48. Focus on: modals and present perfect passive phrasal verbs

In Section 43, we discussed the use of several modal and semimodal auxiliaries in the present perfect. These same modals and semimodals are commonly used in passive sentences. The modal or semimodal is followed by have or the contraction 've, been, and the past participle:

could + have + been + past participle would + have + been + past participle should + have + been + past participle have to + have + been + past participle must + have + been + past participle might + have + been + past participle may + have + been + past participle

Let's compare a present perfect active sentence containing a modal with a present perfect passive sentence containing a modal:

active: Jane might have switched on the light. passive: The light might have been switched on.

As we have seen, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. Also, there is no object in the passive sentence, so the pas­sive phrasal verb cannot be separated. The object of the active sentence can be used in a by phrase:

active: Jane might have switched on the light. passive: The light might have been switched on (by Jane).

And once again we see that it is not always easy to distinguish between a past participle:

The burglar alarm must have been switched off

(by the night manager because he's the only one with a key).

and a participle adjective:

The burglar alarm must have been switched off (because if it had been on, everyone in the neighborhood would have heard it when the burglars smashed the window of the jewelry store).

1. close... down p.v. When you close down a business or a business is closed down, it closes permanently or for a long time.

The restaurant was closed down by the health department.

The ski resort will close down for the summer on May 1.

1. knock... out p.v. When you knock people out, you hit them hard enough to cause them to lose consciousness. When people are knocked out, they are hit by someone or something hard enough to cause them to lose consciousness.

The boxer knocked his opponent out with a blow to the head.

David fell and hit his head on the sidewalk so hard that it knocked him out.

knockout n. A hit hard enough to cause someone to lose consciousness is a knockout.

At the count often the referee declared a knockout.

2. knock... out p.v. If something knocks you out, it impresses or surprises you a lot.

Tom's new house is fabulous! It really knocked me out.

The Youngs' daughter is only twelve and she's already in college? That just knocks me out.

knockout n. A knockout is something that impresses or surprises you a lot. Have you seen Erik's new girlfriend? She's a real knockout.

3. knock... out p.v. When you try very hard to please other people, you knock yourself out or knock yourself out to do something.

Marsha's Thanksgiving dinner was fabulous. She really knocked herself out.

Thanks for inviting me to spend the weekend with you, but don't knock yourself out — I don't mind sleeping on the couch.

4. knock... out p.v. When soldiers knock out a piece of the enemy's equipment, they destroy it or damage it enough so that it no longer operates.

The enemy radar installation was knocked out by a 500-pound bomb.

I can't contact headquarters. I think our communications system might have been knocked out during the attack.

1. look down on p.v. When you look down on people, you consider them to be less intelligent, less educated, or from a lower level of society than you.

Some people look down on Hank because his father was in prison.

Looking down on people because of things they have no control over is stupid.

1. look up to p.v. When you look up to people, you admire and respect them.

I've always looked up to my father because of his honesty and concern for others.

You should look up to people who have overcome difficulties to become successful.

1. put... back p.v. When you put something back, you return it to where it was before.

After you finish listening to my CDs, please put them back.

Susie, I told you we're eating dinner in ten minutes, so put that cookie right back!

2. put... back p.v. When something slows the development or progress of project, it puts the project back or it puts the people involved in the project back.

The hurricane put the hotel construction project back by at least three months.

I had planned to finish college last year, but being hospitalized for several months put me back.

3. put... back p.v. When you put back the date that you plan to do or complete something by, you postpone it.

The closing on the house I'm selling might have to be put back if the buyers can't get their loan approved in time.

The graduation date will have to be put back if the teachers strike doesn't end soon.

4. put... back p.v. [informal] When you put back alcoholic beverages, you drink a lot of them.

Did you see how much David was drinking last night? He sure can put it back.

I'm not surprised he has a hangover — he must have put back half a bottle of tequila.

1. switch ...off p.v. When you switch off an electrical or mechanical device, you change the controls to stop it from producing or doing something. Turn off is similar to switch off. Switch on is the opposite of switch off.

Try to remember to switch off the lights when you leave the room.

I switched the engine off and got out of the car.

switched off part.adj. After you have changed the controls of an electrical or mechanical device to stop it from producing or doing something, it is switched off. Switched on is the opposite of switched off. Turned off is similar to switched off.

Last night the light in the hallway was switched off, and I fell down the stairs. switch on

1. switch ...on p.v. When you switch on an electrical or mechanical device, you change the controls to make it start producing or doing something. Turn on is simi­lar to switch on. Switch off is the opposite of switch on.

Push this button to switch the computer on.

The sign should have been switched on by the manager in the morning.

switched on part.adj. After you have changed the controls of an electrical or mechanical device to make it start producing or doing something, it is switched on. Switched off is the opposite of switched on. Turned on is similar to switched on.

When I drove by the restaurant, I noticed that the sign wasn't switched on.

1. throw... out p.v. When you throw something out, you dispose of it by putting it in the wastebasket, trash, and so on. Throw away is the same as throw out.

l can't find some important papers, and I think they might've been accidentally thrown out.

Don't throw that newspaper out — I haven't read it yet.

2. throw... out (of) p.v. When you throw people out or throw people out of a group, place, building, or room, you order them to leave. Kick out is similar to throw out.

Frank started a fight and got thrown out of the bar.

I haven't paid the rent in six months, and I'm worried that the sheriff will come and throw us out.