language note: Shall is a modal verb. It is used with the base form of a verb.
1. modal verb
You use shall with 'I' and 'we' in questions in order to make offers or suggestions, or to ask for advice.
Shall I get the keys?
I bought some lovely raisin buns at the bakery. Shall I bring you one with some tea?
Shall I call her and ask her to come here?
Well, shall we go?
Let's have a nice little stroll, shall we?
What shall I do?
2. modal verb
You use shall, usually with 'I' and 'we', when you are referring to something that you intend to do, or when you are referring to something that you are sure will happen to you in the future.
We shall be landing in Paris in sixteen minutes, exactly on time.
I shall sail out on the twenty-second.
I shall know more next month, I hope.
I shall miss him terribly.
3. modal verb
You use shall with 'I' or 'we' during a speech or piece of writing to say what you are going to discuss or explain later.
[formal]
In Chapter 3, I shall describe some of the documentation that I gathered.
We shall refer here to three significant trends that arose in the previous decade.
The building, as we shall see, is very different in its internal planning.
4. modal verb
You use shall to indicate that something must happen, usually because of a rule or law. You use shall not to indicate that something must not happen.
The president shall hold office for five years.
Member states shall decide the conditions for granting access to the labour marketfor the applicant.
The bank shall be entitled to debit the amount of such liability and all costs incurredin connection with it to your Account.
You shall not make this speech.
If you want to pry into other people's business you shall not do it here, young man.
5. modal verb
You use shall, usually with 'you', when you are telling someone that they will be able to do or have something they want.
Very well, if you want to go, go you shall.
'I want to hear all the gossip, all the scandal.'—'You shall, dearie, you shall!'
'What I would like, is a membership list and some information on how the Societyis run.'—'Then that is what you shall have.'
6. modal verb
You use shall with verbs such as 'look forward to' and 'hope' to say politely that you are looking forward to something or hoping to do something.
[formal, politeness]
Well, we shall look forward to seeing him tomorrow.
I shall hope to see you in my office, young lady, and we'll review your portfolio.
7. modal verb
You use shall when you are referring to the likely result or consequence of a particular action or situation.
When large finance companies cut down on their entertainments, we shall know thattimes really are hard.
This is our last chance and we shall need to take it if we are to compete and survive.
8. shall I say
English Easy Learning GrammarShall and willThe normal way to express simple future time in English is using the modal verb willfollowed by the base form of a main verb. The modal verb shall is ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarAuxiliary verbsAn auxiliary verb is a verb that is used together with a main verb to show time andcontinuity. Be and have are the primary auxiliaries. A primary auxiliary ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarFuture referenceVerb forms English has no future tense as such. However, several forms, especially the modalverbs will and shall, can be used to make future reference. ... Read more
shall in British English
(ʃæl, unstressed ʃəl)
verbWord forms: past tenseshould(takes an infinitive withoutto or an implied infinitive)
1. (esp withI or we as subject)
used as an auxiliary to make the future tense
we shall see you tomorrow
Compare will1 (sense 1)
2. (withyou, he, she, it, they, or a noun as subject)
a.
used as an auxiliary to indicate determination on the part of the speaker, as in issuing a threat
you shall pay for this!
b.
used as an auxiliary to indicate compulsion, now esp in official documents
the Tenant shall return the keys to the Landlord
c.
used as an auxiliary to indicate certainty or inevitability
our day shall come
3. (with any noun or pronoun as subject, esp in conditional clauses or clauses expressingdoubt)
used as an auxiliary to indicate nonspecific futurity
I don't think I shall ever see her again
he doubts whether he shall be in tomorrow
▶ USAGE The usual rule given for the use of shall and will is that where the meaning is one of simple futurity, shall is used for the first person of the verb and will for the second and third: I shall go tomorrow; they will be there now. Where the meaning involves command, obligation, or determination, the positions arereversed: it shall be done; I will definitely go. However, shall has come to be largely neglected in favour of will, which has become the commonest form of the future in all three persons
Word origin
Old English sceal; related to Old Norse skal, Old High German scal, Dutch zal
shall in American English
(ʃæl)
auxiliary verbWord forms: should
1.
used in the first person to indicate simple future time
I shall probably go tomorrow
see also will2 (sense 1)
2.
used in the second or third person, esp. in formal speech or writing, to express determination, compulsion, obligation, or necessity
you shall listen
3.
used in the statement of laws or regulations
the fine shall not exceed $200
4.
used in questions about what to do
shall I invite them?
5.
used in formal conditional subordinate clauses
if any man shall hear, let him remember
▶ USAGE: See usage note at UNRESOLVED CROSS REF
Word origin
ME schal, pl. schullen < OE sceal, inf. sceolan, akin to Ger sollen < IE base *(s)kel-, to be indebted > Lith skeliù, to owe
More idioms containing
shall
never the twain shall meet
Examples of 'shall' in a sentence
shall
We have to improve and then the fans shall support us again.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Who says that the first shall be last and the last shall be first?
Christianity Today (2000)
Shall you like to have such a brother?
Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice (1813)
We shall return to this in the chapter on adolescence.
Siann, Gerda & Ugwuegbu, Denis C. E. Educational Psychology in a Changing World (1988)
We shall now fill in the summer crops in our plan.
Kitto, Dick Planning the Organic Vegetable Garden (1986)
Hopes we shall have the pleasure of carrying you back.
Thomas Hughes Tom Brown's Schooldays (1857)
If we carry on working like that we shall get better.
The Sun (2013)
We shall now consider six defence mechanisms in a little detail.
Siann, Gerda & Ugwuegbu, Denis C. E. Educational Psychology in a Changing World (1988)
Probably the last interview we shall have.
Richard Ingrams The Life and Adventures of William Cobbett (2005)
Bruce says we shall be like a garden of spring flowers.
Frances Hodgson Burnett Emily Fox-Seton (1901)
And we shall do so again.
The Sun (2015)
When you play well, you shall always play.
The Sun (2015)
In the future, we shall all be able to share memories and understandings.
Aldiss, Brian Somewhere East of Life (1994)
Well, we shall know soon enough.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Ah well, we shall be neither washed away nor roasted alive.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
I shall watch his future with interest.
The Sun (2014)
I shall simply hope for the best.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I shall write again as soon as anything more is determined on.
Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice (1813)
I fully expect in the future we shall have misery memoirs written by parents.
The Sun (2008)
I shall return to this question shortly.
Wood, David Philosophy at the Limit (1990)
He said: 'We shall rely on those and other witness reports we receive.
The Sun (2009)
He said: 'We shall be watching the credits for the first programme.
The Sun (2013)
He added: 'We shall be taking urgent legal advice about the prospects of appealing on some of the findings of law.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In other languages
shall
British English: shall /ʃæl/ VERB
You use shall, usually with `I' and `we', when you are talking about something that will happen in the future.
I shall know more tomorrow.
American English: shall
Arabic: سَوْف
Brazilian Portuguese: verbo usado para exprimir futuro ou obrigatoriedade
Chinese: 将要与"I"或"we"连用
Croatian: biti
Czech: budu
Danish: vil
Dutch: zullen
European Spanish: verbo auxiliar de futuro
Finnish: tullatulen tietämään enemmän huomenna
French: futur
German: werden
Greek: θα
Italian: auxiliary for the future tense
Japanese: （未来を表して）･･･だろう
Korean: ~일 것이다
Norwegian: få
Polish: nie tłumaczy się na język polski; służy do tworzenia czasu przyszłego
European Portuguese: ir
Romanian: o să
Russian: буду
Latin American Spanish: deber
Swedish: komma att
Thai: จะ
Turkish: ecek, acak
Ukrainian: вказує на майбутню дію
Vietnamese: sẽ
Chinese translation of 'shall'
shall
(ʃæl)
aux vb
(indicating future in 1st person)
I shall go我要走了 (wǒ yào zǒu le)
(in 1st person questions)
shall I/we open the door?我/我们(們)把门(門)打开(開)好吗(嗎)？ (wǒ/wǒmen bǎ mén dǎkāi hǎo ma?)
(in 1st person tag questions)
I'll get some, shall I?我去拿一些，好吗(嗎)？ (wǒ qù ná yīxiē, hǎoma?)
(indicating inevitability) 一定 (yīdìng)
the president shall hold office for five years (frm) 总(總)统(統)要任职(職)5年 (zǒngtǒng yào rènzhí wǔ nián)