shall and will
Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 7:10 pm
Many modern grammarians agree that the distinction between shall and will is moot. It may be so in ordinary conversation, with will taking first place and both meaning the same.
I think this is (or was) the definition of the words in context as follows:
"You (or it) shall..." - It must happen.
"I shall..." - I will probably do it as a matter of course. I predict it but do not guarantee it. This is called simple futurity.
"You (or it) will" - It will probably be done as a matter of course. I predict it but do not guarantee it. This is called simple futurity.
"I will..." - It must happen.
I know this sounds like some rules somebody arbitrarily created. That may be true.
I have written many US military contracts and specifications. In the military's case the above complex rules still obtained when I was writing. If I said, "The device shall be smaller than a bread box," then the resulting box had better be smaller than a bread box or the provider would be in breach of contract. If I said, “The device will be smaller than a bread box,” I was simply making a prediction and failure to actually be able to put the finished device in a bread box did not represent breach of contract.
I hear some people saying shall or will with a definite sentence accent on the word to express determination, and no sentence accent to express simple futurity. That won't work if you are writing unless you capitalize the word, a habit frowned upon by many grammarians.
Has anyone else had this experience? How do you use shall and will?
I think this is (or was) the definition of the words in context as follows:
"You (or it) shall..." - It must happen.
"I shall..." - I will probably do it as a matter of course. I predict it but do not guarantee it. This is called simple futurity.
"You (or it) will" - It will probably be done as a matter of course. I predict it but do not guarantee it. This is called simple futurity.
"I will..." - It must happen.
I know this sounds like some rules somebody arbitrarily created. That may be true.
I have written many US military contracts and specifications. In the military's case the above complex rules still obtained when I was writing. If I said, "The device shall be smaller than a bread box," then the resulting box had better be smaller than a bread box or the provider would be in breach of contract. If I said, “The device will be smaller than a bread box,” I was simply making a prediction and failure to actually be able to put the finished device in a bread box did not represent breach of contract.
I hear some people saying shall or will with a definite sentence accent on the word to express determination, and no sentence accent to express simple futurity. That won't work if you are writing unless you capitalize the word, a habit frowned upon by many grammarians.
Has anyone else had this experience? How do you use shall and will?