[72] Ibid., pp. 82-83.

EXERCISE XLIII.

Fill the blanks with the right words:—

1. —— I leave the room?
2. You —— go to the concert, but I doubt whether you—- get a seat.
3. —— we by searching find out God?
4. —— I have some more lemonade?
5. —— I have another piece of cake?
6. —— you tell me which is Mr. Ames's house?
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 glass 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 God."[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

}

 go. I (we) will

}

 go.
you will[76] you shall
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.