Practical Exercises in English Part 20

7. Mother says I--invite the girls to tea.

8. A man who knows himself to be right ---- afford to await the judgment of posterity.

9. ---- I write at your desk?

10. You ---- come to see me whenever you ---- find time.

11. They asked whether they ---- have a holiday.

12. They were wondering whether they ---- be recognized in their disguises.

13. ---- I have the use of your sled?

14. ---- I trouble you to get me a gla.s.s of water?

WILL OR SHALL.[73]--Some grammarians teach that the future tense of "go" is: "I _shall_ or _will_ go," "You _shall_ or _will_ go," "He _shall_ or _will_ go," etc. The fact seems to be that there is only one form for the future; the other form, often given as an alternative, expresses something more than futurity, and is somewhat like a distinct mode.

A help to the proper use of _shall_ and _will_ is found in the original meaning of the words. At first _shall_ and _will_ were notional verbs,[74]

_shall_ meaning "to owe," "to be obliged," and _will_ meaning "to wish:"

as, "That faith I _shall_ (owe) to G.o.d."[75] At present _shall_ and _will_ often retain some trace of their original meaning, _will_ implying a reference to the will of the subject, and _shall_ implying obligation or compulsion: as, "I _will_ follow him to the end;" "He _shall_ be brought to justice;" sometimes they are mere auxiliaries, with no trace of their original meaning: as, "It _will_ rain to-day;" "I _shall_ be glad."

[73] "Foundations," pp. 83-88.

[74] By "notional verb" is meant a verb that has some distinct idea or notion of its own: as, "I _have_ a ball." Here "have" expresses the idea of possession. In the sentence "I _have_ lost my ball," the word "have"

does not express a distinct idea; it only helps to form a tense of the verb "lose": that is, it is not notional, but auxiliary.

[75] Chaucer.

For practical purposes the distinction between _shall_ and _will_ may be exhibited as follows:--

I. IN INDEPENDENT SENTENCES.

_Simple Futurity. Volition,_ implying that the matter is within the control of the speaker.

I (we) _shall_ I (we) _will_ you _will_[76] } go. you _shall_ } go.

he (they) _will_/ he (they) _shall_[77]/

[76] Sometimes used in a courteous command to a subordinate officer.

[77] Also used in speaking of what is destined to take place, or of what is willed by some ruling power.

II. IN DEPENDENT SENTENCES.

In noun clauses introduced by "that," expressed or understood, if the noun clause and the princ.i.p.al clause have _different subjects,_ the distinction between _shall_ and _will_ is the same as in independent sentences: as,

My sister says (that) Dorothy _will_ be glad to go with us. (Futurity; the same as, "Dorothy _will_ be glad to go with us.")

My sister says (that) Dorothy _shall_ not be left behind. (Volition; the same as, "Dorothy _shall_ not be left behind.")

In all other dependent clauses, _shall_ is in all persons the proper auxiliary to express simple futurity; _will_ in all persons implies an exercise of will on the part of the subject of the clause: as,

Dorothy says (that) she _shall_ (futurity) be able to go with us.

She says (that) she _will_ (volition) meet us at the corner.

If Bessie _will_ come (volition), we will try to make her visit pleasant.

When He _shall_ appear (futurity) we shall be like Him.

REMARK.--It is worthy of notice that in noun clauses introduced by "that"--clauses which are really indirect quotations--the same auxiliary is generally used that would be used were the quotation in the direct form: as, "My sister says, 'Dorothy _will_ be glad to go with you,'" "My sister says that Dorothy _will_ be glad to go with us;" "Dorothy says, 'I _shall_ be glad to go with you,'" "Dorothy says that she _shall_ be glad to go with us." This remark, however, is not an adequate statement of the best usage, for it is not true of such sentences as 21, p. 76, and 8, 22, p. 77.

III. IN QUESTIONS.

In _the first person_ "will" is never proper, except when it repeats a question asked by another person. "Will I go?" would mean, "Is it my intention to go?"--a useless question, since the speaker must know his own will without asking.

In the _second and third persons_ the auxiliary which is expected in the answer should be used.

Will you dine with me to-morrow? I will. (Volition.) Shall you be glad to come? I shall. (Futurity.) Will your brother be there, too? He will.

(Futurity.)

WOULD OR SHOULD.[78]--"_Should_ and _would_ follow the same rules as _shall_ and _will_, but they have in addition certain meanings peculiarly their own.

"_Should_ is sometimes used in its original sense of 'ought,' as in 'You should not do that.'

"_Would_ is sometimes used to signify habitual action, as in 'The 'Squire would sometimes fall asleep in the most pathetic part of my sermon;' and to express a wish, as, 'Would G.o.d I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!'"[79]

[78] "Foundations," pp. 88-90.

[79] A.S. Hill: Principles of Rhetoric, revised edition, p 63.

EXERCISE XLIV.

_Distinguish in meaning between the following sentences:_--

1. I will (shall) meet you in the village.

2. I will (shall) be obeyed.

3. Will he come? Shall he come?

4. You will (shall) repent of this.

5. He will (shall) not see me.

6. You will (shall) have a new suit to-morrow.

7. Shall (will) you stay at home to-night?

8. We will (shall) not be left alone.

9. She will (shall) have a reward if she continues faithful.

10. He would (should) start in spite of the danger.

11. Shall (will) you be a candidate?

12. He said he would (should) not go.

13. I shall (will) never see him again.

14. You will (shall) know to-morrow the result of the examination.

15. Will (shall) he who fails be allowed to try again?

16. Will (shall) the admission fee be twenty-five or fifty cents?

17. He thought there would (should) be a charge.

18. I will (shall) be the last to go.

19. He thought I would (should) wait.

20. He says that she will (shall) not eat watermelon.

21. If she disobeyed she would (should) be punished.

22. Do you think I should (would) go under the circ.u.mstances?

23. If they would (should) come, the danger would be averted.

24. If I would (should) say so, he would dislike me.

25. He says he will (shall) not come, since she forgot him at first.