shall
• modal verb (3rd sing. present shall) 1 (in the first person) expressing the future tense. 2 expressing a strong assertion or intention. 3 expressing an instruction or command. 4 used in questions indicating offers or suggestions. — USAGE Strictly speaking shall should be used with I and we to form the future tense, as in I shall be late, while will should be used with you, he, she, it, and they, as in she will not be there. This, however, is reversed when strong determination is being expressed, as in I will not tolerate this , and you shall go to school. In speech the distinction tends to be obscured, through the use of the contracted forms I’ll, she’ll, etc. — ORIGIN Old English, from a base meaning ‘owe’.
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