B1

Modal Passive — Exercises on will be done, must be signed

Practice will and modal passives: will, can, must and should + be + past participle for rules, notices and future arrangements.

  1. Mobile phones ___ during the exam.

    • can't be used
    • can't use
    • can't been used
    Show answer

    can't be used

    Modal + 'be' + past participle: 'can't be used'. Right after a modal, use 'be', not 'been'. Phones don't use anything, so active 'can't use' is wrong.

  2. Don't worry — the package ___ to your door before 6 pm.

    • will be delivered
    • will deliver
    • will delivered
    Show answer

    will be delivered

    Future passive: 'will be' + past participle. The package doesn't deliver anything — someone delivers it. 'Will delivered' is missing 'be'.

  3. All forms must ___ before you hand them in.

    • be signed
    • sign
    • been signed
    • signed
    Show answer

    be signed

    Modal + 'be' + past participle: 'must be signed'. You sign the forms; the forms don't sign anything. Right after 'must', use 'be', not 'been'.

  4. The exam results ___ online next Friday.

    • will be published
    • will publish
    • are publishing
    Show answer

    will be published

    Future + someone publishes the results → 'will be published'. The results can't publish anything, so 'will publish' and 'are publishing' don't work.

  5. Medicines should ___ out of the reach of children.

    • be kept
    • keep
    • be keep
    • been kept
    Show answer

    be kept

    Someone should keep the medicines somewhere → 'should be kept'. After 'be', use the participle 'kept', not the base form; right after a modal, 'be', not 'been'.

  6. This door mustn't ___ open at night.

    • be left
    • leave
    • been left
    • left
    Show answer

    be left

    Nobody is allowed to leave the door open → 'mustn't be left'. The negative goes on the modal; the rest stays 'be' + past participle.

Will and Modal Passives: Modal + be + Past Participle

After will, can, must, should and could, the passive is always be plus the past participle: The package will be delivered before 6 pm, Mobile phones can't be used during the exam, All forms must be signed, Medicines should be kept out of the reach of children. This pattern is everywhere in rules, notices, instructions and official announcements, where the instruction applies to everyone and naming the person would be strange. Because a modal is always followed by a base form, the word that comes straight after it is be, never been: must be signed, not must been signed. Negatives go on the modal and leave the rest unchanged — This door mustn't be left open — and the active form, The form must sign, is wrong for the same reason as every other active-for-passive error: the form doesn't sign anything.

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