在《語態：主動與被動的關系》一文里，提到有些動詞有主動語態之形，但卻有被動語態之意。

這些動詞包括及物的(transitive verbs)、不及物的( intransitive verbs)、動名詞(gerunds)和不定式動詞( infinitives)。這些動詞很特別，但數目不多。例如：

Ⅰ及物動詞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不及物動詞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動名詞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不定式動詞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中的不定式動詞都有被動之意，情況和⑥-⑧中的不及物動詞類似，都是具有主動語態之形，含有被動語態之意。然而，這種用法雖很特殊，卻不普遍。當這些動詞回到本來的性質時，還是有被動語態的， 只是含義有些不同。例如17和18中的(a)和(b)的含義便有些不同：

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“書的銷路好”和“鞋子耐穿”，都是因為主語有內在的優點。至于(b)的句子，它們只把事實反映出來，沒有別的含義。

最后，當感官動詞當接系動詞用時，它們也是有主動語態之形，被動語態之意：

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.