Passive voice

with modal
verbs

GRAMMAR

LEVEL NUMBER LANGUAGE

Intermediate B2_3012G_EN English
Goals

■ Can use modal verbs to

form sentences and make
questions in the passive
voice.

■ Can use modal verbs with

passive voice in the past
tense.

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We really must practise the passive
voice.

Ready? Let’s go!

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Preview and warm-up

■ In this lesson you are going to learn how to use modal verbs with the passive
voice.

I must have been taught the passive voice already.

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The passive voice

We use the passive voice when:

■ We want to emphasise who the receiver of the action is, rather than who did
the action.
■ We can’t or don’t want to say who did the action.

Active Passive

Thieves stole the jewels from the

The jewels were stolen from the safe.
safe.
Someone put John to bed because he
John was put to bed because he looked ill.
looked ill.

We add the milk after the eggs. The milk is added after the eggs.

Someone will tell Alice tomorrow. Alice will be told tomorrow.

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The passive voice

■ We also use the passive voice when we want to put longer and heavier
expressions at the end of a sentence.
■ This very often sounds better than putting them at the beginning.

Active Passive

My sister borrowing my clothes all the I was annoyed by my sister borrowing my

time annoyed me. clothes all the time.
Someone tapping at the glass startled Pete was startled by someone tapping at
Pete. the glass.
A group of men who wanted money took She was taken hostage by a group of men
her hostage. who wanted money.

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The structure of the passive voice

■ The structure of the passive voice is be + past participle.

■ Be changes the tense of the sentence.

I was given this newspaper to chew.

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Transform the sentences from active to passive

The money was given to John by

1. Sarah gave John the money.
Sarah.

2. The parents bought the ________________________________________

teacher a thank you present.
________________________________________

3. We will tell everyone who ________________________________________

needs to know.
________________________________________

4. We give out awards for the ________________________________________

best costume every year.
________________________________________

5. Someone has opened the ________________________________________

letter already!
________________________________________

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The passive voice

Change some of these sentences to the passive voice if you think it is

necessary.

When Tom first arrived at his office, someone

gave him an ID card, the keys to his locker and
someone showed him to his desk. He sat down
for a bit and then he went to make a coffee.
While he was making a coffee, he realised that
someone was watching him. He looked over and
saw that it was his boss. The boss came over and
gave Tom some easy tasks to do. Tom told him
that he would finish the tasks by the end of the
day.

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 Answer these questions in the passive voice, blaming your
classmates or teacher for what you are being accused of.

?? ? ??
? ?? ?
? ? ?
? ?
?
?
?
? ?
?
?? ? ? ?? ???
Who broke the Who ate the last
lamp? biscuit?

? ?
????????????
????????? ? ?? ?
? ?? ?
Who stole a

?
Who left a
?
pound from my
piggy bank? sandwich on the
seat of my car?

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The passive voice with modal verbs

■ Modal verbs can be used in the passive voice. In the present tense, be remains
in the infinitive.
■ We often use modals in this way to make sentences more impersonal, sound
more formal, or be less direct.
■ Look at the examples below with can and could.

Active Passive

You can do it tomorrow. It can be done tomorrow.

She could bring the cake in the ice

The cake could be brought in the ice box.
box.

John can read the poem in class. The poem can be read by John in class.

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The passive voice with modal verbs

■ Now look at some more examples of modals in the passive voice with the
verbs must, ought to and should.

Active Passive

You must finish the presentation by The presentation must be finished by

tomorrow. tomorrow.
You ought to consult an expert at An expert ought to be consulted at every
every step of the way. step of the way.
You should finish the job before you The job should be finished before you go
go home. home.

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The passive voice with modal verbs

■ The modal verbs can also be used in the past tense in the passive voice.
■ The structure is modal + have + been + past participle.

He must have been given his notice to leave

the company.

You could have been killed!

They should have been seen by a doctor

right away.
He ought to have been asked to speak at
the conference too.

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The passive voice with modal verbs

■ Here are some more examples of modal verbs in the past tense.

He should have been told to leave right

away.

I must have been woken up by a loud

noise.

She ought to have been given the best

room in the hotel.

He could have been asked a few more

questions.

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Fill in the gaps

Fill in the gaps to make correct sentences.

1. Don’t worry about doing that now, it

______________ be finished off tomorrow.
2. Hurry up! The report _______________ be
written and sent today.
3. Please take a seat and you _______________ be
called by the doctor shortly.
4. He _______________ be put in prison for what
he’s done.

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Transform these sentences from active to passive voice

1. We must wake up the children The children must be woken up

immediately. immediately.

____________________________________________________
2. You can open all that mail
tomorrow. ____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________
3. You should seal the exam
papers tightly in an envelope. ____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________
4. You must tell Alice what
happened. ____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________
5. You ought to give Sarah the
benefit of the doubt. ____________________________________________________

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Fill in the gaps

Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the modal verbs must, could,
should and ought to.

1. He _______________ helped by the local children, or

it might have been an adult.
2. Janice _______________ told that her grandparents
died, look how she is crying.
3. You _______________ told about this earlier – I do
apologise.
4. The fact that the Prime Minister is not coming
_______________ mentioned before now, don’t you
think?

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Speaking

Answer these questions with your classmates.

1 What kind of pills should be taken with food?

2
Do you have any work that must be finished before the end
of next week?

3
Have you ever reviewed a project and thought that it could
have been done better?

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Speaking

React to these statements with a sentence in the passive voice.

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Question forms with modal verbs

■ Here are some examples of how to use modal verbs in the passive voice in
questions.

Active Passive

Must I finish the task today? Must the task be finished today?

Should you allow that dog to bark so Should that dog be allowed to bark so loudly
loudly all night? all night?
Can we warn the bus driver about Can the bus driver be warned about the fare
the fare increase? increase?
Could we settle the bill when we
Could the bill be settled when we leave?
leave?

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Question forms with modal verbs

■ Here are some examples of past modals in questions in the passive voice.

Couldn’t we have been told this earlier?

Shouldn’t they have been given the

itinerary when they arrived?
Could he have been sent to the wrong
office?
Should you have been seen by the doctor
by now?

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Make questions for these answers

Yes, the cat must be No, the parrot should

fed every two hours not be taught swear
or he cries. words.

No! The dog should

Yes, he could have
not have been put in
been given the wrong
the shower – it’s going
directions.
to be dirty now!

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Asking questions

Think of two questions you would like to ask your teacher or your
classmates using modal verbs in the passive.
Write them down and then ask them.

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Reflect on the goals

Go back to the second slide of the lesson and check

if you have achieved all the goals of the lesson.

yes no

_______________________________ _______________________________
_______________________________ _______________________________

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Reflect on this lesson

Think about everything you have seen in this lesson.

What were the most difficult activities or words? The easiest?

+ _______________________________
_______________________________

+ _______________________________
_______________________________

– _______________________________
_______________________________

– _______________________________
_______________________________
If you have time, go over
the most difficult slides again

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26 www.lingoda.com
Activity p. 8
2. The teacher was bought a thank you present by the parents. 3. Everyone who needs to know will be
told, 4. Awards for the best costume are given out every year. 5. The letter had been opened already!
Activity p. 9
When Tom first arrived at his office, he was given an ID card, the keys to his locker and he was shown
to his desk. He sat down for a bit and then he went to make a coffee. While he was making a coffee, he
realised that he was being watched. He looked over and saw that it was his boss. The boss came over
and Tom was given some easy tasks to do. Tom told him that the tasks would be finished by the
end of the day.
Activity p. 15
1. can, 2. must, 3. should, 4. ought to/should
Activity p. 16
2. All that mail can be opened tomorrow. 3. The exam papers should be sealed tightly in an envelope.
4. Alice must be told what happened. 5. Sarah ought to be given the benefit of the doubt.
Activity p. 17
1. Could have been, 2. must have been, 3/4. should/ought to have been
Activity p. 22
Must the cat be fed every two hours? Should the parrot be taught swear words? Should the dog have
been put in the shower? Could he have been given the wrong directions?
Answer key
Homework

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 Unscramble to make questions

A B

given the

C D

by someone

have been the

night before?

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Writing

Now answer the questions on the previous page in the passive

voice.

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Activity p. 28
A. Could the thief have been given the keys by someone else? B. Shouldn‘t the thief
have been caught by the police already? C. Must the jewels have been stolen last
night or could it have been the night before? D. Couldn‘t the thief have been helped
by someone who works here?
Homework answer key
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