The Future Café: Conversations about 'Shall', 'Will', and 'Would

It was a sunny morning—rare in this rainy city—and The Grammar Grind café was unusually full. Raka and Nina managed to grab a table near the window. Today, they weren’t here just for coffee. Nina had a list, and right at the top were three tricky modals: shall, will, and would.

“Raka,” Nina said, pulling out her notebook, “I’m so confused. My teacher said shall is formal, will is for the future, and would is polite... but they all feel kind of similar!”

Raka smiled. “You’re not wrong. These three are like cousins. They’re related, but they each have a different role at the party.”

He drew three overlapping circles on a napkin.
“Let’s break it down. Ready?”

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Chapter 1: Will – The Straight-Talker of the Future

“Will is the most direct and commonly used modal for future actions or decisions made at the moment.”

Examples:

• I will call you later.

• She will arrive at 7 PM.

• We will help you.

“It’s simple, clear, and confident,” Raka explained. “You use will when you’re sure something is going to happen, or when you decide on the spot.”

Nina nodded. “So if I say I will study tonight, I’m promising it?”

“Exactly. And if you say it with confidence, people believe you.”

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Chapter 2: Shall – The Formal Planner

Then Raka circled shall on the napkin.

“Shall is more formal. It’s often used in British English, and mostly with I or we, especially when making suggestions or offers.”

Examples:

• Shall we dance?

• Shall I open the window?

• We shall overcome this challenge. (Formal/poetic)

“It’s polite and elegant—like someone in a tuxedo,” Raka smiled.
“But don’t overuse it. In modern spoken English, shall is less common—will has taken over in most situations.”

Nina looked impressed. “So shall is like the classy cousin who shows up for weddings and speeches?”

“Perfect analogy.”

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Chapter 3: Would – The Polite Dreamer

Now, Raka underlined would.

“Would is used for polite offers, hypothetical situations, and the past form of will in indirect speech.”

Examples:

• I would love some coffee. (polite)

• If I were rich, I would travel the world. (hypothetical)

• He said he would call me. (reported speech)

“Would is softer, less direct. It’s perfect for sounding polite or imagining something that isn’t real yet.”

Nina tilted her head. “So if I say I would go, but I’m busy, I’m being gentle about refusing?”

“Exactly. It’s kind, considerate—and often more socially appropriate than a blunt will not.”

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Real-Life Table Talk

Raka grabbed a fresh napkin and drew a quick chart:

Modal	Use	Tone	Example
Will	Future facts, quick decisions	Direct, confident	I will do it.
Shall	Offers, formal suggestions	Formal, polite	Shall we begin?
Would	Polite requests, hypotheticals	Soft, respectful	I would like some tea.

“Here’s a tip,” Raka added.

“If you want to sound polite—use would.
If you want to sound confident—use will.
If you want to sound formal—use shall.”

Nina leaned back and smiled. “I wish grammar was always this clear.”

“It can be,” Raka replied. “When grammar stops being rules and starts being characters in your story.”

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Closing Scene: Words That Build the Future

As they left the café, the sun still shining, Nina looked ahead and said:

“One day, I will speak English fluently.
Maybe I would even teach it.
And who knows—shall we open our own English café one day?”

Raka laughed.

“Now that’s how you use all three in style.”

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Final Note:
The secret to mastering modals is understanding tone, not just translation. Whether you’re dreaming (would), deciding (will), or proposing something (shall), you're shaping not only sentences—but relationships.