The modal verb “shall” isn’t used too often these days. But what’s the alternative to the old-fashioned and typically British word?
Correct Use
- Although shall is suitable in British English, it should be avoided in American English.
- Instead, replace shall with should or will, depending on the context.
- ○ Shall we go to the movies or to the park? → Should we go to the movies or to the park?
- ○ Shall you be joining us for dinner? → Will you be joining us for dinner?
Are “Should” and “Shall” Synonyms?
Compared to British English, for example, General American shows some distinct oddities in terms of style and word choice.
The modal verb shall (and its negative contraction shan’t), for instance, is said to be a suitable British possibility to express obligation and future suggestions:
Shall we go to the lake today?
Let’s go to the beach now, shall we?
However, we recommend that you do not use shall in your American English as it sounds too formal, too old-fashioned, and too British. Rather, stick to should or will—depending on the context.
Potential Substitutions
We should (shall) ask your mother first.
He will (shall) be there around 6 o’clock.
What to Use Instead of “Shall” in American English
In order to avoid confusion with your American conversation partner, just use it in really formal contexts (e.g., legal documents, manuals, or polite requests).
The user shall ensure therapeutic X-ray equipment meets the following.
Guided by LanguageTool, you will also manage to cope with these highly specialized formats. It will always suggest the best alternative. Further, it tells you how you spell “to ought to,” which you shouldn’t use either, by the way.
Marvin’s passion is writing! After graduating from high school, he traveled around Latin America before studying English and Spanish linguistics in Augsburg, Bavaria. When he’s not writing about German and English quirks, he’s probably on Netflix, Babbel, or abroad. But his favorite passion is still writing. Was that mentioned before?
Unleash the Professional Writer in You With LanguageTool
Go well beyond grammar and spell checking. Impress with clear, precise, and stylistically flawless writing instead.
Works on All Your Favorite Services
We Value Your Feedback
We’ve made a mistake, forgotten about an important detail, or haven’t managed to get the point across? Let’s help each other to perfect our writing.
