Passive Voice 2

The passive voice can also be used with modals, in that case the verb turning into passive is not the modal
but the infinitive which follows.
La voce passiva si può avere anche con i verbi modali, in quel caso che cambia in passivo non è il modale
ma l’infinito che li segue:

Active:The boys can eat the pie. Passive: The pie can be eaten by the boys
Active:The boys could have eaten the pie. Passive: The pie could have been eaten by the boys

Present infinitive eat be eaten

Past infinitive have eaten have been eaten

Active and passive tenses chart

Active Passive
CAN / CAN'T (CAN NOT) CAN / CAN'T (CAN NOT)
Rosy can foretell the future. The future can be foretold by Rosy.
Active: MAY / MAY NOT Passive: MAY / MAY NOT
The lazy students may not do the homework. The homework may not be done by the lazy
students.
MIGHT / MIGHT NOT MIGHT / MIGHT NOT
The lazy students might not do the The homework might not be done by the lazy
homework. students.
SHOULD / SHOULDN'T SHOULD / SHOULDN'T
Students should memorize English verbs. English verbs should be memorized by students.

OUGHT TO OUGHT TO
Students ought to learn English verbs. English verbs ought to be memorized by
students.

HAD BETTER / HAD BETTER NOT
Students had better practice English every
day.
MUST / MUST NOT
Customers must not use that door.
HAD BETTER / HAD BETTER NOT
English had better be practiced every day by
students.
MUST / MUST NOT
That door must not be used by customers.

HAS TO / HAVE TO HAS TO / HAVE TO

They have to wash the dishes every day. The dishes have to be washed by them every day.
DOESN'T HAVE TO/ DON'T HAVE TO DOESN'T HAVE TO/ DON'T HAVE TO
Maria doesn't have to clean her bedroom Her bedroom doesn't have to be cleaned every
every day. day.

BE SUPPOSED TO BE SUPPOSED TO
Janet is supposed to clean the living room. The living room is supposed to be cleaned by
Janet.
Candy and gum aren't supposed to be eaten by
She isn't supposed to eat candy and gum. her.
 SHOULD HAVE / SHOULDN'T HAVE
SHOULD HAVE / SHOULDN'T HAVE
The verbs should have been learned by the
The students should have learned the verbs.
students.

OUGHT TO OUGHT TO
Students ought to have learned the verbs. The verbs ought to have been learned by the
students.

BE SUPPOSED TO (past time) BE SUPPOSED TO (past time)

Janet was supposed to clean the living room. The living room was supposed to be cleaned by
Janet.
She wasn't supposed to eat candy and gum. Candy and gum weren't supposed to be eaten by
her.

MAY / MAY NOT

MAY / MAY NOT Liz may have been offered a new job by that
That firm may have offered Liz a new job. firm.

MIGHT / MIGHT NOT MIGHT / MIGHT NOT

That firm might have offered Liz a new job. Liz might have been offered a new job by that
firm.

*Interactive Exercises
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/passive/exercises?05

*Please note:
Listen carefully to the following videos in youtube, they are speaking about Modals in the Passive
Voice.
Ascoltate attentamente i seguenti video di youtube, essi parlano dei modali nella voce passiva.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0COmUBQmzeg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXLN4mFtR3I