到底是There be句式的<被动式>，还是为了使句子显得比较平稳?

【答】There be 结构有被动式，但不是这种类型。你的这个问题属于后者。

There be 结构的被动式：

there be句型，如果充当了某个及物动词的宾语从句，那么，这个及物动词，一般可以用于如下转换。例如：

1. People say that there will be an election this week.

→ It is said that there will be an election this week.

→ There is said to be an election this week.

据我所知，具有该用法的动词是比较有限的，如say, report, expect, think, believe, suppose, understand 等。

1. There is/are said to be... 据说有......

2. There is/are reported to be... 据报道有......

3. There is/are expected to be... 预计有......

4. There is/are thought to be... 人们认为有......

5. There is/are believed to be... 人们认为有......

6. There is/are supposed to be...人们认为有......

7. There is/are understood to be... 人们都知道有......

【注意】由于There在此只引导作用，所以，用is还是are要视后面主语的单复数而定。

【现象分析】

关于网友的问题，“There + be + 过去分词 + 主语”，其实是被动语态的变式，去掉引导词There，还原其本来面目。现在，直接使用网友的句子为例：

1. There are now published millions of books very year in China.

去掉引导词There：Millions of books are now published very year in China.

2. On the following day, there was held a splendid banquet.

去掉引导词There：On the following day, a splendid banquet was held.

3. There was shown at the exhibition an electronic computer made in Shanghai.

去掉引导词There：An electronic computer made in Shanghai was shown at the exhibition.

4. In the distance there was heard again the lowing of cattle.

去掉引导词There：In the distance the lowing of cattle was heard again.

【特别说明】这实际上就是被动语态。显而易见的是，正是因为there在句首起了引导作用，产生了主语的后移现象。名词短语相对句重比分词大，于是移到了过去分词之后。

【原因探究】

我认为，任何事物的出现都是有原因的，语言现象亦然。there的上述用法，体现了语言运用的三个方面。概括起来，上述用法不外乎以下几个原因：

1. 语用方面：There置于句首，旨在起提示、提醒之作用。

(1) There goes the bell. Let’s begin our class.

(1) Look, there comes the bus.

2. 修辞方面：有时因为句子的主语部分太长，这时可以考虑采用There导出句子。

(1)There were running in the garden a group of children aged from seven to twelve.

正常语序：A group of children aged from seven to twelve were running in the garden.

(2)There was shown at the exhibition an electronic computer made in Shanghai.

正常语序：An electronic computer made in Shanghai was shown at the exhibition.

以上两句的主语分别是a group of children aged from seven to twelve和An electronic computer made in Shanghai，稍嫌过长，若按正常语序，则会显得头重脚轻。

3. 语法方面：There 开头引导句子，改变了句子的正常结构。去掉引导词There之后，变成正常语序。分别举例为：

(1) There is a book on the desk. → A book is on the desk.

(2) There lived an old man in the forest long ago. → An old man lived in the forest long ago.

(3) There are now published millions of books very year in China. → Millions of books are now published very year in China.

语法上看，There用作引导词，没有实际词汇意义，用于句首引起句子结构的倒装。如果有实际词汇意义（“在那里”），则不然。试比较：

There stands a temple on the top of the mountain. (There用作“dummy subject”)

There I saw my old friend Tom. (There表示“在那里”)