Rediscovering Usage of Shall and Will - Common Use and Expression Intent !

Abstract: 

Shall" and "will" are both modal verbs used to form the future tense, but they have different uses and meanings: 

 

Traditional use

"Shall" is used with the first person ("I" and "we") and "will" is used with the second and third person ("you", "he", "she", "it", and "they"). 

 

Common use

Most English speakers use "will" in most contexts, and "shall" is used to sound more formal or old-fashioned. 

 

Meaning

"Will" is often used to express determination, inclination, or capability. "Shall" is often used to express intent or determination. 

 

Other uses

"Shall" is used in the question form to make an offer or suggestion with "I" or "we". "Shall" is also used in very formal statements, especially to describe obligations. 

 

Bureaucratic documents

"Shall" is still widely used in bureaucratic documents, especially documents written by lawyers. 

 

Commands

"Shall" can be used in commands, for example, "This door shall be kept closed at all times". 

Keywords:

Shall, Will, Meaning, Future Tense, Bureaucratic

Learning Outcomes

After undergoing this article you will be able to understand the following:

1. What's shall and will?

2. Why shall and will are used?

3. Where shall and will are use

4. How shall and will are used with different meanings?

5. Conclusions

6. FAQs

References 

1. What's shall and will?

"Will" and "shall" are both modal verbs that are used to form the future tense in English. They are auxiliary verbs, or helping verbs. 

 

The traditional rule for using "shall" and "will" is:

Shall: Use with the first person pronouns "I" and "we"

Will: Use with all other pronouns, including "you", "he", "she", "it", and "they" 

 

However, most English speakers no longer follow this rule, and the two words are often used interchangeably. "Will" is generally used for affirmative and negative sentences about the future, as well as for requests. "Shall" can be used to make an offer or suggestion in the question form, or in very formal statements, especially to describe obligations. 

 

"Shall" is still widely used in bureaucratic documents, especially those written by lawyers. However, the United States government's Plain Language group advises writers to avoid using the word because of its heavy misuse and ambiguous meaning. 

2. Why shall and will are used?

"Shall" and "will" are modal verbs used to express the future tense and convey different meanings: 

 

Will

Used for affirmative and negative sentences, requests, and predictions. For example, "I think it will rain tomorrow". "Will" can also convey an obligation or determination, such as "We will pay the money we promised". 

 

Shall

Used to express intent, determination, or to make an offer or suggestion. For example, "I shall go to the store" or "What do you think shall I buy this new phone?". "Shall" is more formal than "will" and is often used in bureaucratic documents and legal writing. 

 

In traditional grammar, "shall" was used in the first person and "will" was used in all other persons. However, most English speakers no longer follow this rule and the two words are often considered interchangeable. 

 

In legal writing, "shall" is often used to indicate that a provision is mandatory. 

 

3. Where shall and will are used

"Shall" and "will" are both helping verbs used to form the future tense in English, but they have some differences in usage: 

 

First or second person subject

"Shall" is used in questions to make an offer or suggestion with "I/we". "Will" is used for affirmative and negative sentences, requests, and making a prediction. 

 

Traditional rule

Traditionally, "shall" was used in the first person (I, we) and "will" was used in all other persons (you, he/she, they). However, most English speakers do not follow this rule. 

 

Bureaucratic documents

"Shall" is still widely used in bureaucratic documents, especially documents written by lawyers. 

 

Meaning

"Shall" can be ambiguous due to heavy misuse. The United States government's Plain Language group advises writers not to use the word at all. 

 

Here are some examples of "shall" and "will" in use: "Shall we dance?, "Shall I go now?, "You shall obey the rules, "Students shall not enter here, and "There shall be no food and drink on the premises. 

 

4. How shall and will are used with different meanings?

"Shall" is typically used to make offers, suggestions, or express a formal determination, primarily with "I" and "we," while "will" is used for general future tense statements, expressing personal intention, prediction, or a promise, and is used more widely across all pronouns; in modern English, "shall" is considered less common and often seen as overly formal. 

 

Key points about "shall" and "will": 

 

Formal usage:

"Shall" is considered more formal than "will" and is often used in older literature or when wanting to sound particularly authoritative. 

 

First person questions:

When asking a question with "I" or "we," "shall" is used to make an offer or suggestion. 

 

Example: "Shall I open the door?" (meaning "Do you want me to open the door?") 

 

General future tense:

"Will" is the standard way to express a future action for most situations. 

 

Example: "We will go to the beach tomorrow." 

 

5. Conclusions

Here are some conclusions about the use of "shall" and "will": 

 

Usage

"Will" is more commonly used in everyday conversation, while "shall" is more authoritative and is often used in legal language. 

 

Tone

"Will" is used for affirmative and negative sentences about the future, requests, and to express determination, inclination, or capability. "Shall" is used to make an offer or suggestion with "I/we", in very formal statements, and to emphasize obligations and commands. 

 

Traditional rule

Traditionally, "shall" was used in the first person and "will" was used in all other persons. However, most English speakers do not follow this rule and the two words are often considered to be interchangeable when forming the future tense. 

 

Legal implications

"Shall" is widely used in bureaucratic documents, especially documents written by lawyers. The United States government's Plain Language group advises writers not to use the word at all. 

 

Business contracts

Some legal drafting experts recommend using "shall" in business contracts to impose an obligation on a contractual party. 

 

6. FAQs

What comes after we shall or will?

The traditional rule is that shall is used with first person pronouns (i.e. I and we) to form the future tense, while will is used with second and third person forms (i.e. you, he, she, it, they). For example: I shall be late. They will not have enough vegetables.

References