Passive Voice with Modals and Perfect Forms

Master passive voice with modals and perfect forms. Learn how to say 'should have been done' and 'might have been sent' with clear examples.

  • المسار: اللغة الإنجليزية
  • القسم: القواعد
  • المستوى: B2
  • وقت القراءة: 2 دقيقة
  • آخر تحديث: 20 أغسطس 2026

A Report That Went Wrong Imagine your manager calls you in and says: "This report should have been submitted yesterday. It must have been lost somewhere. Can it be resent immediately?" In three sentences, she used the passive voice with modals three times — and not one of them was simple. That's the power of passive voice with modals . It lets you talk about responsibility, possibility, and necessity without always naming who did — or didn't do — something. The Rule: How to Build It The structure is straightforward once you see the pattern: Modal + be + past participle → present/future meanin…

الأسئلة الشائعة

What is the difference between 'must be done' and 'must have been done'?
'Must be done' refers to the present or future — something is necessary now or soon. 'Must have been done' refers to the past — you are expressing certainty that something happened.
Can I use any modal verb in this structure?
Yes — modals like can, could, may, might, must, should, and will all follow the same pattern with 'be' or 'have been' plus a past participle.
Do I always need to include the agent (by + person) in passive modal sentences?
No — the agent is often left out, especially when it is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context. Including it is optional.
Why do Arab learners often drop 'have' in this structure?
In Arabic, the equivalent meaning is expressed differently without a direct equivalent of 'have been,' so learners naturally skip it. Always remember the full chain: modal + have + been + past participle.