Editing Shall and will (section)

===Colored uses===

[[Image:Cheer up.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Example of ''shall'' in the lead editorial of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' after the [[Great Chicago Fire|Chicago Fire]], using "shall" to connote formality and seriousness.]]
Whether or not the above-mentioned prescriptive rule (''shall'' for the unmarked future in the first person) is adhered to, there are certain meanings in which either ''will'' or ''shall'' tends to be used rather than the other. Some of these have already been mentioned (see the [[#Specific uses of shall or will|Specific uses]] section). However, there are also cases in which the meaning being expressed combines plain futurity with some additional implication; these can be referred to as "colored" uses of the future markers.

Thus ''shall'' may be used (particularly in the second and third [[grammatical person|persons]]) to imply a command, promise or threat made by the speaker (i.e., that the future event denoted represents the [[Will (philosophy)|will]] of the speaker rather than that of the [[subject (grammar)|subject]]). For example:
*You shall regret it before long. (speaker's threat)
*You shall not pass! (speaker's command)
*You ''shall'' go to the ball. (speaker's promise) <!--italics added for emphasis, because the usage is typically because the 'promise' is contrary to expectations-->

In the above sentences, ''shall'' might be replaced by ''will'' without change of intended meaning, although the form with ''will'' could also be interpreted as a plain statement about the expected future. The use of ''shall'' is often associated with formality and/or seriousness, in addition to the coloring of the meaning. For some specific cases of its formal use, see the sections below on {{slink||Legal use}} and {{slink||Technical specifications}}.

(Another, generally archaic, use of ''shall'' is in certain [[dependent clause]]s with future reference, as in "The prize is to be given to whoever shall have done the best."<!-- Please do not change this to "whomever" - the sentence is correct as it is. This has been discussed on the talk page. --> More normal here in modern English is the simple present tense: "whoever does the best"; see {{slink|Uses of English verb forms|Dependent clauses}}.)

On the other hand, ''will'' can be used (in the first person) to emphasize the willingness, desire or intention of the speaker:
*I will lend you £10,000 at 5% (the speaker is willing to make the loan, but it will not necessarily be made)
*I will have my way.
Most speakers have ''will'' as the future marker in any case, but when the meaning is as above, even those who follow or are influenced by the prescriptive rule would tend to use ''will'' (rather than the ''shall'' that they would use with a first person subject for the uncolored future).

The division of uses of ''will'' and ''shall'' is somewhat different in questions than in statements; see the following section for details.