Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Negative forms of shall and will in prohibitions

415d

Shall not

occurs in very formal/literary contexts in acts of forbidding or

prohibition. It is rare in such acts:

‘

He shall not go

,’ she said slowly, one word at a time. ‘Do you hear me?

Cromwell is not going to the front.’ 

‘He has to. He is an officer of the King, he must do as he is ordered.’ 

694 | Speech acts

Cambridge Grammar of English

---

Will not

is also very formal. It is more frequent than shall not:

Then the judge folded his arms and began to speak rapidly, staring down at

Frank. ‘I hereby grant the exclusion order, in the name of Frank Little and

Eleanor Little. You will give an undertaking to leave the jurisdiction within

seventy-two hours. 

You will not return to the jurisdiction for a period of three

months. Thereafter 

you will not return to the jurisdiction without prior

notification to the Ministerio del Interior in writing

. You will surrender your

visa to the clerk of the court immediately. 

You will not approach any embassy,

consulate or honorary consulate of the Popular Republic of Nicaragua for the

purpose of obtaining a visa for a period of three months

.’