Shall and will - can someone explain?

[TheFallenMadonna]

What is the difference between these two?

I will do such-and-such

I shall do so-and-so.

When would you use 'shall'? What's the difference?

I am curious.

'Shall' has a distinct meaning in legal context - denotes a formal obligation.

I want to know too.

That's interesting policywonk, because I always feel 'shall' is more committed than 'will', IYSWIM?

Aargh. And now apostrophe in wrong place. It's like a positive feedback loop

Shall is used with the meaning of obligation and will with the meaning of desire, apparently.

I seem to remember being told by an English teacher the story of the man unable to swim in very deep water, pedant to the last, who shouted "Help! I shall drown if nobody will save me!". The point she made was that "shall" is used where there is certainty, inevitability or obligation in a course of conduct or future event and "will" is correct where there is an element of choice or volition. Certainly in legislation "shall" is contrasted with "may", the former imposing a duty, the latter a discretion.

Thank you!

Could you use it as a question then?

Shall you do this-or-that?

I'm trying to think of a situation where it would work.

The ususal rule given for the use of shall and will is that where the meaning is of simple futurity: shall is usd for the first person of the verb and will for the second and the third:- I shall go tommorow; they will be there now. Where the meaning involves a command, obligation, or determination, the positions are reversed :- It shall be done, I will definitely go. However, shall has come to be largely neglected in favour of will.

Thank you ande. That's a bit more confusing then

And thanks for posting on my duplicate thread too.

I had always thought that "shall" was used for the first person singular and plural pronouns, "will" for all others. I hadn't been aware of the extra meaning. Learn something new every day

Ande - yes, that's my understanding too.

Shall in normal speech (non-antiquated, non-legal, non-emphatic) is only used with I and we and only used in a question, almost always to offer/suggest.

Bucharest, am really not sure this phrasing is used only in a question? E.g.:

'We shall now look at this point.'

Though admittedly I'm thinking about writing, not speech.

Answers on a postcard, please ...

Yes, you're right I think, I think it sounds odd "we shall" probably because we'd normally in spoken English just use "we'll" which of course could be either.