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ARVIND Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Will, shall usage
could anyone please tell when & where to use will and shall.
Top answer
Shall is the first person singular and plural form of will: I/we shall You/he/she/it/they will In British English shall is still used, but is becoming less common. In American English shall is not normally used. Probably the area where shall is most common (especially in British English) is for making offers and suggestions and asking for decisions and instructions: Shall I make some tea?
- Shall is the first person singular and plural form of will: I/we shall You/he/she/it/they will In British English shall is still used, but is becoming less common.
- In American English shall is not normally used.
- Probably the area where shall is most common (especially in British English) is for making offers and suggestions and asking for decisions and instructions: Shall I make some tea?
- Shall we visit the neighbours?
- When shall we have your answer?
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10 Answers
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Shall is the first person singular and plural form of will:
I/we shall
You/he/she/it/they will
In British English shall is still used, but is becoming less common. In American English shall is not normally used. Probably the area where shall is most common (especially in British English) is for making offers and suggestions and asking for decisions and instructions:
I/we shall
You/he/she/it/they will
In British English shall is still used, but is becoming less common. In American English shall is not normally used. Probably the area where shall is most common (especially in British English) is for making offers and suggestions and asking for decisions and instructions:
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So how would you answer them? Could you give us an example. Thanks in advance.
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Some examples of potential answers.
"Shall I make some tea?" -- "Yes, please!"
"Shall we visit the neighbors?" -- "What a good idea!" or "Good Grief! Why? They are horrible!"
"When shall we have your answer?" -- "You will have it when I figure out what you are asking of me."
"How shall we find you?" -- "Well, you may (or 'can' if you want to imply capabili
"Shall I make some tea?" -- "Yes, please!"
"Shall we visit the neighbors?" -- "What a good idea!" or "Good Grief! Why? They are horrible!"
"When shall we have your answer?" -- "You will have it when I figure out what you are asking of me."
"How shall we find you?" -- "Well, you may (or 'can' if you want to imply capabili
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Actually, the usage of will/shall is not dependent on person at all: one can just as easily say I will or he shall. These are correct. The difference is in an elusive difference in meaning between will and shall. They express different intentions. In first person, shall is a prediction, will is a promise. In any other person, it is the reverse. A simple foray into a good dictionary will tell you
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If I may elaborate on that explanation a little:
In the first person "shall" may be effectively substituted with "am/are going to".
In the second and third person, "will" (not "shall") performs this function.
However, using the other form ("shall" instead of "will" or vice versa), implies determination on the part of the speaker (not on the part of the subject of t
In the first person "shall" may be effectively substituted with "am/are going to".
In the second and third person, "will" (not "shall") performs this function.
However, using the other form ("shall" instead of "will" or vice versa), implies determination on the part of the speaker (not on the part of the subject of t
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Very well explained, Rommie!
And how about:
"Let's go, shall we?"
Is it commonly used?
And how about:
"Let's go, shall we?"
Is it commonly used?
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It's commonly used in Britain. I can't answer for America, where the will/shall distinction seems to have been at least partially lost.
The easiest way to think of question forms is that "Shall we?" is a question to which the answer must be either "We shall" or "We shall not". (And similarly, "Will we?" is a question to which the answer must be either "We will" or "We will not".)
The easiest way to think of question forms is that "Shall we?" is a question to which the answer must be either "We shall" or "We shall not". (And similarly, "Will we?" is a question to which the answer must be either "We will" or "We will not".)
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In America, "shall we?" is also commonly used as a polite question.
Rarely, "will we?" is used, but not in the colloquial form. "Will we kill all the whales at last?" could be one example.
Mirapence
Rarely, "will we?" is used, but not in the colloquial form. "Will we kill all the whales at last?" could be one example.
Mirapence
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