TKG English Learner's Dictionary

shall

shallmodal verb

American /ʃæl/ British /ʃæl/ also /ʃəl/ the usual weak form before a verb, as in I shall go
British form: shan't (the negative contraction of shall not, used mainly in British English)
very commondefining vocabulary

Shall is used, mainly with I and we, to talk about the future in a formal way, to make an offer or a suggestion, or, in legal and official writing, to state a rule.

  1. future, with I or weused with I or we, mainly in formal or British English, to talk about what will happen

    In everyday American English, will has mostly replaced shall for the plain future. Shall with I or we still sounds natural in formal writing and in fairly formal British speech.

    verb + bare infinitive [V + inf] formalBritish

    Synonyms will (will is the everyday word for the future with any subject)

    Compare will (shall with I or we is more formal and less common than will, which works with every subject)

    For translators (sense 1)

    Grammar trap Shall is normally used only with I or we; for other subjects, English uses will.

  2. offers and suggestionsused in a question with I or we to offer to do something or to suggest doing something together

    A common, everyday use in both American and British English, quite different from the formal future use.

    verb + bare infinitive [V + inf]

    Compare should

  3. legal and official rulesused in official rules, laws, and contracts to state what someone is required to do

    A formal use found in legal and official documents, where it has the force of must, with any subject, not only I or we.

    verb + bare infinitive [V + inf] formallaw

    Synonyms must (must is the everyday equivalent; shall is kept for legal and official style)

    For translators (sense 3)

    Cultural background This legal use is found in contracts, laws, and rulebooks; it would sound strange in ordinary conversation, where must or has to is used instead.

Usage

American English mostly uses will for the plain future with every subject; shall with I or we now sounds formal or old-fashioned there, though it remains natural in fairly formal British speech and writing. Shall I...? and Shall we...? for offers and suggestions are common and natural in both varieties. In legal and official writing, shall states a rule with the force of must.

Common mistakes

She shall arrive tomorrow. She will arrive tomorrow.
The plain future use of shall is mainly limited to I and we; other subjects take will.
Shall I to help you? Shall I help you?
A modal such as shall is followed by the base form of a verb without to.

See also will (the everyday word for the future with any subject)

For translators

Grammar trap Shall is a modal: it takes the base form of a verb with no to, adds no -s, and has no infinitive or -ing form of its own.