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Teal lime Posted 7 years ago
Grammar

Shall in AmE and BrE

How common is the use of "shall" in American and British English?

Thank you.

  

Top answer

Very uncommon in American English. Only used by educated speakers. " I think it is more common in British English than in American.

— Shermla

  • Very uncommon in American English.
  • Only used by educated speakers.
  • " I think it is more common in British English than in American.
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3 Answers
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Very uncommon in American English. Only used by educated speakers. A Google search shows "will" about a thousand times more frequent than "shall."

I think it is more common in British English than in American.

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"Shall" is rare in American English. It is not used in everyday AmEng except rather facetiously as "Shall we go?" and the like. It is also used rather bombastically to add a flourish of verbal dignity to pronouncements such as "We Shall Overcome" or "I shall return", with no regard at all for the grammar of it.

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teal lime

How common is the use of "shall" in American and British English?

Thank you.

You can live your entire life in the U.S. without ever saying "shall", and I'm convinced that some people do just that.

It is used, if it is used at all, when asking a first person question (Shall I ...? Shall we ...?) to give a suggestion.

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