LEG 7.3. – The Passive Voice: Modals
FORM
Active |
Passive |
You can find employment legislation in the Labour Code. | Employment legislation can be found in the Labour Code. |
The test was so difficult that noone could pass. | The test was so difficult that it could not be passed. |
The President of the Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the government must tackle the burdens of the SMEs. | The President of the Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry said burdens of the SMEs. must be tackled. |
We will have to evaluate the new procedure regularly. | The new procedure will have to be evaluated regularly. |
They would earn higher profit, if their company merged into our company. | Higher profit would be earned if their company merged into our company. |
Minors may enter into contracts for neccessaries. | Contracts for neccessaries may be entered into by minors. |
You might have to check the Forint exchange rate first. | The Forint exchange rate might have to be checked first. |
The Contractor shall provide the above listed services to the Client as of 1st April, 2022. | The above listed services shall be provided to the Client by the Contractor as of 1st April, 2022. |
You should submit the tender in three original copies. | Tenders should be submitted in three original copies. |
You could have drafted the SPA a few days earlier. | The SPA could have been drafted earlier. |
They should have signed an NDA before starting the negotiations. | An NDA should have been signed before starting the negotiations. |
USES
1 Writing in formal style
When writing in a formal style ( e.g. reports, minutes of meetings ) we often choose an impersonal style by using the passive and beginning sentences with it.
It was agreed to increase the share capital.
It was considered to be an unacceptable alternative.
It has now been decided to postpone the proposed construction.
Another common way of reporting what is said or thought is to use it + passive + that-clause
It was agreed that the share capital should be increased.
It was felt that some economies had to be made.
Other verbs used in this pattern include:
announce, claim, discover, estimate, expect, know, mention, propose, recommend, suggest, think, and understand.
EXERCISE 1
Formal style. Match the sentence halves appropriately.
Earlier, the writ of summons …
Make sure that your mobile phone …
AII tenders and supporting documents …
Your registration for the conference …
As requested, the sum of HUF 75 million …
The full articles of association …
Damages in the amount of HUF 100 million …
Our acceptance of your offer …
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EXERCISE 2
Freedom of choice? Put the words in brackets into the appropriate form, using the passive when necessary.
Perhaps no issue 1 __________ (discuss) more often than the rights and freedoms of the individual – how far should the state 2 _________ (decide) what is best for us, and how far should we 3 __________ (have) the right to control our own lives? Even in countries where social and political values are very similar, the laws about some of the world’s most controversial issues can 4 __________ (be) very different.
In the Netherlands, the law 5 __________ (allow) doctors to help terminally ill patients to die if the patient 6 __________ (state) repeatedly that this is their wish. The doctor must 7 ___________ (follow) very strict guidelines, and must be prepared to defend the decision in court. However, unlike in most other countries, he cannot 8 ____________ (prosecute) if he has 9 ___________ (follow) the guidelines correctly. Elsewhere in the world ‘Voluntary Euthanasia’ groups 10 __________ (continue) to campaign for the right to decide if you no longer wish to live.
The second amendment of the constitution of the United States 11 ___________ (mean) that every citizen has the right to own and carry a gun if they wish to. In most other western democracies, the law is very different – the ownership of guns 12 __________ (strictly control). In Britain following terrible tragedies, all privately owned handguns 13 ___________ (now ban).
(…)
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Kapcsolódó tartalmak:

Contract Law III - Task 1

Contract Law III - Task 2

Contract Law III - Task 3
YOUR PROGRESS MAP IN THE "LEGAL ENGLISH GRAMMAR" COURSE
LEG 1.1. – The Present Continuous Tense
LEG 7.1. – The Passive Voice: Present Tenses
LEG 8.1. – Conditionals: First Conditional
LEG 8.2. – Conditionals: Second Conditional
LEG 8.3. – Conditionals: Third Conditional
LEG 8.4. – Conditionals: Zero and Mixed Conditionals

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