英文动词有主动语态 Active Voice 和被动语态 Passive Voice 之分。如果主语是动作或状态的「发出者」，动词就用主动语态;如果主语是动作或状态的「承受者」，动词就用被动语态。

例如：

1. John encouraged Mary.﹝约翰鼓励玛莉。﹞

2. Mary was encouraged by John.﹝玛莉受到约翰鼓励。﹞

※ 第一句的动词 "encouraged" 是主动语态;第二句的动词

"was encouraged"是被动语态。

动词被动语态的基本形态是：

助动词BE + 及物动词的过去分词(-ed分词)

动词的被动语态通常有六种时、体形式：即一般现在时、一般过去时、现在进行体、过去进行体、现在完成体和过去完成体。

1.Simple Present Tense

主动语态： I teach him.

被动语态： He is taught by me.

2. Simple Past Tense

主动语态： I taught him yesterday.

被动语态： He was taught by me yesterday.

3.Present Continuous Tense

主动语态： I am teaching him.

被动语态： He is being taught by me.

4.Past Continuous Tense

主动语态： I was teaching him when you came.

被动语态： He was being taught by me when you came.

5. Present Perfect Tense

主动语态： I have taught him.

被动语态： He has been taught by me.

6. Past Perfect Tense

主动语态： I had taught him before you came.

被动语态： He had been taught by me before you came.

一般将来时 Simple Future Tense  也常常有这种被动语态形式

主动语态： I shall teach him tomorrow.

被动语态： He will be taught by me tomorrow.

动词由主动语态变为被动语态的步骤：

1. 先找出谓语动词;

2. 再找出谓语动词后的宾语;

3. 把宾语用作被动语态中的主语;

4. 注意人称、时态和数的变化。

例：1.　Bruce writes a letter every week.

→A letter is written by Bruce every week.

2.　Li Lei mended the broken bike this morning.

→The broken bike was mended by Li Lei this morning.

3. He has written two novels so far.

→Two novels have been written by him so far.

4. They will plant ten trees tomorrow.

→Ten trees will be planted by them tomorrow.

5. Lucy is writing a letter now.

→A letter is being written by Lucy now.

6. You must lock the door when you leave.

→the door must be locked when you leave.

三、 使用被动语态应注意的几个问题：