请看下面的题:
Great changes __________ in China since 1978.
A. have taken place B. took place C. have been taken place D. were taken place
此题应选A。首先要排除C,D,因为take place(发生)是不及物动词,所以不能用被动语态;另一方面,因为句子中的since 1978,所以句子宜用现在完成时A。
大家知道,不及物动词没有被动语态(因为不及物动词没有宾语,转换成被动语态便没有主语)。但这里要注意的是:由于受汉语的影响,有些不及物动词很容易被考生误认为是及物动词,从而误用被动语态。这类易用错的动词主要的有take place 发生 / happen 发生 / come about 发生 / breakout 爆发 / appear出现 / disappear 消失 / last 持续 等)。
他出什么事了?
误:What was [is] happened to him?
正:What has happened to him?
每四年举行一次选举。
误:Elections are taken place every four years.
正:Elections take place every four years.
我不知道这事是怎么发生的。
误:I don’t know how this thing was come about.
正:I don’t know how this thing came about.
夜里起了一起火灾。
误:A fire was broken out during the night.
正:A fire broke out during the night.