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Commonly Confused Words
Will/Shall
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Worse/Worst
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Prescribe/Proscribe
Will vs. Shall
Will
/wɪl/
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A word used to express future actions or decisions.
Examples:
Thou hast
willed
it to be so, thyself.
'All these
wills
are very confusing,' I said.
"You
wo
nt do any such thing," Mrs. Preble spoke up briskly.
Synonyms:
shall
intend
purpose
Antonyms:
uncertainty
doubt
hesitation
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
Shall
/ʃəl/
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
Used to express future intention or obligation, especially in formal contexts
Examples:
But, by then, we
shall
both be far away.'
I
shall
never forget the kind way their hands explored me.
We
shall
take the measure of this reflection.'
Synonyms:
will
must
Antonyms:
will
won't
Learn more about synonyms and antonyms
Ways to tell them apart:
Will
is commonly used for future intentions or plans and promises.
Shall
is often used in formal or legal contexts.
In modern usage,
will
is more prevalent than
shall
.
In British English,
shall
is sometimes used for offers and suggestions, especially with
I
and
we
.
Will
typically doesn
t imply any formal obligation, while
shall' might indicate a promise or requirement in legal terms.
When to use will:
When to use shall:
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