Date: Oct 26 2007
Topic: British English

Lesson

We don't use 'Shall' very frequently in modern English, particularly in American English.

It is used to make offers and suggestions and to ask for advice.
What time shall we meet?
Shall we vote on it now?
What dress shall I wear?
Shall I open the window?
You only really need to know that about 'shall' in modern English. Read the rest of this only if you want to know more about how some older speakers still use 'shall'.
In older grammar, 'shall' was used as an alternative to 'will' with 'I' and 'we'. Today, 'will' is normally used. When we do use 'shall', it has an idea of a more personal, subjective future.
I shall go to see the boss and I shall ask him to explain this decision.
Notice that the negative of 'shall' can be 'shall not' or 'shan't' – though the second one is now very rare in American English.
I don't like these people and I shall not go to their party.
I shan't object if you go without me.

Comments

11:57 AM Aug 21 2008 \| Reply
tinchoss Argentina	Short and well done

11:57 AM Aug 21 2008 | Reply

tinchoss

Argentina

Short and well done

12:50 AM Aug 21 2008 \| Reply
leely China	get knowledge from u thx

12:50 AM Aug 21 2008 | Reply

leely

China

get knowledge from u thx

11:53 PM Aug 20 2008 \| Reply
collage girl Oman	thank u for the lesson i don't use " shall " when i speak .. but i'll start to use it now shall i do? ha ha ha

11:53 PM Aug 20 2008 | Reply

collage girl

Oman

thank u for the lesson

i don't use " shall " when i speak .. but i'll start to use it now

shall i do?

ha ha ha

08:37 PM Aug 20 2008 \| Reply
KaTuRn Thailand	Oh I see :) Thank you so much ^^

08:37 PM Aug 20 2008 | Reply

KaTuRn

Thailand

Oh I see :)

Thank you so much ^^

08:26 AM Aug 20 2008 \| Reply
LOve ANgel Pakistan	gud itz very useful for me keep on posting …...

08:26 AM Aug 20 2008 | Reply

LOve ANgel

Pakistan

gud itz very useful for me keep on posting …...

05:57 AM Aug 19 2008 \| Reply
@rehanna@ Saudi Arabia	new information thanks

05:57 AM Aug 19 2008 | Reply

@rehanna@

Saudi Arabia

new information thanks

12:15 AM Aug 19 2008 \| Reply
ltliuliu China	so useful,thanks a lot!

12:15 AM Aug 19 2008 | Reply

ltliuliu

China

so useful,thanks a lot!

08:26 PM Aug 18 2008 \| Reply
lyanhua Mongolia	yes it's useful for me, i'm mongolian girl, i need to learn more thanks for the lesson

08:26 PM Aug 18 2008 | Reply

lyanhua

Mongolia

yes it's useful for me, i'm mongolian girl, i need to learn more thanks for the lesson

07:57 AM Aug 18 2008 \| Reply
lovely kato Egypt	hi i'm egyptian and i wanna be a really good english teacher so the lessons are useful stuff

07:57 AM Aug 18 2008 | Reply

lovely kato

Egypt

hi i'm egyptian and i wanna be a really good english teacher so the lessons are useful stuff

06:39 AM Aug 15 2008 \| Reply
liyiwei China	I know!

06:39 AM Aug 15 2008 | Reply

liyiwei

China

I know!

01:34 PM Aug 14 2008 \| Reply
Luna Exoriens Poland	Short lesson but useful :)

01:34 PM Aug 14 2008 | Reply

Luna Exoriens

Poland

Short lesson but useful :)

07:49 AM Mar 12 2008 \| Reply
preity68 India	good job done….its realy helpful

07:49 AM Mar 12 2008 | Reply

preity68

India

good job done….its realy helpful

10:38 PM Jan 21 2008 \| Reply
chanphyu Singapore	Very Good. These are basic english so we need to know exactly about it. I think you have to make it more interesting.

10:38 PM Jan 21 2008 | Reply

chanphyu

Singapore

Very Good. These are basic english so we need to know exactly about it. I think you have to make it more interesting.

09:21 PM Jan 21 2008 \| Reply
nrewndj Russian Federation	I am fully agree with you that "shall" is not so frequently use as it used to.

09:21 PM Jan 21 2008 | Reply

nrewndj

Russian Federation

I am fully agree with you that "shall" is not so frequently use as it used to.

11:49 PM Jan 17 2008 \| Reply
alice197 China	yeah,the course of urs is so useful,i like it and i will view ur pages often.Thank u

11:49 PM Jan 17 2008 | Reply

alice197

China

yeah,the course of urs is so useful,i like it and i will view ur pages often.Thank u

01:04 PM Dec 19 2007 \| Reply
ezgifilik Turkey	hi! this is ezgi. i am turk. i want to be a english teacher.so your lessons are important for me.thanks for everything.see you soon!

01:04 PM Dec 19 2007 | Reply

ezgifilik

Turkey

hi! this is ezgi. i am turk. i want to be a english teacher.so your lessons are important for me.thanks for everything.see you soon!