Passive with modals & perfect tenses

Rules

• Rule 1: modal + be + past participle

  After can, could, must, should, might, may, will, have to, need to…, use the base form be, then the past participle.

  Pattern: modal + be + past participle

  Example: Dogs must be kept on a leash in the park.

  Example: This cake should be eaten today.

• Rule 2: questions and negatives

  In questions, the modal comes first. In negatives, not follows the modal. be and the past participle stay the same.

  Example: Can these shoes be washed?

  Example: The museum photos mustn't be shared online.

• Rule 3: perfect tenses → been

  Use has / have / had / will have + been + past participle. Past modals work the same way: should have been sent, might have been found.

  Pattern: has / have / had / will have + been + past participle

  Example: The pizza has been delivered.

  Example: By noon, the tickets will have been printed.

• Rule 4: continuous tenses → being

  is / are / was / were + being + past participle = something is (or was) being done at that moment.

  Pattern: am / is / are / was / were + being + past participle

  Example: The bridge is being painted this week.

  Example: When we arrived, lunch was being served.

Common mistakes

• The homework must finished today. → The homework must be finished today.

  Don't forget be after a modal.

• The road is been repaired. → The road is being repaired.

  Continuous tenses use being; been only follows have/has/had.

• The letter has sent. → The letter has been sent.

  A letter doesn't send itself: has been + past participle.