Passive Voice with Modal Verbs Exercises
B1-B2 Level
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Practise forming passive sentences with modal verbs such as can, must and should.
Review the grammar firstAll 20 questions
Rewrite the active sentence in the passive voice. Start your answer after the prompt.
You must finish this work today. (This work...)
This work
You can find this information online. (This information...)
This information
We should send the letter immediately. (The letter...)
The letter
You can do this exercise at home. (This exercise...)
This exercise
They might cancel the event. (The event...)
The event
Someone should clean this room. (This room...)
This room
You can't park cars here. (Cars...)
Cars
They may delay the flight. (The flight...)
The flight
You must keep food in the refrigerator. (Food...)
Food
They could hear the noise from miles away. (The noise...)
The noise
We should give children more opportunities. (Children...)
Children
You mustn't leave luggage unattended. (Luggage...)
Luggage
Someone ought to repair this road. (This road...)
This road
They would have to change the rules. (The rules...)
The rules
They might have stolen the painting. (The painting...)
The painting
Someone should have told us earlier. (We...)
We
They must have made a mistake. (A mistake...)
A mistake
Someone could have seen us. (We...)
We
They needn't have invited so many people. (So many people...)
So many people
They may have already sent the package. (The package...)
The package
Grammar review
For example, "This form must be completed in ink" gives an instruction without naming who must do it. "The results can be checked online" describes a possibility. "The report should be submitted by Friday" makes a recommendation. For past modal passives, use "modal + have been + past participle": "The email should have been sent yesterday" (but it wasn't). For negatives, add "not" after the modal: "Phones must not be used during the exam." For questions, move the modal before the subject: "Can this problem be solved?" Modal passives appear frequently in Cambridge B1 Preliminary, B2 First, and C1 Advanced exams. They are especially common in workplace English, official notices, and academic writing where an impersonal tone is preferred.
Quick Rule
Subject + modal + be + past participle (+ by agent) | modal + have been + past participle (past modal)
- 1.This essay must be handed in by Friday.
- 2.The files can be downloaded from the website.
- 3.Should the meeting be rescheduled?
- 4.The error could have been avoided with more care.
- 5.Tickets may not be exchanged after purchase.
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