Touchstone 5 EL 701

Seminar 5 Law and order

Modal Verbs in the Passive Voice

(modal verb) + be + past participle

1. Pancakes can be made on a stove.

(possibility)

2. Bikes may be ridden on this bike path.

(permission is given)

3. People must be warned that there are crocodiles in the area.

4. Her work has to be done by tomorrow or she'll get in trouble with her boss.

5. Something should be done about global warming or else some types of penguins will perish from the earth.

6. A lot of cows can be raised on a productive farm.

Passive voice for Present/Future Modals“CAN, MAY, MIGHT, SHOULD, MUST, OUGHT TO”

• The places of subject and object in sentence are inter-changed in passive voice.

• 3rd form of verb (past participle) will be used only (as main verb) in passive voice.

• To change sentences having present/future modal into passive voice, auxiliary verb “be” is added after modal in sentence.

Passive voice for Present/Future Modals

“CAN, MAY, MIGHT, SHOULD, MUST, OUGHT TO”

Auxiliary verb in passive voice: be

Active voice: CAN

She can play a violin.

She cannot play a violin.

Can she play a violin?

Passive voice: CAN BE

A violin can be played by her.

A violin cannot be played by her.

Can a violin be played by her

Active voice: MAY

I may buy the computer.

I may not buy the computer.

May I buy the computer?

Passive voice: MAY BE

The computer may be bought by me.

The computer may not be bought by

me.

May the computer be bought by me?

Active voice: MIGHT

Guests might play chess.

Guests might not play chess.

Passive voice: MIGHT BE

Chess might be played by guests.

Chess might not be played guests.

Active voice: SHOULD

Students should study all

lessons.

Students should not study all

lessons.

Should students study all

lessons?

Passive voice: SHOULD BE

All lessons should be studied by

students.

All lessons should not be studied

by students.

Should all lessons be studied by

students?

Active voice: MUST

You must learn the test-taking

strategies.

You must not learn the test-

taking strategies.

Passive voice: MUST BE

Test-taking strategies must be learnt

by you.

Test-taking strategies must not be

learned by you.

Active voice: OUGHT TO

They ought to take the

examination.

Passive voice: OUGHT TO BE

The examination ought to be taken

by them.

EXERCISE #1

Directions: Fill in the blank with the passive voice of the verb in ( ).

1. Traffic regulations _______________________ by drivers as well as pedestrians. (must/obey)

2. A driver _____________________ by the police.

(might/stop)

3. A driver ________________ to get out of the car.

(could/ask)

4. A driver ________________to the police station. (might/take)

5. Drunk drivers _____________a sobriety test.

(may/give)

6. Drivers___________________ of their rights.

(must/inform)

7. A traffic accident____________ to the police.

(must report)

EXERCISE #2 Directions: Change the following sentences to the passive

voice. 1. You must put out all smoking materials.

_____________________________________________2. You must fasten the seat belt.

_____________________________________________3. They will demonstrate safety precautions.

_____________________________________________ 4. You should read the safety instructions.

_____________________________________________ 5. You can store small packages in the overhead

compartment. ____________________________________________

6. When the seatbelt light goes off, you may remove the seatbelt.

____________________________________________

7. They may serve a meal.

____________________________________________

8. They might show a movie.

____________________________________________

9. They will serve coffee.

____________________________________________

EXERCISE #3

Directions: Fill in the blanks with the active or the

passive voice of The verb in ( ). Use modals.

1. Safety precaution ___________________ . (will/demonstrate)

2. Flight attendants ___________________ meals.

(will/serve)

3. Passengers _____________________their seatbelts.

(must/fasten)

4. Passengers _______________coffee. (will/serve)

5. Passengers __________________________ the safety precautions. (should/read)

6. Passengers __________________________ to put out smoking materials. (will/tell)

7. Passengers _______________________ the safety rules. (should/obey)

8. A movie _____________________________ on some flights. (might/show)

9. Some movies ____________________________ sex and violence. (may contain)

10. Some viewers _______________________ by

sex and bad language. (might/offend)

Get passive vs. be passive The passive with GETget + past participleGet is often used instead of be in the passive voice in informal spokeEnglish to refer to an action that happens by accident or unexpectedly:• Their car got stolen in front of their house last night.

Jerry got fired because he was always late for work.Get expresses action and change and is only used with action verbs,

not state verbs:• Jerry was fired because he was always late for work.

Jerry got fired because he was always late for work. (fire is an action verb)

• Nothing is known about the thief.Nothing gets known about the thief. (know is a state verb)

As get in the passive voice expresses action, it makes it possible to differentiate between an action and a state if it is not otherwise clear:

• The living room window was broken. (state or action)The living room window got broken. (action)

The passive with be and the agent mentioned also makes the distinction clear:

• The living room window was broken by the burglar.(action)

A reflexive pronoun after get indicates that the recipient of the action is in some way involved in or responsible for what happened:

• He got injured while playing football. (it was an accident)He got himself injured while trying bike stunts. (it was partly his fault)

The get passive is also used in certain idiomatic expressions:

Idiomatic expressions with the get passive• get dressed

get washedget engagedget married

• get divorcedget lostget mixed upget started

• I took a shower and got dressed.When did they get married?Have you ever got lost while travelling?