Shall/should/will

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Newguest

#487074 Mon, 10 Mar 08 05:19 PM

I'm not sure I understand "shall" and "will" and "should"

So, is it OK to say: Should I open the door? or Shall I open the door? Do they mean the same? I've heard that "should" means more "I was supposed to," but does it make any difference in my examples?

How about "will" and "shall"?

1.We will unite to resist oppression, and tyrants shall not triumph over us. WHY NOT: WILL NOT TRIUMPH?

2. You've been a good child, and when we get home you shall have a sweet. WHY NOT: YOU WILL HAVE A SWEET?

3.Persons shall not be permitted to sit in the gangways. WHY NOT: SHOULD NOT??? AND WHY: PERSONS WITH "S" AT THE END?

4.Where shall I be in six years' time. HOW ABOUT" WHERE WILL I BE...?

5. SHOULD we go? or SHALL we go? Is there a big difference?

6. The tenant shall be responsible for all repairs. I THINK IT'S PERFECTLY OK TO WRITE "WILL BE RESPONSIBLE,"but my book says that only "shall" is fine! Maybe because it's a part of the agreement?

thanks

Newguest

Joined on Sun, Feb 25 2007

Contributing Member (1,229)

Marius Hancu

#487079 Mon, 10 Mar 08 05:35 PM

It's going to take you years to understand this, but you're welcome to try, esp if interested in the classical BrE:

<>H.W. Fowler, The King’s English, Shall/Will
[link]

You would be better off instead of posting by making searches (top right Search box) for:

shall should

would will

shall should MrPedantic

and read some of the resulting threads. It's all there, but you read to READ it. I strongly recommend you to read the opinions of MrPedantic, as the British are using more shall than we do on this side of the Pond.

Or click on this already prepared search:

[link]

Marius Hancu

Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006

Montreal, Canada

Veteran Member (11,673)

Grammar Geek

#487081 Mon, 10 Mar 08 05:41 PM

Marius, that "prepared" search - was that the result you got from your search, or was there some other nifty way of doing that?

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (16,098)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Marius Hancu

#487084 Mon, 10 Mar 08 05:47 PM

See the Fowler reference quoted in the above.

IMO, these apply here:

1. Fowler, Rule 2, colored-future, it is my view (my strong opinion) that ...

2. Fowler, Rule 2, colored future (my promise)

3. Fowler, Rule 1, mandating (ought not to), shall is used for all persons when instructing/mandating. Shall is stronger than should and used in all legal stuff indicating obligations.

4. Fowler, Rule 3, plain future. Presently replaced by will even in the UK when indicating plain future.

5. Should is softer.

6. Fowler, Rule 1, mandating (ought not to), shall is used for all persons when instructing/mandating. Shall is stronger than should (which is a bit doubful, conditional) and used in all legal stuff. Shall shows obligation, will shows willingness, traditionally.

Marius Hancu

Conditionals

Newguest

#487086 Mon, 10 Mar 08 05:55 PM

OK. Thanks for your help guys!

Newguest

Marius Hancu

#487092 Mon, 10 Mar 08 06:07 PM

Grammar Geek
Marius, that "prepared" search - was that the result you got from your search, or was there some other nifty way of doing that?

Yes, it's the result of the search.

At least in my browser, when I typed in the top right Search box

MrPedantic shall should

and clicked Search, the URL box in my browser showed that resulting link and I could paste it wherever I wanted (in the message edit window).

However, I think you may have to be in the forum listing (with all threads), I don't think it works when the thread is open now.

Marius Hancu

Grammar

Grammar Geek

#487097 Mon, 10 Mar 08 06:12 PM

That's neat - I think I've tried to paste in a URL from a search in the prior version and it didn't work right, but the new search and the new forum format do seem to work with that now. Thanks.

Grammar Geek