Item 7

Item 7

Modal verbs in Passive Voice

Modal verb + be + F4

can /could

may /might

shall /should    +    be   + F4

will / would                

must /have to

ought to

[S] can + F1 vt & + (object)             <&-----adverbial particle>

[Os] can + be F4& + by (the agent)

[Ali] can lift up  (the stone).

[The stone] can be lifted up by  (Ali).

[Tom] could keep (a Rottweiler) /ˈr ɒ twaIlər/ last year.   

[A Rottweiler] could be kept by Tom last year.

[Tina] may buy  (a bicycle).

[A bicycle] may be bought by Tina.

[Hassan] might sell off (the old bicycle).

[The old bicycle] might be sold off by (Hassan).

[Helen] will make (a jelly cake) for her mother. 

[A jelly cake] will be made by Helen for her mother.

[Albert] would repair  (the window) himself.

[The window] would be repaired by Albert himself.

[We] shall listen to (our elders’ advice).

[Our elders’ advice] shall be listened to by us.

[They] should obey  (the school rules and regulations).

[The school rules and regulations] should be obeyed by them.

[James] must practise (the classical instrument) every day.

[The classical instrument] must be practised by James every day.

*[James] has to practise (the classical instrument) every day.

  [The classical instrument] has to be practised by James every day.                         

   Infinitive with ‘to’         to F1  ------------------to be F4

* [Madam Lu] ought to prepare a balanced diet for her family. 

[A balanced diet] ought to be prepared by Madam Lu for her family.