在科技英文写作中经常困扰究竟是要用主动语态，还是被动语态。无疑在英语科技论文中，被动语态被大量的使用，主要的原因有以下几点：（ 1 ）动作的发出者不详，或者与本文研究关联不大； （ 2 ）句子希望更加强调动作而不是动作的发出者 ；（ 3 ）动作的接受者是句子的主要话题 ; 有些时候用主动语态也是受欢迎的,尤其在引言，讨论和结论部分。此时使用主动语态能强调动作发出者的主动性，或者使语言更加简洁有力。注意不要在一篇文章中反复使用同一动词，使用时注意根据句意来选择最恰当的用词，增加变化和强调语气。以下是我从一些英美人写的科技论文中随机摘录的一些主动用法，大家可以借鉴使用。一般来说，一篇文章有5处主动语态就可以了，只有在一些特殊的文体中，比如Editorials（编者按）或者comment（评论）（ACS Catal. 2018, 8, 7820−7827，有多达30处主动语态）文体中会大量出现主动语态。 we speculate that… we examined… we report… we successfully achieved… we explored… We found that… We looked to nature for inspiration. We have recently demonstrated… (We recently demonstrated that…) We employed an … method to measure… We observed that… We have shown that… We discuss… We performed… We conducted… We therefore suppose that the… we also tested… We further compare… with We suppose that… We do not expect… We monitored… We may deducet… Our experimental results reveal that… Our design is… Our results imply that… Our DFT calculations… Our results add significant new insights into… A recent report from our group… but to our knowledge there are not yet… …enrich our understanding of …
主动语态是一种更简单直接的写作方式。因而，相对于被动语态，大部分科学期刊都鼓励投稿人更多的使用主动语态 。 主动语态-主语为行动的实施方。 被动语态-主语为行动的接收方。 在撰写科学论文时我们会使用各种各样的时态。下面是一些在不同时态下使用主动语态和被动语态的例子。 现在时-通常在概论，讨论和结论中使用的时态。 Example 1: Active: Vitamin A increases the risk of hair loss. Passive: The risk of hair loss is increased by vitamin A. Example 2: Active: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from industries and vehicle exhausts can induce a series of environmental problems, including photochemical smog, broken ozonosphere, and environmental pollution. Passive: A series of environmental problems, including photochemical smog, broken ozonosphere, and environmental pollution, can be induced by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from industries and vehicle exhausts. 现在时-通常在目标中使用的时态 Example 1: Active: In this study, we present our design of an electric hot water tank. Passive: In this study, a design of an electric hot water tank is presented. Example 2: Active: This study develops an efficient methodology to examine a space–time continuous dataset for urban irrigation water use. Passive: An efficient methodology to examine a space–time continuous dataset for urban irrigation water use is developed in this study. 现在完成时-通常在概论，讨论和总结中使用的时态。 Example 1: Active: Previous studies have used comparative analysis of ORF2 sequences to elucidate phylogenetic relationships among different FCV isolates. Passive: Comparative analysis of ORF2 sequences has been used in previous studies to elucidate phylogenetic relationships among different FCV isolates. Example 2: Active: Only a small number of empirical studies have focused on the patterns and mechanisms behind disease clusters at small spatial scales, especially in wild host–pathogen systems . Passive: The patterns and mechanisms behind disease clusters at small spatial scales, especially in wild host–pathogen systems, have been focused on by only a small number of empirical studies . 过去时：通常用于材料与方法/结果。 Example 1: Active: We determined the presence of larvae by dip netting. Passive: The presence of larvae was determined by dip netting. Example 2: Active: We evaluated the number of haplotypes (h), haplotypes (Hd), and nucleotides (π) using the DnaSP 5.10 program . Passive: The number of haplotypes (h), haplotypes (Hd), and nucleotides (π) was evaluated using the DnaSP 5.10 program . Example 3: Active: We found a strong correlation between above-ground and below-ground biomass accumulation in Platanus occidentalis. Passive: A strong correlation was found between above-ground and below-ground biomass accumulation in Platanus occidentalis. 然而，您应该尽量使论文中的语言容易理解。所以如需必要时也可以适量使用被动语态。 什么时候该用被动语态： 1. 当强调结果（接收方）而不是行动方（执行者）。 The risk of hair loss is increased by vitamin A . 2. 在同一段落中保持统一的主体和重点。 Female pattern hair loss is common but estimates of its prevalence have varied widely. The risk of female pattern hair loss is increased by vitamin A. 3. 如果不希望指明主体。 The procedures were somehow misinterpreted. 4. 当主体不可知或者不重要的时候。 Every year, thousands of people are diagnosed with cancer. 更多参考文献： Sainani K., Elliott C. Harwell D., 2015. Active vs. Passive Voice in Scientific Writing. ACS Webinars. Available at: https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/events/professional-development/Slides/2015-04-09-active-passive.pdf . Plotnick J. How to Use Active Voice in the Sciences. University College Writing Centre, University of Toronto, Canada. Available at: http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/specific-types-of-writing/active-voice-in-science . The Writer’s Handbook, 2014. Use the active voice. The Writing Centre, University of Wisconsin. Available at: http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/CCS_activevoice.html .
主动跟被动语态的差别在哪？在科研论文里该用哪一种？ 主动语态强调的是做出动作的行为者，例如“ The mice inhaled the tobacco-infused aerosol ”里的行为者“ the mice ”是重要的；另一方面，在被动语态里强调的是发生的动作，而行为者可省略，例如“ The tobacco-infused aerosol was inhaled (by the mice). ”中，“ by the mice ”可省略，这表示读者已经知道谁是行为者，又或者读者不需要知道行为者是谁，因为只有发生的动作本身是重要的。 被动语态传达一种客观的感觉，通常被视为较正式，但文字可能会变得冗长不易阅读，尤其是在长句里。直到最近，这开始成为科研写作的偏好语态，而作者被强烈建议避免使用主动语态，特别是在学术论文里使用“ I ”和“ we ”。“ In this study, we investigated the effect of drug X on the serum levels of phosphorus under various conditions. ”转换成“ In this study, the effect of drug X on the serum levels of phosphorus was investigated under various conditions. ” 不过，现下很多当局不赞同这种想法，开始鼓励使用主动语态，因为学术论文应以简单易懂为原则。事实上，各种学科的 SCI 期刊如 Nature 和专业期刊如 American Journal of Botany 都在给作者的指示中提到偏好主动语态。所以你现在常会看到“ In this study, we investigated… ”这样的语句。 所以，到底该用哪一个？答案是两者都用。 主动语态在论文的 introduction 和 discussion 部分特别好用，你可以讨论先前的研究然后介绍你的研究。例如这句： Previous studies have established that drug X increases the serum levels of calcium in women with osteoporosis. In this study, we investigated the effects of drug X on the serum levels of phosphorus in post-menopausal women. 这里，第2句使用主动语态可帮助读者心理从 先前 的研究转换成 现在 的研究。 另一方面，被动语态在 Methods 部分挺好用，因为在这里每个阶段采取的动作比行为者更为重要。例如，在外科文章里，读者会喜欢“ A catheter was inserted for post-operative bladder irrigation. ”胜过于“ We inserted a catheter for post-operative bladder irrigation. ” 使用规则非常清楚：想想读者想看的是什么，从而判断能让文意最清晰易读的是主动或被动语态。如果在写论文的时候能谨记这点，我想没有任何一个同行评审会提出相关的意见。 欢迎大家分享一些有关主动与被动语态的其他范例，一起交流讨论！ ∷ Eddy 博士国际期刊发表支持中心内容由 意 得 辑 学术论文翻译 专家 团队 支持提供 ∷ 【意得辑提供专业 英文论文编校 、 学术论文翻译 、 英文期刊发表一站式服务 www.editage.cn 】 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 此文同步刊载于 意得辑专家视点 频道： http://www.editage.cn/insights/该用主动还是被动语态？
标签: 主动语态
