Auxiliary Verbs "Will/Would"
and "Shall/Should"
The verbs will,
would, shall, should, can, could, may, might, and must cannot be the main
(full) verbs alone. They are used as auxiliary verbs only and always need a
main verb to follow.
Will
Used to express
desire, preference, choice, or consent:
- I will take this duty.
- Will you stop talking like that?
Used to express
the future:
- It will rain tomorrow.
- The news will spread soon.
Used to express
capacity or capability:
- This bucket will hold two gallons
of water.
- This airplane will take 200
passengers.
Used to express
determination, insistence, or persistence:
Would (past form
of will)
Often used in
auxiliary functions with rather to express preference:
- I would rather go shopping today.
- We’d rather say something than stay
quiet.
Used to express
a wish or desire:
- I would like to have one more
pencil.
Used to express
contingency or possibility:
- If I were you, I would be so happy.
Used to express
routine or habitual things:
- Normally, we would work until 6
p.m.
Shall
Mainly used in
American English to ask questions politely (it has more usages in British English).
For the future tense, will is more frequently used in American English than
shall.
- Shall we dance?
- Shall I go now?
- Let’s drink, shall we?
Often used in
formal settings to deliver obligation or requirement:
- You shall abide by the law.
- There shall be no trespassing on
this property.
- Students shall not enter this room.
Should (past form
of shall)
Often used in
auxiliary functions to express an opinion, suggestion, preference, or idea:
- You should rest at home today.
- I should take a bus this time.
- He should be more thoughtful in the
decision-making process.
Used to express
that you wish something had happened but it didn’t or couldn’t (should + have +
past participle):
- You should have seen it. It was
really beautiful.
- I should have completed it earlier to
meet the deadline.
- We should have visited the place on
the way.
Used to ask for
someone’s opinion:
- What should we do now?
- Should we continue our meeting?
- Should we go this way?
- Where should we go this summer?
Used to say
something expected or correct:
- There should be an old city hall
building here.
- Everybody should arrive by 6 p.m.
- We should be there this evening.
