MODALS OF DEDUCTION

We use modal verbs to say how sure we are about something.

Must

We use must when we feel sure that something is true because there’s very

strong evidence.

 He must live near here because he comes to work on foot.  We don’t know
where he lives but we’re sure it’s not far away.
 Come inside and get warm – you must be freezing out there.
 You’re a zookeeper? That must be very interesting.

Notice that must is followed by an infinitive without ‘to’.

Might

We use might, to say that we think something is possible but we’re not sure.

 Did you hear that? I think there might be a burglar downstairs.  She’s not
sure there’s a burglar but she thinks it’s possible.
 We’ll try to get there early but we may arrive late if there’s a lot of traffic.
 Don’t put it up there. It could fall off and hit someone.

Might, is also followed by an infinitive without ‘to’.

Can’t

We use can’t when we feel sure something is not true.

 It can’t be a burglar. All the doors and windows are locked.  He doesn’t
know it’s not a burglar but he feels sure it’s not.
 It can’t be far away now. We’ve been driving for hours. Where’s the map?
 Really? He has to work on Christmas Day? He can’t feel very happy about
that.

Like the other verbs, can’t is followed by an infinitive without ‘to’.

 THE PASSIVE VOICE
The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or thing that is the subject
of an action, rather than the person or thing that performs the action. In other
words, the most important person or thing becomes the subject of the sentence.

EXAMPLES:
The passive voice is used frequently. (=we are interested in the passive voice, not
who uses it.)
The house was built in 1654. (=we are interested in the house, not who built it.)
The road is being repaired. (=we are interested in the road, not who is fixing it.)
Sometimes we use the passive voice because we don’t know or don’t want to
mention who performed the action.
EXAMPLES:
I noticed that a window had been left open.
Every year thousands of people are killed on our roads.
All the cookies have been eaten.
My car has been stolen!
The speech is written for the president
The house was built in 1975
My wallet has been stolen.
The room will be cleaned while we are out.

Passive voice is often used in formal texts. Switching to active voice will make what
you write more clear and easy to read.
PASIVE ACTIVE
A great deal of meaning is conveyed A few well-chosen words convey a
by a few well-chosen words great deal of meaning.

Our planet is wrapped in a mass of A mass of gases wrap around our

gases. planet.

Waste materials are disposed of in a The city disposes of waste materials in

 variety of ways. a variety of ways.

If we want to say who or what does the action in a passive construction, we use the
preposition "by". When we know who performed the action and the subject
interests us, it is always better to opt for the active voice

PASIVE ACTIVE
"A Hard Day's Night" was written by the The Beatles wrote "A Hard Day's
Beatles Night".

The movie ET was directed by Spielberg directed the movie ET.

Spielberg
This house was built by my father My father built this house

TRAINING OF PASSIVE VOICE

In English, the passive voice is composed of two elements:
the appropriate form of the verb "to be" + "past participle"

Afirmative Negative Interrogative Interrogative

Negative
The house was The house wasn't Was the house Wasn't the house
built in 1899. built in 1899 built in 1899? built in 1899?
These houses These houses Were these Weren't these
were built in 1899 weren't built in houses built in houses built in
1899. 1899? 1899?