ENGLISH GRAMMAR
SHALL-WILL SHOULD-WOULD
future and conditional forms
SHALL - WILL
Shall and will are both modal verbs primarily used to express the future tense.
In informal English, the Simple Future is frequently conjugated entirely with the auxiliary 'will', particularly in US English.
In more formal English, there is a rule which states that:
However, shall currently tends to be falling out of use, but it continues to be used with I and we for offers and suggestions.
SHOULD - WOULD
Should is the conditional form of shall.
Should is used :
Would is the conditional form of will.
In informal English today, the conditional tense is usually conjugated entirely with would :
- If I had enough money, I would buy a new car.
- If I had more time, I would take English classes.
- If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.
- I would accept the offer if I were you.
Shall and will are both modal verbs primarily used to express the future tense.
In informal English, the Simple Future is frequently conjugated entirely with the auxiliary 'will', particularly in US English.
In more formal English, there is a rule which states that:
- the auxiliary shall should be used in the first person, singular and plural (I/we)
- the auxiliary will should be used in the second and third person, singular and plural,
(you, he/she/it, they)
| SINGULAR | PLURAL | |
| First | I shall | We shall |
| Second | you will | you will |
| Third | he/she/it will | they will |
However, shall currently tends to be falling out of use, but it continues to be used with I and we for offers and suggestions.
- Shall I open the window?
- Shall I order a taxi?
- Shall we dance?
- Shall we continue?
Should is the conditional form of shall.
Should is used :
| ◊ to give advice | "You should take regular exercise." |
| ◊ in hypothetical situations | "Should you need any help, just call me." |
| ◊ to give tentative opinions | "I should think the cost will be about €100." |
Would is the conditional form of will.
In informal English today, the conditional tense is usually conjugated entirely with would :
- If I had enough money, I would buy a new car.
- If I had more time, I would take English classes.
- If I won the lottery, I would travel around the world.
- I would accept the offer if I were you.
see also: should_ought-to