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Anonymous Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Using "shall".

Using "shall".

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Do you use these, or similar, in your variant of English?

1) I shall be back soon, so don't worry.

2) Shall I get some drinks in?

3) You shall do exactly as I say!

4) What shall we have for supper tonight? Any ideas?
  

Top answer

I do make use of them in formal written publications. Numbers 1, 2, and 4 are simple future tense. No.

— Ikia

  • I do make use of them in formal written publications.
  • Numbers 1, 2, and 4 are simple future tense.
  • No.
  • 3 is the emphatic fuure tense.
  • My experience has been that, if you know them, use them.
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5 Answers
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I do make use of them in formal written publications. Numbers 1, 2, and 4 are simple future tense. No. 3 is the emphatic fuure tense.

My experience has been that, if you know them, use them. Every editor I've worked with knows the correct uses for shall and will.

In general written English and speech, however, the use of shall and will appear to be interchangeable. Also, if you
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In my variant of English, no, I don't use them -- not in everyday conversation, at least.

1) I'll be back soon ...
2) Should I get some drinks?
3) You'll do exactly ...
4) What should we have ...

I do hear the second one sometimes (Shall I ...?), but not the others, except very rarely.
Everybody knows them passively, of course, because they do com
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There might be a preference of using "shall" in British English, while "should" is preferred in the same contexts in American English.

That's at least been a topic of a research a professor of mine discussed once.

All the best

-Pemmican
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Pemmican,
That sounds entirely reasonable to me.
It "rings true".
Jim
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1) I will be back soon, so don worry.
2)Can I get some drinks in?
3) You must do exactly as I say.
4What can we have for supper tonight? Any ideas?
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