Shall

Question

Should I never use 'shall'?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

whatchadoinShould I never use 'shall'?

Why not? One less word to master.

And while you're at it, why not toss 'may' and 'whom' as well?

CJ

Whatchadoin · Answer

Here's what I already know about the words.

'shall' - It isn't used as much these days. It is the same thing as 'will'. Don't get its meaning when asking questions, though. I hear it sometimes in questions like the following ones.

Shall we? - Can I use 'will' here?

____

'may' - It is exactly the same thing as 'might'. People tend not to use it in everyday speech. I don't, too. Its usage mainly occurs in formal writing. I once heard from this person who was a native speaker of AmE that the people who lived in her area would laugh at me if I used 'may' in casual conversations. You advised me not to use it in casual conversations, either. We have to use 'might' when backshifting.

____

'whom' - I don't remember the last time I heard this word. Some time ago, I read that this word wasn't used as much these days and that seems to be true. At least that is what I have noticed over the time. The word 'who' can always be its substitute, can't it? If I'm not mistaken the word 'whom' is something like 'it'. It refers to a person that has been mentioned earlier in a conversation. I'm not sure if I can use it when talking about objects. I'm sure you don't suggest your students use it in everyday speech, assuming that you're an english teacher.

____

I have a question that isn't related to the topic whatsoever!

Did you, as a child, have trouble using articles? Did your mom have to correct you sometimes?

CalifJim · Answer

whatchadoinShall we? - Can I use 'will' here?

No. Different meaning. In Shall we ...? you have shall in a first person question to make a suggestion. You can substitute Should we ...? or Do you think we should ...? or How about if we ...? and get the same general meaning. Will we ...? is purely future, like Are we going to ...?

whatchadoin'may' - ...

All your comments on may are correct.

whatchadoin'whom' - ... It refers to a person that has been mentioned earlier in a conversation. I'm not sure if I can use it when talking about objects.

Right. It refers to a person, never to an object.

As long as you phrase your sentences so that you don't have to make a choice between who and whom after a preposition, you can always substitute who for whom, but after a preposition you'll need whom.

You'll also have to use whom in all the correct places in formal writing.

whatchadoinDid you, as a child, have trouble using articles? Did your mom have to correct you sometimes?

No. No. Kids pick up this kind of thing automatically without even thinking about it.

CJ

AlpheccaStars · Answer

whatchadoinDid you, as a child, have trouble using articles? Did your mom have to correct you sometimes?

I don't remember my own baby-talk, but other babies learning to speak have trouble with the irregularities and oddities of the language. After children get to age 5 or so, they have a natural feel for articles.

whatchadoinShall we? - Can I use 'will' here?

"Will we" has a different meaning than "Shall we"

Shall we dance? - Old fashioned, polite invitation at a ballroom dance, when a man invites a woman to be his dance partner.

Also, if you are aspiring to the legal profession, you had better learn "shall." It is part of that lingo.

BarbaraPA · Answer

While I don't distinguish between "may" and "might" I certainly don't find "may" laughable. I don't understand that comment.

I use both "may" and "might" interchangeably. I can't imagine laughing at someone who used it.

Shall

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions