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Shall is a modal that is used to express futurity or future action.
In formal English, the chief use of shall is with the first person subject I or we. It is used to express a suggestion, a promise, or a voluntary action.
Examples:
| Suggestion: | Shall I hide the things in a jar? |
| Promise: | I shall never forget how these things turned my life around. |
However, when shall implies a command, a threat, or a promise made by a speaker, it uses the second person subject pronoun you and the third person subject nouns or pronouns he, she, it, or they.
Examples:
| Command: | You shall weave a cradle for the “things.” |
| Threat: | The dragon shall spit out fire. |
| Promise: | The old man shall see the rewards of his goodness. |
Furthermore, in formal language, when shall expresses an inevitability or a predestination in describing the future, it also uses the second person pronoun or the third person subject nouns or pronouns.
Examples:
The four brothers shall become rulers of the Lao people.
Each of them shall reign as king of his own kingdom.
Should is the past tense of shall. It is used in the following:
Making recommendations or suggestions
Examples:
The couple should visit the shrine.
They should continue to pray to the great devata.
Giving advice
Examples:
The couple should allow the four things to live in their shells until the proper time has come.
They should not be selfish.
Expressing obligation
Examples:
The four brothers should really stay in their shells.
The couple should do what the four brothers have told them.
Expressing expectation
Examples:
By now, the couple should already prepare for the lunar month.
They should look forward to seeing their sons.