5. Passive Voice + Basic Modal Forms

Basic modal forms can be used in the passive voice by combining: modal + to be/to have been + past participle: EXAMPLE: will I will write it will be written may I may write it may be written may have I may have written it may have been written, etc. We form the passive voice with the verb 'to be' and the past particle. The passive forms are: Simple present tense EXAMPLE: The letter is written by her. (Active: She writes the letter.) Present continuous tense EXAMPLE: The letter is being written by her. (Active: She is writing the letter.) Present perfect tense EXAMPLE: The letter has been written by her. (Active: She has written the letter.) Simple past tense EXAMPLE: The letter was written by her. (Active: She wrote the letter.) Past continuous tense EXAMPLE: The letter was being written by her. (Active: She was writing the letter.) Past perfect tense EXAMPLE: The letter had been written by her. (Active: She had written the letter.) Simple future tense EXAMPLE: The letter will be written by her. (Active: She will write the letter.) Future perfect tense EXAMPLE: The letter will have been written by her. (Active: She will have written the letter.) Infinitive: EXAMPLE: The letter has to be written. (Active: She has to write the letter.) Modals: EXAMPLE: The letter will/may be written. (Active: She will/may write the letter.) Note: The present perfect continuous, the past perfect continuous, the future continuous, and the future perfect continuous tenses are not normally used in the passive voice.