Change the following sentence from active to passive:
The staff might have been installing the new server last night.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
Correct Answer
The new server might have been installed last night by the staff.
Explanation
Core Meaning: The active sentence uses a modal perfect continuous structure ("might have been installing") to express a past possibility. When converting to the passive voice, the direct object "the new server" becomes the subject, and the verb phrase must transition to a passive modal perfect form (Modal + have + been + Past Participle), which yields might have been installed. This structure accurately preserves both the past timeline and the element of possibility without altering the original meaning.
Key Points
Core Definition: Converting a sentence from active to passive voice requires shifting the direct object to the subject position while maintaining the identical aspect, tense, and modal verbs of the original sentence.
Grammatical Role: Restructuring a modal perfect construction into its corresponding passive participle form without altering the semantic meaning of the timeline.