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Using modal verbs in passive constructions.
Practice: build the sentences →Modal passive constructions combine a modal verb with the passive form of the main verb.
They allow speakers to express meanings such as obligation, possibility, probability, permission, prediction, and advice while focusing on the receiver of the action.
The report must be completed by Friday.
Отчёт должен быть завершён к пятнице.
Modal passive: must be + past participle. Expresses obligation.
The package may be delivered tomorrow.
Посылка, возможно, будет доставлена завтра.
May be + past participle. Expresses possibility.
The problem should be solved soon.
Проблема должна быть скоро решена.
Should be + past participle. Expresses advice/expectation.
The basic modal passive pattern is modal + be + past participle.
For example, The report must be completed, The door should be locked, and The problem may be solved soon.
The report must be completed.
Отчёт должен быть завершён.
must + be + past participle.
The door should be locked.
Дверь следует запереть.
should + be + past participle.
The problem may be solved soon.
Проблема, возможно, будет скоро решена.
may + be + past participle.
Can be + past participle expresses general possibility, capability, or permission in the passive.
For example, The device can be repaired and The form can be downloaded online.
The device can be repaired.
Устройство можно отремонтировать.
can be + past participle. General possibility.
The form can be downloaded online.
Форму можно скачать онлайн.
can be + past participle. Permission/possibility.
The error can be corrected easily.
Ошибку можно легко исправить.
can be + past participle. Capability.
Could be + past participle expresses possible or hypothetical passive situations.
For example, The problem could be solved another way and The building could be demolished.
The problem could be solved another way.
Проблему можно было бы решить иначе.
could be + past participle. Hypothetical possibility.
The building could be demolished.
Здание могло бы быть снесено.
could be + past participle. Possible future.
The meeting could be postponed.
Встреча могла бы быть отложена.
could be + past participle. Tentative possibility.
May be + past participle expresses possible passive situations.
For example, The package may be delivered tomorrow and The information may be stored elsewhere.
The package may be delivered tomorrow.
Посылка, возможно, будет доставлена завтра.
may be + past participle. Possibility.
The information may be stored elsewhere.
Информация, возможно, хранится в другом месте.
may be + past participle. Present possibility.
The event may be cancelled.
Мероприятие, возможно, будет отменено.
may be + past participle. Future possibility.
Might be + past participle expresses a tentative or uncertain possibility.
For example, The meeting might be postponed and The documents might be lost.
The meeting might be postponed.
Встреча, возможно, будет отложена.
might be + past participle. Tentative possibility.
The documents might be lost.
Документы, возможно, потеряны.
might be + past participle. Uncertain possibility.
The road might be closed later.
Дорога, возможно, будет закрыта позже.
might be + past participle. Future uncertainty.
Must be + past participle can express strong obligation or necessity affecting the subject.
For example, The form must be signed before submission.
The form must be signed before submission.
Форма должна быть подписана перед подачей.
must be + past participle. Strong obligation.
All safety rules must be followed.
Все правила безопасности должны соблюдаться.
must be + past participle. Necessity.
The equipment must be checked regularly.
Оборудование должно регулярно проверяться.
must be + past participle. Requirement.
Should be + past participle expresses advice, recommendation, expectation, or a desirable state.
For example, The documents should be checked carefully and The problem should be addressed immediately.
The documents should be checked carefully.
Документы следует внимательно проверить.
should be + past participle. Advice/recommendation.
The problem should be addressed immediately.
Проблему следует немедленно решить.
should be + past participle. Desirable action.
The report should be submitted by Friday.
Отчёт следует представить к пятнице.
should be + past participle. Expectation.
Will be + past participle expresses a future passive event, prediction, decision, or promise.
For example, The results will be announced tomorrow.
The results will be announced tomorrow.
Результаты будут объявлены завтра.
will be + past participle. Future passive event.
The new policy will be implemented soon.
Новая политика будет введена вскоре.
will be + past participle. Prediction/decision.
The winner will be selected by the jury.
Победитель будет выбран жюри.
will be + past participle. Future event.
Would be + past participle occurs in hypothetical, conditional, and reported contexts.
For example, The proposal would be rejected if it were too expensive.
The proposal would be rejected if it were too expensive.
Предложение было бы отклонено, если бы оно было слишком дорогим.
would be + past participle. Hypothetical conditional.
The event would be cancelled if it rained.
Мероприятие было бы отменено, если бы пошёл дождь.
would be + past participle. Hypothetical future.
He said the work would be finished by Monday.
Он сказал, что работа будет закончена к понедельнику.
would be + past participle. Reported future in the past.
The modal perfect passive is formed with modal + have been + past participle.
For example, The report should have been completed earlier and The documents may have been lost.
The report should have been completed earlier.
Отчёт следовало завершить раньше.
should have been + past participle. Past criticism/regret.
The documents may have been lost.
Документы, возможно, были потеряны.
may have been + past participle. Past possibility.
The mistake must have been noticed.
Ошибка, должно быть, была замечена.
must have been + past participle. Past deduction.
Could have been + past participle can express a possible past passive event or an unrealized opportunity.
For example, The problem could have been avoided and The award could have been given to another candidate.
The problem could have been avoided.
Проблемы можно было избежать.
could have been + past participle. Unrealized possibility.
The award could have been given to another candidate.
Награду можно было бы присудить другому кандидату.
could have been + past participle. Missed opportunity.
The letter could have been sent yesterday.
Письмо можно было отправить вчера.
could have been + past participle. Possible but not done.
May have been + past participle expresses a possible past passive event.
For example, The message may have been deleted.
The message may have been deleted.
Сообщение, возможно, было удалено.
may have been + past participle. Past possibility.
The keys may have been left in the car.
Ключи, возможно, оставили в машине.
may have been + past participle. Past possibility.
Might have been + past participle expresses a tentative possibility about a past passive event.
For example, The wrong file might have been uploaded.
The wrong file might have been uploaded.
Возможно, был загружен не тот файл.
might have been + past participle. Tentative past possibility.
The email might have been sent to the wrong address.
Письмо, возможно, было отправлено не по адресу.
might have been + past participle. Uncertain past.
Must have been + past participle expresses a strong deduction about a past passive event or state.
For example, The documents must have been sent yesterday.
The documents must have been sent yesterday.
Документы, должно быть, были отправлены вчера.
must have been + past participle. Strong deduction about past.
The window must have been broken by the storm.
Окно, должно быть, было разбито штормом.
must have been + past participle. Deduction.
Should have been + past participle expresses past expectation, advice, criticism, or an action that was expected but did not happen as intended.
For example, The report should have been submitted yesterday.
The report should have been submitted yesterday.
Отчёт следовало представить вчера.
should have been + past participle. Past expectation/criticism.
The mistake should have been corrected earlier.
Ошибку следовало исправить раньше.
should have been + past participle. Regret/criticism.
Must be, have to be, need to be, and should be can express different degrees of obligation or necessity in passive constructions.
For example, All applications must be submitted online, while Supporting documents should be included.
All applications must be submitted online.
Все заявки должны быть поданы онлайн.
must be + past participle. Strong obligation.
Supporting documents should be included.
Подтверждающие документы должны быть приложены.
should be + past participle. Recommendation.
The form has to be signed by both parties.
Форма должна быть подписана обеими сторонами.
has to be + past participle. External obligation.
May be, might be, and could be can express different possible passive situations.
For example, The flight may be delayed, The road might be closed, and The problem could be fixed.
The flight may be delayed.
Рейс, возможно, задержат.
may be + past participle. Possibility.
The road might be closed.
Дорога, возможно, закрыта.
might be + past participle. Tentative possibility.
The problem could be fixed.
Проблема могла бы быть исправлена.
could be + past participle. Possible solution.
Must be and cannot be can express strong conclusions about a present passive state.
For example, The door must be locked and The file cannot be deleted by the current user.
The door must be locked.
Дверь, должно быть, заперта.
must be + past participle. Strong deduction about present state.
The file cannot be deleted by the current user.
Файл не может быть удалён текущим пользователем.
cannot be + past participle. Impossibility.
The lights are on, so someone must be home.
Свет горит, значит, кто-то, должно быть, дома.
must be + past participle? Actually this is active. But passive deduction: The window must be broken.
Must have been and cannot have been followed by a past participle can express strong conclusions about past passive events.
For example, The file must have been deleted and The message cannot have been sent by her.
The file must have been deleted.
Файл, должно быть, был удалён.
must have been + past participle. Strong deduction about past.
The message cannot have been sent by her.
Сообщение не могло быть отправлено ею.
cannot have been + past participle. Impossibility about past.
Must not be + past participle expresses a prohibition against a passive action.
For example, The equipment must not be touched.
The equipment must not be touched.
К оборудованию нельзя прикасаться.
must not be + past participle. Prohibition.
The door must not be left open.
Дверь нельзя оставлять открытой.
must not be + past participle. Prohibition.
Does not have to be and need not be can express that a passive action is unnecessary.
For example, The form does not have to be completed today and The documents need not be submitted again.
The form does not have to be completed today.
Форму не обязательно заполнять сегодня.
does not have to be + past participle. Lack of necessity.
The documents need not be submitted again.
Документы не нужно подавать повторно.
need not be + past participle. Lack of necessity (formal).
Modal passive constructions can occur in conditional clauses and results.
For example, The application could be approved if all requirements are met.
The application could be approved if all requirements are met.
Заявка могла бы быть одобрена, если все требования выполнены.
could be + past participle in conditional result.
If the button is pressed, the alarm will be activated.
Если нажать кнопку, сигнализация будет активирована.
will be + past participle in conditional.
Modal passives are common in formal, academic, technical, and professional writing.
They are useful for expressing procedures, requirements, possibilities, recommendations, and cautious conclusions.
The samples must be stored at a low temperature.
Образцы должны храниться при низкой температуре.
must be + past participle. Formal requirement.
The results should be interpreted with caution.
Результаты следует интерпретировать с осторожностью.
should be + past participle. Academic recommendation.
The data may be analyzed using statistical software.
Данные могут быть проанализированы с помощью статистического программного обеспечения.
may be + past participle. Possibility in academic writing.
Use modal + be + past participle for present or future passive meanings and modal + have been + past participle for past passive meanings.
Common mistakes include omitting be, using the past tense instead of the past participle, using have instead of have been, and confusing must be with must have been.
The report must completed.
Отчёт должен быть завершён.
Incorrect: missing be. Should be "must be completed".
The letter was send yesterday.
Письмо было отправлено вчера.
Incorrect: use past participle "sent", not base form.
The work must have be finished.
Работа, должно быть, была закончена.
Incorrect: use "been", not "be", after have.
The door must be lock.
Дверь должна быть заперта.
Incorrect: use past participle "locked".