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What is Shall in English? Correct usage and structure of Shall in English!

Shall is one of the familiar and commonly encountered modal verbs in English. So, what is Shall in English?" and "How is Shall in English used?". Let's explore the detailed knowledge of Shall in English and how to use Shall in today's article with PREP!

I. What is Shall in English?

What is Shall in English? Let's explore the definition and some phrases associated with Shall in English!

1. Definition and usage of Shall in English

What is Shall in English? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, Shall is pronounced as /ʃæl/. It is a modal verb with three different meanings, depending on the context. Specifically, Shall can be used in the following three ways:

Usage	Example
Used with I and we for talking about or predicting the future	We shall move to a new house next year. We shall meet at the park at 3 PM for the picnic. I shall travel to Europe next month.
Used in questions with I and we for making offers or suggestions or asking advice	What shall we have for dinner tonight? Shall we go for a walk in the park? Let's go over the proposal one more time, shall we?
Used to show that you are determined, or to give an order or instruction. In very formal contexts, we use shall to give commands.	You shall complete the assignment by the end of the day. Students shall adhere to the exam regulations during the test. She is determined that you shall pass the exam.

Notes when using Shall in English:

When directly giving advice or suggestions in English, we should use Should instead of Shall. For example:
- In my opinion, we should study some soft skills. ➡CORRECT
- In my opinion, we shall study some soft skills. ➡ INCORRECT
When using Shall to talk about future plans or in questions about recommendations or advice in English, it is only used with the subject pronouns "I" and "We." Therefore, the subject pronouns that go with Shall are mostly "I" and "We." For example:
- Shall we order pizza for lunch?
- I shall attend the conference next week.

So, with PREP's help, have you found the answer to the question "What is Shall in English?"? Depending on the context, pay attention to the appropriate usage for the three meanings!

2. Phrases associated with Shall in English

Since Shall is a modal verb in English, it cannot be accompanied by other modal verbs. However, here are some phrases that can be used with Shall in English:

Phrase used with Shall in English	Example
shall have to	We shall have to complete the project by tomorrow. I shall have to study hard to pass the exam.
shall need to	I shall need to submit your application before the deadline. We shall need to Prepare a presentation for the meeting.
shall ought to	We shall ought to sorry for our mistakes. We shall ought to consider all the options.
shall used to	I shall used to play tennis every weekend. We shall used to go on family vacations during the summer.
shall be able to	I shall be able to attend the meeting tomorrow. We shall be able to finish the project ahead of schedule.

Above are the most common phrases associated with Shall in English, let’s apply them when using Shall in English!

II. Structure of Shall in English

So, what is the structure of Shall in English? Let's grasp the structures of Shall in English in the table below!

Structure		Example
Affirmative form	Subject + shall + V(infinitive)	I shall prepare a detailed report for the presentation. We shall start the project next week.
Negative form	Subject + shan’t/ shall not + V(infinitive)	I shan't give up on her dreams. We shall not tolerate any form of discrimination.
Interrogative form	Shall + subject + V (infinitive)?	Shall I book the tickets for the concert? Shall we go for a walk in the park?

Note:

In reality, the negative form of Shall is rarely used. Especially, the full negative form "shall not" is usually used in formal contexts or when the speaker wants to emphasize something. For example:
- The hotel shall not be responsible for any loss in guest rooms.
- The organizers shall not be responsible for any accident during the event.
Shall also appears in tag questions in English. For example:
- I'll bring the snacks, shall I?
- Let's have a picnic in the park, shall we?

III. Synonyms of Shall in English

In addition to Shall, we can flexibly use other synonymous words when making requests or suggestions. Let's take a look at some synonyms of Shall in English!

Synonyms of Shall in English	Example
Will /wɪl/	Will you attend the party tomorrow? She will finish her work before the deadline.
Should /ʃəd/	You should eat more fruits for a healthy diet. He should apologize for his rude behavior.
Could /kəd/	Could I borrow your pen for a moment? They could come over to our house for dinner.

Above are the synonyms of Shall in English!

IV. Distinguishing Shall and Will in English

Many learners often confuse when to use Will and when to use Shall appropriately. Although Will also talks about future intentions, its tone and usage are different from Shall. So, let's distinguish the differences between Will and Shall with PREP!

Distinguishing Shall and Will
	Shall	Will
Similarity	Both Shall and Will are used to talk about intentions or decisions and use the simple future tense.
Difference	Usually used with the subject pronouns "I" and "We." Shall has a more formal tone than Will.	Can be used with any subject. Will has a less formal tone than Shall, so it is more commonly used than Shall.
Example	Shall we begin the ceremony with a prayer? We shall discuss this matter in the meeting.	Will Jenny join us for dinner? He will send the letter tomorrow.

Now that you understand the differences in tone and usage between Will and Shall, pay attention to using them correctly in different contexts in English!

Distinguishing Shall and Will in English

V. Exercises using Shall in English with answers

After learning what Shall in English is and the structure of Shall in English, let's quickly do the following exercise with PREP to understand how to use Shall in English correctly!

Exercise: Choose the correct answer

1. We need a break. ______ we take a short walk?

A. Shall
B. Will
C. All are correct

2. The movie starts at 7 pm. ______ you be on time?

A. Shall
B. Will
C. Could

3. They finished their work early. ______ they go home now?

A. Should
B. Shall
C. Will

4. It looks like rain. ______ I bring an umbrella?

A. Shall
B. Should
C. Will

5. I’ll phone you later, ______ I?

A. shall
B. should
C. will

6. We ______ visit the museum tomorrow if it's not raining.

A. will
B. shall
C. All are correct

Answer:

1. C	2. B	3. C
4. B	5. A	6. A

So, now you know "What is Shall in English?" and "How to use Shall in English?", right? This article has compiled all the theoretical knowledge of what Shall in English is, as well as provided synonyms and distinctions between Shall and Will. PREP hopes that this will be a useful reference for you to effectively study and prepare for exams!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Mr. Tú Phạm is the founder of PREP, a Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of teaching and test preparation experience, he has assisted thousands of students in achieving high scores on the IELTS exam. Additionally, Mr. Tú Phạm serves as a consultant for British Council programs and as a speaker at numerous premier education events, programs, and seminars.