来看待,不能分开.
例 (14)The old should be taken good care of.
(15)The story is being listened to by the students.
在下列情况下的主动语态不能变被动语态:
1)表示静止的及物动词不能变被动语态,如have(有),fit(适合),cost,hold(容纳)等.
例 (16)I have a radio.
(17)The room can hold 200 people.
2)表示变化性的系动词无被动语态,如become,turn,get,grow,look 等.
例 (18)The leaves turn yellow in autumn.
3)直接宾语是反身代词或相互代词(each other)不能变被动语态.
例 (19)I can look after myself well.
(20)We often learn from each other.
4)如果宾语是从句时,不能变被动语态.
例 (21)I hope he will be back in an hour.
5)当主动句的宾语前,有指主语的物主代词时,不能变被动语态.
例 (22)The boy cut his hand.
6)当主动句的宾语是动名词或动词不定式时,不能变被动语态.
例 (23)Have you finished reading the book?
(24)He began to read the newspaper.
在中学阶段,还会接触到两个用主动表被动的特例:
need/require/want doing(需要被做)=need/require/want to be done
be worth doing 值得做
例 (25)The flowers need watering.
=The flowers need to be watered.
这些花需要(被)浇水了.
例 (26)The film is worth seeing.
这部电影值得(被)一看.
被动语态的应用大大丰富了英语的表达方式,了解掌握英语的主动与被动语态的转化后,对学生的写作及阅读能力都会有所促进,也能更灵活地运用英语.