Shall or Will?

[ukteacher]

The use of "shall" is limited now in spoken English. It is not grammatically incorrect to use it, but its general use by native speakers has been dropped. Where as before you would hear "Shall I help you?" or "Shall we go to the cinema Saturday?", you will now hear "let me help you" or can I help you?", "let's go the cinema Saturday? or "how about going to the cinema Saturday". Dropping the regualr use of "shall" in English was discussed in Fowler's English Usage years ago, and yet some schools still insist on teaching its use. Using it in normal conversation sounds a little archaic

 

[mlc]

I love using shall, but admit that I seldom hear it used by others. I'd hate to see its use disappear entirely.

 

[Teia]

Would I help you..."-- polite

This isn't a polite form, Sheena, it's a conditional statement. We don't use 'would' in this form with 'I' unless we want to make the conditional statement I mentioned above.

A: Help me, okay?

B: Would I help you, hmmmmm, if you were to pay me I might.

To make an equivalent polite question to "Could I help you?", we use,

Would you like some help?

Would you like me to help you?

[probably some others]

Hi Riverkid

Yes, you are right
My intention was to say : Would you like me to help you ? I made a mistake and I am sorry.
Thank you for your intervention.

Note : I changed my former username [sheena55ro] into this one.

Regards

 

[nobita]

i think it should be shall

 

[normsinan]

Dear Sir.
Now i not clear when we use will and when we use shall?

 

[syed zain]

i think either is coming and suitable word for this sentence. but u plz inform the diferrence b/w these words

 

[katahalley]

could we use "may I..." ?

 

[vuquangthieu]

i think " Shall or Will " is not a matter.

 

[shekos]

i think we will use "shall"
because it's a quistion

 

[ksa32]

I think both shall or will are possible

:roll:

 

[rhapsody_08]

Dear Sir.
Now i not clear when we use will and when we use shall?

Hi!....:hi:

The traditional rule of usage guides dates from the 17th century and says that to denote future time shall is used in the first person (I shall leave. We shall go) and will in all other persons (You will be there, won't you? He will drive us to the airport. They will not be at the meeting). The rule continues that to express determination, will is used in the first person (We will win the battle) and shall in the other two persons (You shall not bully us. They shall not pass). Whether this rule was ever widely observed is doubtful. Today, will is used overwhelmingly in all three persons and in all types of speech and writing both for the simple future and to express determination. Shall has some use in all persons, chiefly in formal writing or speaking, to express determination: I shall return. We shall overcome. Shall also occurs in the language of laws and directives: All visitors shall observe posted regulations. Most educated native users of American English do not follow the textbook rule in making a choice between shall and will.......:cheers:

 

[Kenneth_Wai]

Hi, Teacher.
I'm Wai from HK.

May I ask is that "Shall" is always better "will"?
More Polite when in "1st personal view"?
How about "May I"?

I usually use "May I" > "Shall I" and "Would you" > "Will you?"
Am I right?:roll::roll::roll:

Thanks.

 

[sievebrain]

The use of "will" or "shall" is often dependant on the phraseology.
"I'll help you with that" would be the most comon usage in this context.
Or "Let me help you with that". "Shall I help you with that" would be somewhat "out of the blue" i.e an unexpected offer of help.
So the use of "shall" or "will" in this case is dependant on the context of the situation.
Sievebrain

 

[konungursvia]

Hi!....:hi:

The traditional rule of usage guides dates from the 17th century and says that to denote future time shall is used in the first person (I shall leave. We shall go) and will in all other persons (You will be there, won't you? He will drive us to the airport. They will not be at the meeting). The rule continues that to express determination, will is used in the first person (We will win the battle) and shall in the other two persons (You shall not bully us. They shall not pass). Whether this rule was ever widely observed is doubtful. Today, will is used overwhelmingly in all three persons and in all types of speech and writing both for the simple future and to express determination. Shall has some use in all persons, chiefly in formal writing or speaking, to express determination: I shall return. We shall overcome. Shall also occurs in the language of laws and directives: All visitors shall observe posted regulations. Most educated native users of American English do not follow the textbook rule in making a choice between shall and will.......:cheers:

This is correct. I use shall for the first person in my academic writings.

 

[Majeste]

I think that it changes about the person whom we speak.

 

[5jj]

This thread still attracts genuine responses from people. To save yourself time, note that sound answers have been give in posts 2-5, 29, 34, 36, 41, and 51

 

[sciencestp]

I think "shall" is used in a formal context. I am not an English native, but I was studying this language many time and I learned that "shall" is more polite.
All the best!

 

[wq925110]

select shall,;-)

 

[juveq8]

As I guessed ''shall'' more common than others .

 

[uanihat]

I thinj all of them can be