The Passive Voice with Modals Simple Examples and Exercises

The combination of passive voice with modals can significantly enhance the precision and tone of your writing. Whether you’re aiming to express necessity, obligation, possibility, or politeness, this grammatical structure provides a versatile tool. Mastering passive voice with modals can also improve clarity, especially in formal or academic writing, where objectivity and formality are often required. This article explores how to use modals in the passive voice, provides examples, and demonstrates how you can incorporate this structure into your own writing.

What Are Modals?

Before delving into how modals work with the passive voice, it’s important to first understand what modal verbs are. Modals are auxiliary verbs that help express different moods or attitudes towards an action. They can indicate ability, possibility, permission, necessity, and obligation.

Common Modal Verbs:

1. Can – Ability or possibility

   • Example: She can speak three languages.

2. Could – Past ability or polite requests

   • Example: Could you help me with this?

3. May – Permission or possibility

   • Example: You may leave early today.

4. Might – Tentative possibility or suggestion

   • Example: It might rain later.

5. Shall – Offers, suggestions, or formal future action

   • Example: Shall we go for a walk?

6. Should – Advice, obligation, or expectation

   • Example: You should study for the exam.

7. Will – Future actions or willingness

   • Example: I will finish my report tomorrow.

8. Would – Polite requests or hypothetical situations

   • Example: Would you like some coffee?

9. Must – Strong necessity or obligation

   • Example: You must wear a helmet while riding a bike.

10. Ought to – Advice or duty

    • Example: You ought to apologize for your actions.

How to Use Modals in the Passive Voice

When transforming a sentence from the active to the passive voice, the object of the action becomes the subject of the sentence. This means the focus shifts from the doer of the action to the receiver of the action.

In passive voice with modals, the structure follows a simple formula:

Modal + be + past participle

For example:

• Active voice: She can complete the task.

• Passive voice: The task can be completed by her.

Let’s break down how modal verbs are used in the passive voice:

Examples of Modals in the Active Voice and Passive Voice

As demonstrated in the table above, the modal verb stays the same (can, could, may, must, should, will), but the main verb changes into its past participle form and “be” is inserted between the modal and the main verb to form the passive voice.

Changing Passive Modal Verbs from Present to Past

Now, let’s see how to transform passive modal verbs from the present tense to the past tense. The structure for past passive modal verbs is:

Modal + have been + past participle

For example:

• Present passive: The work can be finished tomorrow.

• Past passive: The work could have been finished earlier.

Here’s a more detailed table showing the transition from present to past passive modal constructions:

This transformation makes it possible to indicate actions that were completed in the past, still maintaining the passive voice.

How to Use Passive Voice with Modals in Writing

Incorporating passive voice with modals into your writing adds a level of sophistication and objectivity. It is particularly useful in formal writing, such as scientific articles, reports, or academic essays, where the focus is often on the action or result, rather than the person performing the action.

Here are some situations where passive voice with modals is beneficial:

• In scientific or technical writing: When describing experiments, findings, or processes, the emphasis is on the result rather than the person who performed the action.

  • Example: The procedure must be followed carefully to avoid errors.

• In formal documents: When discussing policies, rules, or regulations, passive constructions with modals help convey authority and objectivity.

  • Example: The reports should be submitted by the end of the week.

• In hypothetical or indirect speech: Passive voice with modals can convey politeness or uncertainty, especially when the subject is less important or unknown.

  • Example: A decision could be made by the committee tomorrow.

Benefits of Using Passive Voice with Modals

1. Shifts focus: It directs the attention to the action or object rather than the person performing it. This is particularly useful when the doer is unknown or irrelevant.

   • Example: The package should be delivered by Friday. (Focus on the package, not who delivers it)

2. Adds formality: It’s often used in formal and academic contexts where objectivity is necessary.

   • Example: The proposal will be reviewed by the board.

3. Conveys politeness: In some contexts, it can make requests or statements sound more polite or indirect.

   • Example: The application should be completed by all employees. (Sounds more formal than saying “You should complete the application”)

Exercises on Passive Voice with Modals

Now that we have covered the theory behind passive voice with modals, let’s take a closer look at how to apply this structure in practice. Below are some exercises that will help you test your understanding and practice converting sentences from the active to the passive voice using modals. These exercises are designed to reinforce the rules and structure we’ve learned so far.

Exercise 1: Transform the following active voice sentences into passive voice using modals:

1. She can complete the task by tomorrow.

2. We might finish the project before the deadline.

3. You must submit the report by Friday.

4. The company will introduce a new product next month.

5. They should update the software regularly.

6. He can solve the problem in no time.

7. She may visit the museum during her trip.

8. The team could finish the assignment ahead of schedule.

9. We will discuss the proposal at the meeting.

10. You ought to read the instructions carefully.

Answers:

1. The task can be completed by her by tomorrow.

2. The project might be finished before the deadline.

3. The report must be submitted by Friday.

4. A new product will be introduced by the company next month.

5. The software should be updated regularly.

6. The problem can be solved by him in no time.

7. The museum may be visited during her trip.

8. The assignment could be finished ahead of schedule by the team.

9. The proposal will be discussed at the meeting.

10. The instructions ought to be read carefully.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct passive voice construction with modals for each sentence:

1. The books ______ (can be / could be) returned by tomorrow.

2. The issue ______ (must be / must have been) resolved before the end of the day.

3. The decision ______ (should be / should have been) made last week.

4. The project ______ (might be / might have been) completed by now.

5. The exam ______ (should be / should have been) taken online.

6. The email ______ (may be / may have been) sent already.

7. The meeting ______ (will be / will have been) concluded by the time you arrive.

8. The procedure ______ (could be / could have been) explained more clearly.

9. The final version ______ (must be / must have been) reviewed by the committee.

10. The proposal ______ (may be / may have been) approved by now.

Answers:

1. The books can be returned by tomorrow.

2. The issue must be resolved before the end of the day.

3. The decision should have been made last week.

4. The project might have been completed by now.

5. The exam should be taken online.

6. The email may have been sent already.

7. The meeting will have been concluded by the time you arrive.

8. The procedure could have been explained more clearly.

9. The final version must be reviewed by the committee.

10. The proposal may have been approved by now.

Exercise 3: Correct the mistakes in the following passive voice sentences:

1. The homework must be finished by the student by tomorrow.

2. The conference could be attend by the participants next week.

3. The task will be complete by the team in two hours.

4. The feedback should be given by the manager after the presentation.

5. The meeting could be postponed by the organizers if necessary.

Answers:

1. The homework must be finished by the student by tomorrow. (Correct)

2. The conference could be attended by the participants next week.

3. The task will be completed by the team in two hours.

4. The feedback should be given by the manager after the presentation. (Correct)

5. The meeting could be postponed by the organizers if necessary. (Correct)

Common Mistakes to Avoid with Passive Voice and Modals

When working with passive voice and modals, there are a few common mistakes that learners often make. Below, we will identify these mistakes and explain how to avoid them.

1. Incorrect Placement of “Be”

In the passive voice, the auxiliary verb “be” must always come between the modal verb and the past participle of the main verb. A common mistake is omitting the word “be” or placing it in the wrong position.

• Incorrect: The task should completed.

• Correct: The task should be completed.

2. Using the Wrong Form of the Past Participle

The past participle must follow the modal verb and “be” in passive voice constructions. Sometimes learners mistakenly use the base verb instead of the past participle.

• Incorrect: The project will be finish by tomorrow.

• Correct: The project will be finished by tomorrow.

3. Confusing Present and Past Modals in Passive Voice

When converting present passive modals to their past forms, learners often forget to use “have been” after the modal.

• Incorrect: The project could be completed yesterday.

• Correct: The project could have been completed yesterday.

4. Misunderstanding the Subject in Passive Voice

In passive voice, the subject of the sentence is the receiver of the action, not the doer. Learners sometimes fail to identify the object of the action in the active sentence and mistakenly make it the subject of the passive sentence.

• Incorrect: A new policy can implement by the company.

• Correct: A new policy can be implemented by the company.

Conculation on Passive Voice with Modals

The passive voice with modals is an important structure to master in English grammar, especially for formal, academic, and professional writing. It allows you to focus on the action or object rather than the doer, making it ideal for objective and impersonal language. By practicing the exercises above and paying attention to common mistakes, you can improve your proficiency in using this structure.

Keep experimenting with different modals and passive constructions in your writing to make your language more precise, formal, and clear. With consistent practice, you will find that passive voice with modals becomes a powerful tool in your grammar toolbox.