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英语中较常见物称表达法，即不用人称来叙述，而让事物以客观的口气呈现出来，有些英语写作论著称之为“the writer and the reader are out of the picture, hiding themselves behind impersonal language”. 请看下例
It has been noted with concern that the stock of books in the library has been declining alarmingly. Students are asked to remind themselves of the rules for the borrowing and students. Penalties for overdue books will in the future be strictly enforced. It has been noted with concern that the stock of books in the library has been declining alarmingly. Students are asked to remind themselves of the rules for the borrowing and students. Penalties for overdue books will in the future be strictly enforced.
译：近来已注意到本馆存书惊人地减少，此事令人关切。现要求学生不要忘记借书还书规定，并考虑其他学生的需要。今后凡借书逾期不还者，必将严格按章处罚。
非人称表达法是英语常见的一种文风，尤其常见于书面语，如公文、新闻、科技论著以及散文、小说等文学作品。这种表达法往往使叙述显得客观、公正，结构趋于严密、紧凑，语气较为委婉、间接。
汉语则较注重主体思维，这种思维模式以“万物皆备于我”作主导，往往从自我出发来叙述客观事物，或倾向于描述人及其行为或状态，因而常用人称。当人称可以不言自喻时，又常常隐含人称或省略人称。汉语重人称，英语重物称，这一特点主要表现在如何使用主语和动词这两方面。
一、英语常用非人称主语，汉语常用人称主语 1.英语可用人称主语表达，也常用非人称主语表达。用非人称主语表达时，往往注重“什么事发生在什么人身上”，而汉语则较常用人称主语表达，往往注重“什么人怎么样了”。举例
1.英语可用人称主语表达，也常用非人称主语表达。用非人称主语表达时，往往注重“什么事发生在什么人身上”，而汉语则较常用人称主语表达，往往注重“什么人怎么样了”，如： 1）What has happened to you? 你出了什么事啦？
2）An idea suddenly struck me. 我突然想到一个主意。
3）A strange peace came over her when she was alone. 她独处时便感到一种特殊的安宁。
4）Not a sound reached our ears.（A. S. Hornby） 我们没有听到任何声音。 5）A great elation overcame them. 他们欣喜若狂。
6）Alarm began to take entire possession of him. 他开始变得惊恐万状。
2.用抽象名词或无生命的事物名称作主语，同时又使用本来表示人的动作或行为的动词作谓语，因而这种句式往往带有拟人化（personification）修辞色彩，语气含蓄，令人回味，反映了英美民族的幽默感。
汉人较缺少幽默感,注重的是“什么人做什么事”,往往用人或比较确定的事物作主语。举例
2.用抽象名词或无生命的事物名称作主语，同时又使用本来表示人的动作或行为的动词作谓语，因而这种句式往往带有拟人化（personification）修辞色彩，语气含蓄，令人回味，反映了英美民族的幽默感。
汉人较缺少幽默感，注重的是“什么人做什么事”，往往用人或比较确定的事物作主语。如： 1）From the moment we stepped into the People‘s Republic of China care and
kindness? surrounded us on every side.（Hewlett and Nowell Johnson：To China at Ninety）
一踏上中华人民共和国国土，我们就随时随地受到关怀与照顾。 2）Excitement deprived me of all power of utterance. 我兴奋得什么话也说不出来。
3）The thick carpet killed the sound of my footsteps. 我走在厚厚的地毯上，一点脚步声也没有。
4）The forty years, 1840-80, brought almost ten million migrants to America.（P.
Bromhead : Life? in Modern America）
从1840至1880这四十年中，近一千万移民移居美国。
二、英语常用被动式，采用物称表达法，汉语常用主动式，采用人称、泛称或隐称表达法。
汉语没有英语 “it”作主语的非人称被动式，也少用被动式，而较多用主动形式表达被动意义。这与汉人的主体思维甚有关系。
1）发现了错误，一定要改正。 译
Wrongs must be righted when they are discovered. 2）看树看果实，看人看作为。 译
A tree is known by its fruit , and a man is known by his actions. 3）必须调整高等院校的专业设置，改进教学方法。译
Specialties in colleges and universities should be adjusted and teaching methods improved.
4）只要知道电压和电流，就能确定电阻。 译
The resistance can be determined provided that the voltage and current are known. 5）当两个物体在一起摩擦时，电子便从一个物体转到另一个物体。 译
Whenever two objects are rubbed together, electrons are transferred from one object to the other.
如何选择主语
在汉英转换中，用“物称”代替“人称”常常是一种有效的手段，如：
1）一看到那棵大树，我便想起了童年的情景。
The sight of the big tree always reminds me of my childhood. 2）近来忙于其他事务，未能早些复信，深感抱歉。
I am very sorry that the pressure of other occupations has prevented me from sending an earlier reply to your letter.
3）恕我孤陋寡闻，对此关系一无所知。
My total ignorance of the connection must plead my apology. 4）凭良心讲，你待我礼貌有加，我却受之有愧。
My conscience told me that I deserved no extraordinary politeness.
而在英汉转换中，用“人称”代替“物称”常常是一种有效的手段，如： 1）The little chap‘s good-natured honest face won his way for him. 这小伙子长相老实，看上去脾气也好，到处有人缘。
2）My good fortune has sent you to me , and we will never part.（H. Andersen: The
Little Mermaid）
我很幸运，能够得到你，让我们永远不分离吧。 A. Translate the following sentences.
1）Nightfall found him many miles short of his appointed preaching place.译
2）His addition completed the list. 译
3）Not too much can or should be read into the percent. 译
4）When he was in Congress, sundown would not find us in Washington the day Congress adjourned. 译
5） Shortness of time has required the omission of some states. 译
6）Blood spilled on both sides.译
7）The angry steel crashed down from both sides. 译
8） His action was prompted by the fear of being attacked.译
9）The delight of the children at the sight of dish on the table showed that it was a rarity. 译
10）A second term would give the President more power than was safe for republican institutions. 译
11）The most serious views were naturally taken of the Japanese strength. It was important that this should not be exaggerated. 译
12）The evening of November 3 saw the IWW tactics bearing fruit. IWW: Industrial Workers of the World.译
13）Absence and distance make the overseas Chinese heart increasingly fond of the Peking regime. 译
14） Any discourtesy shown to Chinese persons by any official of the Government will be cause for immediate dismissal. 译
15）That night sleep eluded him.译
16）Dawn met him well along the way. It was a pleasant uneventful ride.译
17）In Cuba I studied Spanish and learned to speak it a little, though in later years it escaped my memory. 译
18）Wartime strains were telling on Sir Cecil.（tell: to produce a marked or severe effect） 译
19）His youth got him off.译
20）Protocol irked him.译