The Passive: Modals

(Must, Have to, Can, Need, Ought to...)

Earlier activities look at the present and past and progressive passives. Here are examples of modals:

Notice that the "agent", the person who does the action, is eliminated in the passive form as unimportant.

Examples: ACTIVE:

You MUST SIGN the cheque.
You MUST NOT SIGN the cheque until Friday.
Must you sign the cheque?

The mailman SHOULD DELIVER the mail soon.

The council OUGHT TO IMPROVE the bus service.

We HAVE TO PAY this bill.

They CAN'T REPAIR my car.

You NEEDN'T SEND this letter till tomorrow.

PASSIVE:

The check MUST BE SIGNED.
The cheque MUST NOT BE SIGNED until Friday.
Must the cheque be signed?

The mail SHOULD BE DELIVERED soon.
Mail SHOULDN'T BE DELIVERED LATE.
How often should the mail be delivered?

The bus service OUGHT TO BE IMPROVED
The bus service OUGHT NOT (OUGHTN'T) TO BE NEGLECTED.

This bill HAS TO BE PAID.
DOES IT HAVE TO BE PAID immediately?
It DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PAID until the weekend.

CAN your car BE REPAIRED?
It CAN BE REPAIRED but
it CAN'T BE REPAIRED at a reasonable price.

When DOES this letter NEED TO BE SENT?
It NEEDN'T BE SENT until tomorrow. or
It DOESN'T NEED TO BE SENT until tomorrow.