Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[psg1418]

hi, i would like to know if someone has exercises toi share or a website containing exercises to teach shall vs will
thanks
sebastian

[Lorikeet]

Hmm I don't ever contrast "shall" and "will" like it seems you might want in an exercise. In American English, the main uses of "shall" are now "Shall we go?" (which means "Let's go", or "Are we ready to go?") or "Shall I do this?" (which is like "Should I do this?"). What kind of exercises are you looking for? What kind of English are you teaching?

[Anuradha Chepur]

Yes, in contemporary English, shall is used with only we and I in questions and to know the opinion, as in the examples given by Lorikeet.
In the affirmative and negative, it could be used in legal documents, which is not of any use to the students anyway.

[CP]

For what it is worth, it used to be taught this way:

Use "shall" for the future tense in the first person, singular and plural, but "will" for the future tense in the second and third person, singular and plural.

I shall return; you will return; he / she will return; we shall return; you (plural) will return; they will return.

But use "shall" for the imperative.

You shall not kill (thou shalt not kill). They shall not kill.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[lotus]

Hi Sabastian,

Here are two sites with discussions on helping and modal auxiliary verbs (shall and will included.)

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/auxiliary.htm

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/330/grammar/futwil.htm


--lotus
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War does not make one great --Yoda