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Yukihide
Joined: 02 Dec 2005
Posts: 7
Location: Tokyo
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 Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:32 am Post subject: Shall or Will |
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I think in agreements ( contracts ) both shall and will can be used like
This agreement shall be effective as of October 2, 20xx.
This agreement will be effective as of October 2, 20xx.
If so, please advise whether there is any difference between "will" and "shall".  |
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Lorikeet
Joined: 08 Oct 2005
Posts: 1877
Location: San Francisco
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| Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:35 am Post subject: |
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| "shall" sounds more formal and legalistic to me. |
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Yukihide
Joined: 02 Dec 2005
Posts: 7
Location: Tokyo
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| Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 8:46 am Post subject: |
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| Lorikeet wrote: |
| "shall" sounds more formal and legalistic to me. |
Thank you very much for your explanation.
Yukihide |
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CP
Joined: 12 Jun 2006
Posts: 2875
Location: California
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 8:10 am Post subject: |
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I was taught that the future tense is supposed to be:
I shall
you will
he/she/it will
we shall
you will
they will
The imperative is supposed to be:
I will
you shall
he/she/it shall
we will
you shall
they shall
Notice that the Ten Commandments all begin, "Thou shalt not," the earlier version of "You shall not."
So in formal writing, like a contract, you want to use "shall" in the third person to indicate that something must be done--the imperative.
(Of course, in everyday usage, the first person "will" and "shall" are both used as future tense, but "shall" is used only for the imperative in the second and third persons.)
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb |
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erik19283
Joined: 14 Oct 2005
Posts: 144
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| Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 7:55 am Post subject: |
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| CP wrote: |
...
The imperative is supposed to be:
I will
you shall
he/she/it shall
we will
you shall
they shall
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I believe there is something wrong because the imperative is supposed to be the form of the verb that gives instructions or commands. It is the base form of the verb, like the infinitive.
be --> Don�t be afraid.
play --> Play quietly.
talk --> Talk to me!
put --> Put three eggs in a bowl.
I doubt modals, such as shall and will, can be used for the imperative. |
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CP
Joined: 12 Jun 2006
Posts: 2875
Location: California
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| Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:01 am Post subject: |
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Well, I may have been hasty in using the word "imperative," but I meant it in the sense that "shall" is used in the form of a command for the second and third person, and "will" is used in the form of a command for the first person.
Whether it is technically the imperative voice I will leave to the true grammarians of the world. I will just note that:
You shall not kill = Do not kill.
It shall be done = It must be done.
You talk to me right now = You must talk to me now.
Play quietly = You have to play quietly.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb |
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