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.