; present singular and plural shall
William Shakespeare
Shall vs. Will: Usage Guide
From the reams of pronouncements written about the distinction between shall and will—dating back as far as the 17th century—it is clear that the rules laid down have never very accurately reflected actual usage. The nationalistic statements of 18th and 19th century British grammarians, who commonly cited the misuses of the Irish, the Scots, and occasionally the Americans, suggest that the traditional rules may have come closest to the usage of southern England. Some modern commentators believe that English usage is still the closest to the traditionally prescribed norms. Most modern commentators allow that will is more common in nearly all uses. The entries for shall and will in this dictionary show current usage.
Examples of shall in a Sentence
Alla Adam, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023
Firms with over 10 employees shall be required to consult their employees or trade unions when formulating their out-of-work policies.
—Faustine Ngila, Quartz, 26 Jan. 2023
At least until this latest lawsuit winds its way through the legal system, the foie gras wars shall continue.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2023
If a commercial entity or third party performs a reasonable age verification, the commercial entity shall not retain any identifying information of the individual after access to the material has been granted under Senate Bill 66.
—Michael R. Wickline, Arkansas Online, 18 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for shall
Cite this Entry
“Shall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shall. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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