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Pemmican Posted 23 years ago
Grammar
Will/shall
I'm wondering about the usage of "shall" instead of "will" when expressing a future event.
In school, I actually only learned the form "will" to be used whenever I want to say something about an action or situation that will happen in the future.
While I was reading some more books about English grammar, I noticed that especially the older ones say that the common form for the 1st person singular and plural is shall, while all the other persons take will.
Is that still true today or has "shall" in the meantime lost its future-function?
I ususally avoid "shall" and I rather stick to "will" when I want to say something about a future-event or just shorten it to I'll or we'll, while I prefer using "shall" when I want to say that someone is ordered to do something.
What form is more proper, is shall still used for future tense or is it rather old-fashioned?
Are there maybe differences in American and British English concerning shall/will??
Thank you for your reply!
In school, I actually only learned the form "will" to be used whenever I want to say something about an action or situation that will happen in the future.
While I was reading some more books about English grammar, I noticed that especially the older ones say that the common form for the 1st person singular and plural is shall, while all the other persons take will.
Is that still true today or has "shall" in the meantime lost its future-function?
I ususally avoid "shall" and I rather stick to "will" when I want to say something about a future-event or just shorten it to I'll or we'll, while I prefer using "shall" when I want to say that someone is ordered to do something.
What form is more proper, is shall still used for future tense or is it rather old-fashioned?
Are there maybe differences in American and British English concerning shall/will??
Thank you for your reply!
Top answer
In Canadian: Will is for promises/predictions and future events. Shall is for formal rules and means "must". " sounds British to me.
- In Canadian: Will is for promises/predictions and future events.
- Shall is for formal rules and means "must".
- " sounds British to me.
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5 Answers
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In Canadian:
Will is for promises/predictions and future events.
Shall is for formal rules and means "must". "All applicants shall be present at an appeal hearing."
"Tomorrow, I shall go to the bank." sounds British to me.
"Tomorrow, I shall go to the bank." sounds British to me.
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What is the "it" to which you're referring?
And, what the heck is "standard" English?
Sorry if I sound caustic, but your reply is a little vague.
And, what the heck is "standard" English?
Sorry if I sound caustic, but your reply is a little vague.
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It is probably easier to describe what Standard English is NOT, rather than what it IS.
Please follow this link to a paper written on this subject by one Peter Trudgill.
http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/***/SEtrudgill.htm
Please follow this link to a paper written on this subject by one Peter Trudgill.
http://www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/***/SEtrudgill.htm
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So will it be ok when I stick to "will" whenever I want to express a future action and "shall" when I want to say what someone has to do or ought to do?
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