Do I/we... vs Shall I/we...

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EagerSeeker  #523033  Wed, 04 Jun 08 06:14 PM

Hey guys,

I have problems with understanding the differences between shall and do structures in the same kinds of questions.

I feel that I could use both structures to express the same thing or what do you think about the following

examples:

1) Hey, shall I send you the book? / Hey, do I send you the book?

2) Hey, shall we go to lunch? / Hey, do we go to lunch?

3 Hey, what shall we do this weekend? / Hey, what do we do this weekend?

 

Thanks :)

 

 

  
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Mr Wordy  #523043  Wed, 04 Jun 08 06:50 PM

In (1) and (2), I'd use "shall" to propose doing the thing mentioned and ask whether the other person agreed. I'd use "do" only if there was a set procedure to be followed, in order to ask whether I/we now ought to do the thing mentioned.

(3) is similar. The "shall" form asks for the other person's ideas; the "do" form suggests that there's a timetable of activities planned and asks what's scheduled for this weekend.

  
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EagerSeeker  #523060  Wed, 04 Jun 08 07:59 PM

Mr Wordy

In (1) and (2), I'd use "shall" to propose doing the thing mentioned and ask whether the other person agreed. I'd use "do" only if there was a set procedure to be followed, in order to ask whether I/we now ought to do the thing mentioned.

(3) is similar. The "shall" form asks for the other person's ideas; the "do" form suggests that there's a timetable of activities planned and asks what's scheduled for this weekend.

So do you mean the "shall" is more polite way to ask than the "do" since it takes the other person's ideas into consideration with more interest? In that case, I guess I know what the similar expression is in my own language. :)

 

 

  
Marius Hancu  #523066  Wed, 04 Jun 08 08:11 PM
Hey, do I send you the book? [Not quite good. Use for obligations, requests: Should I send you the book?

Hey, do we go to lunch? [Not quite good. Use:  Are we going to lunch? 

Hey, what do we do this weekend? [Not quite good.  For planned activities use: What are we going to do this weekend?

Simple present (do we go, etc) means on a regular basis, repetitively, say:

Say, what do you usually do on weekends?

not quite what want you want here. 

Use the continuous for such things.

  
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Mr Wordy  #523080  Wed, 04 Jun 08 08:59 PM

EagerSeeker
So do you mean the "shall" is more polite way to ask than the "do" since it takes the other person's ideas into consideration with more interest? In that case, I guess I know what the similar expression is in my own language. :)

Not really. To me, it's not a more polite way of saying the same thing, it's a way of saying a slightly different thing that could be equally polite. (As it happens, prefixing your "do" sentences with "hey" does tend to make them sound rather abrupt, but this is a different issue from "do" vs "shall").

"Do" suggests an arranged, expected or habitual activity. In these circumstances, it's not rude to be not focusing so much on the other person's own ideas. For example, you're on a motivational training week. If you ask your companion "What shall we do this weekend?" then this implies you've got a free weekend and can choose to do what you like. If you ask "What do we do this weekend?" then this implies that something has been arranged. You don't know what it is, but you're hoping that your companion does.

Actually, since my original message, I thought of another occasion when "What do we do this weekend?" (and similar phrases) might well be used. This is when you're anticipating some sort of problem and puzzling over how you're going to resolve it. For example, you have lots of visitors in your house, and you've just about managed to find them all beds. Then you realise you're expecting your aunt to arrive on Saturday. You might say "Yeah, well, that's fine ... but what do we do this weekend?"

  
EagerSeeker  #523089  Wed, 04 Jun 08 09:34 PM

Marius Hancu
Hey, do I send you the book? [Not quite good. Use for obligations, requests: Should I send you the book?

 

Hey, do we go to lunch? [Not quite good. Use:  Are we going to lunch? 

Hey, what do we do this weekend? [Not quite good.  For planned activities use: What are we going to do this weekend?

Simple present (do we go, etc) means on a regular basis, repetitively, say:

Say, what do you usually do on weekends?

not quite what want you want here. 

Use the continuous for such things.

Thanks for suggestions, I understand the -ing forms but the simple present is still confusing. Why shouldn't I use the simple present for

asking questions on regular things (like lunch) if the simple present indeed means on a regular basis? ;) You see, in my own language

(Finnish) we can use both structures happily without worrying too much and I would like to use also the simple present in English, if possible and you

don't get mad / are not getting mad. ;)

  
Marius Hancu  #523092  Wed, 04 Jun 08 09:40 PM
Well, I won't repeat stuff which already exists at the site.

Do your job, do some searches for

simple present

or 

simple present continuous

(top right Search corner) 

and read some of the threads there.  

  
Marius Hancu  #523095  Wed, 04 Jun 08 09:43 PM
 Another reference:

Simple Present

[link]

  
CalifJim  #523185  Thu, 05 Jun 08 02:51 AM
EagerSeeker

1) Hey, shall I send you the book? / Hey, do I send you the book?

2) Hey, shall we go to lunch? / Hey, do we go to lunch?

3 Hey, what shall we do this weekend? / Hey, what do we do this weekend?

Straw is cheaper.

Years ago, whenever someone constantly started sentences with "Hey" ("Hay") -- which was considered a bad habit -- the common response was "Straw is cheaper".   Smile

CJ 

  
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