Can Be Make vs. Can Be Made – Which is Correct?
The correct phrase is “can be made,” not “can be make.” After the modal verb “can,” English uses the base form directly (“can make”) or the passive structure “can be” followed by a past participle (“can be made”). Because “made” is the past participle of “make,” this construction expresses possibility.
Can Be Make or Can Be Made – Which Is Correct?
“Can be made” is correct. The phrase “can be make” is a grammatical error caused by using the base form make after the passive auxiliary be. In a passive construction, be must be followed by a past participle, such as made, written, built, or completed.
Use can make for an active sentence: “The machine can make 100 items per hour.” Use can be made for a passive sentence: “The items can be made by the machine.”
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the “be plus past participle” test. Whenever you see can be, check whether the next word is a past participle. Since made is the past participle of make, the correct sequence is can be made. The phrase can be make fails this test because make is the base form.
Another useful comparison is:
- Active: The company can make the product.
- Passive: The product can be made by the company.
| Word or Phrase | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| can be make | Incorrect verb phrase | A nonstandard attempt to form the passive voice | Incorrect: The device can be make smaller. |
| can be made | Modal passive verb phrase | May or is able to be created, produced, or completed | The device can be made smaller. |
| can make | Modal active verb phrase | May or is able to create, produce, or complete something | The device can make precise measurements. |
How to Use Can Be Made
Can be made is a modal passive construction. It consists of the modal verb can, the auxiliary verb be, and the past participle made. It is used when something is possible, permitted, or capable of being created, changed, completed, or achieved.
This phrase is common in formal, neutral, and casual English. It is especially useful when the person or thing performing the action is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context. If the performer matters, you can add a by phrase.
Example 1: The repairs can be made before the inspection.
Example 2: This recipe can be made with fresh or frozen vegetables.
Example 3: A reasonable compromise can be made if both sides communicate openly.
The phrase can express several related meanings:
- Possibility: The payment can be made online.
- Ability: The adjustment can be made with a standard tool.
- Permission or acceptability: Exceptions can be made in unusual circumstances.
- Potential for change: The design can be made more efficient.
What Are the Different Forms of Can Be Made?
The phrase contains the irregular verb make. Its principal forms are make, made, and made. The base form follows modal verbs such as can in active sentences, while made, the past participle, follows be in passive sentences.
| Structure | Example |
|---|---|
| Base form: make | They can make a decision today. |
| Modal passive: can be made | A decision can be made today. |
| Past simple: made | They made a decision yesterday. |
| Present perfect: has or have made | They have made a decision. |
| Future passive: will be made | A final decision will be made tomorrow. |
Do not write can be makes, can be making, or can be make when you intend to form the standard modal passive. The correct structure is can be made.
Etymology of the Phrase Can Be Made
The phrase combines three words with different grammatical histories. Can comes from Old English and originally expressed knowledge or ability. Be descends from several Old English forms of the verb meaning “to exist.” Make comes from Old English macian, meaning “to prepare” or “to construct,” while made developed as its irregular past and past-participle form.
Related Concepts
Understanding active and passive voice makes the difference between can make and can be made much easier to recognize.
- Modal verbs: Words such as can, could, may, and should are followed by a base verb in active constructions, as in “can make.”
- Passive voice: A passive construction focuses on the receiver of an action. The usual pattern is a form of be plus a past participle, as in “can be made.”
- Past participles: A past participle is used in perfect and passive constructions. For make, the past participle is the irregular form made.
- Active voice: Active sentences place the performer before the verb, as in “The artist can make the sculpture.”
- Subject-verb structure: In “can be made,” the subject receives the action. In “can make,” the subject performs the action.
Examples from Media and Literature
The correct phrase can be made appears naturally in practical writing, journalism, fiction, and formal communication whenever writers discuss possibility, production, or change.
- News reporting: “The payment can be made online before the deadline.” This passive wording emphasizes the payment method rather than the person making the payment.
- Cooking articles: “The dish can be made in under thirty minutes.” The phrase highlights the recipe’s preparation time.
- Business writing: “A stronger offer can be made after the review.” This construction focuses on the offer and avoids naming the decision-maker.
- Historical writing: “The argument can be made that the reform changed public policy.” This formal pattern introduces a possible interpretation.
- Fictional dialogue: “A fresh start can be made anywhere.” Here, the passive structure gives the statement a general and reflective tone.
Can Be Made Synonyms
| Synonym or Alternative | Definition |
|---|---|
| Can be created | Can be brought into existence, especially an idea, design, or product |
| Can be produced | Can be manufactured or generated |
| Can be built | Can be constructed or assembled |
| Can be prepared | Can be arranged, organized, or made ready |
| Can be completed | Can be finished or brought to an end |
| Can be achieved | Can be successfully accomplished, usually referring to a goal or result |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “can be make” grammatically correct?
No. “Can be make” is incorrect in standard English because make is the base form, while a passive construction after can be requires the past participle made.
Question 2: Why is “can be made” correct?
“Can be made” follows the standard modal passive pattern: modal verb + be + past participle. In this phrase, can is the modal verb, be is the passive auxiliary, and made is the past participle of make.
Question 3: Should I use “can make” or “can be made”?
Use can make when the subject performs the action: “The factory can make the parts.” Use can be made when the subject receives the action: “The parts can be made at the factory.”
Conclusion
Can be made is the correct phrase, while can be make is a grammatical error. Use can make for the active voice and can be made for the passive voice. Remember the pattern can + be + past participle. Pro Tip: Using the correct form in professional emails, reports, and applications strengthens your credibility and helps readers trust your writing.
