Please clear my confusion about 'will' and 'shall'

[Basitpasha]

I was reading the use of 'will' and 'shall' but facing a problem.

I read that shall has a simple future meaning. As for example, I shall visit my parents next week. Then why do you use 'will' when we say "I will come to see you tomorrow".

Please give a little explanation on that.

[Dozy]

In your sentences, "will" and "shall" both work, at least in BrE. I do not discern any difference in meaning, but "shall" seems more formal. Use of "shall" in declarative sentences seems to be in decline in BrE, and I think AmE hardly uses "shall" at all.

[James M]

I think that I can give you a "little explanation."

For "perfect" English, we are supposed to use "shall" for the first person (I/we) to indicate the future. As you said, "I shall visit my parents next week."

For "perfect" English, we are supposd to use "will" for the first person (I/we) to show DETERMINATION (because of the word "WILL," which is very strong).

For example, let's say that your doctor promises to come to your home because you are sick. Let's say that you do not believe him (because
nowadays doctors almost never go to a patient's home -- unless the patient is RICH!). So you say, "Doctor, I don't think that you will come to my home as you have promised." The doctor might say, "Don't worry! I WILL be there! Believe me!"

But you do not have to worry. Here in the United States, people do not follow that "rule." People use "will" to express the future for ALL persons: I, you, he, she, it, we, they. (Most Americans would say "I will visit/ am going to visit my parents next week."

I do NOT know what the situation is in England.

A famous man named Henry Fowler (he wrote books on "good English") said that we ordinary people should not worry. He said that only "those to the manner born" could learn how to use those two words correctly. That is, only people born into an upper-class British family could understand the difference (because, I guess, they hear it used correctly at home).

I shall/will now end this post.

[Basitpasha]

James M, thank so you much for the explanation. But as you said that in America people do not follow the rule. but, should follow this rule in any kind of English exam?

[Torsten]

Hi, this question has been discussed several times on the forum, here is one the threads: shall vs will

TOEIC listening, photographs: A man on a ladder

[James M]

[Basitpasha]

Alright Mr. James and Mr Torsten, Thanks to both of you for helping me. What I have learnt on this forum is that We use 'will' to show willingness. For example, "I will visit you as soon as I get free. He will surely contact you whenever he gets free. You will not be able to talk to me anymore."

We use 'shall' for a simple sentence or a commitment. For example 'I shall be there for sure. He shall be able to join you for the journey.'

[Alan]

Hi,

That seems a pretty good summary. 'Shall' and 'will' are really just examples of modals as can/may/must and so on. An extra point to bear in mind is that 'shall' has the stronger force behind it and when you use it with the second and third persons, you are in fact controlling someone's future and telling them what they are going to do as in: You shall report to the office at 6 tomorrow/They shall behave as I tell them to.

Alan
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