The meanings, functions and uses of English voices could be adequately elaborated from afunctional-cognitive perspective. The active and passive voices are different from each other in their expressions to the conceptual structure. The two English voices fulfill their respective ideational, interpersonal and textual functions in certain registers. In terms of the ideational function, the active and the passive voices realize different cognitive images. With respect to the interpersonal function, the selection of voices reflects the speaker’s intention in communication. With reference to the textual function, voices election in clauses influences the cohesion between clauses and changes of topics as well as adjustments of information focuses. In addition, the use of voices also has a close relationship with the verb and the genres.