"Shall" & "Will" Exercises
will and shall exercises shall and will exercises
shall is correct for the first person of the future simple (except when this form is used to express intention), but in the affirmative and negative will is very often used instead, i.e. we can say, I/we will' and I/we won't' instead of I/we shall' and I/we shan't'. In the I
interrogative will should not be used to replace shall.
There are some rather old-fashioned or formal constructions where shall is used with the second or third persons. Here shall cannot be replaced by will. Such constructions are usually avoided but a few examples have been given below.
Use will or shall to fill the spaces in the following sentences. Sometimes either could be used.
1 When you are in bed I . . . be at work.
2 Who'll help me?~
I ...
3 We will unite to resist oppression, and tyrants . . . not triumph over us.
( We won't let them triumph.)
4 What . . . we do now? ~
Wait.
5 You've been a good child, and when we get home you . . . have a sweet.
{I'll give you a sweet.)
6 Your father . . . hear of this. {I'll certainly tell him.)
7 ...we go to the cinema? ~
Yes, let's.
8 She . . . tell the same story over and over again. {obstinate insistence)
9 Club rule: Members . . . write the names of their guests in the book provided.
10 Theatre regulation: Persons . . . not be permitted to sit in the gangways.
11 Where . . . I be in six years' time, I wonder?
12 He . . . not come here again. {He refuses.)
13 He . . . not come here again. (/ won't let him come.)
14 Clause in lease: The tenant . . . be responsible for all repairs.
15 This kind of snake . . . not bite unless it is startled.
16 . . . you have a cigarette? ~
No, thanks, I don't smoke.
17 He . . . play his radio very loudly, which annoys me very much.
{obstinate insistence)
18 By this time next year I . . . be earning my own living.
19 Who . . . take this letter to the post for me? ~
I ...
20 What . . . we do with all the food that's left over?
21 Do you know the way? No? Then I . . . show you.
22 Where . . . I put it? ~
Put it behind the piano.
23 Police notice: . . . anyone who witnessed the accidentplease ring
24 Yachts . . . go round the course, passing the marks in the correct order.
{extract from Yacht Racing Rules)
25 When . . . you hear the result? ~
I . . . not hear for another week.
26 1 . . . not apologize', she said, stamping her foot.
27 Who . . . I say called? ~
You needn't mention my name. He . . . know who I am.
28 She . . . never do anything you tell her.
29 I . . . not be here next week.
30 I . . . not have to do any cooking for a month. I'm going to an hotel.
31 . . . I put it on your desk? ~
Please do.
32 I . . . fill up this form! The questions are impertinent. ~
If you don't, madam, you . . . (negative) get your visa.
33 . . . you stand quite still for a moment, please?
34 . . . I put more salt in the stew?
35 A dog . . . obey his owner but a cat . . . not.
36 I . . . know whether you are telling the truth or not.
shall is correct for the first person of the future simple (except when this form is used to express intention), but in the affirmative and negative will is very often used instead, i.e. we can say, I/we will' and I/we won't' instead of I/we shall' and I/we shan't'. In the I
interrogative will should not be used to replace shall.
There are some rather old-fashioned or formal constructions where shall is used with the second or third persons. Here shall cannot be replaced by will. Such constructions are usually avoided but a few examples have been given below.
Use will or shall to fill the spaces in the following sentences. Sometimes either could be used.
1 When you are in bed I . . . be at work.
2 Who'll help me?~
I ...
3 We will unite to resist oppression, and tyrants . . . not triumph over us.
( We won't let them triumph.)
4 What . . . we do now? ~
Wait.
5 You've been a good child, and when we get home you . . . have a sweet.
{I'll give you a sweet.)
6 Your father . . . hear of this. {I'll certainly tell him.)
7 ...we go to the cinema? ~
Yes, let's.
8 She . . . tell the same story over and over again. {obstinate insistence)
9 Club rule: Members . . . write the names of their guests in the book provided.
10 Theatre regulation: Persons . . . not be permitted to sit in the gangways.
11 Where . . . I be in six years' time, I wonder?
12 He . . . not come here again. {He refuses.)
13 He . . . not come here again. (/ won't let him come.)
14 Clause in lease: The tenant . . . be responsible for all repairs.
15 This kind of snake . . . not bite unless it is startled.
16 . . . you have a cigarette? ~
No, thanks, I don't smoke.
17 He . . . play his radio very loudly, which annoys me very much.
{obstinate insistence)
18 By this time next year I . . . be earning my own living.
19 Who . . . take this letter to the post for me? ~
I ...
20 What . . . we do with all the food that's left over?
21 Do you know the way? No? Then I . . . show you.
22 Where . . . I put it? ~
Put it behind the piano.
23 Police notice: . . . anyone who witnessed the accidentplease ring
24 Yachts . . . go round the course, passing the marks in the correct order.
{extract from Yacht Racing Rules)
25 When . . . you hear the result? ~
I . . . not hear for another week.
26 1 . . . not apologize', she said, stamping her foot.
27 Who . . . I say called? ~
You needn't mention my name. He . . . know who I am.
28 She . . . never do anything you tell her.
29 I . . . not be here next week.
30 I . . . not have to do any cooking for a month. I'm going to an hotel.
31 . . . I put it on your desk? ~
Please do.
32 I . . . fill up this form! The questions are impertinent. ~
If you don't, madam, you . . . (negative) get your visa.
33 . . . you stand quite still for a moment, please?
34 . . . I put more salt in the stew?
35 A dog . . . obey his owner but a cat . . . not.
36 I . . . know whether you are telling the truth or not.
