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Maybe vs Shall - What's the difference?

maybe | shall |

As an adverb maybe

is Modifies a verb, indicating a lack of certainty.

As an adjective maybe

is possible; uncertain.

As a noun maybe

is something that is possibly true.

As a verb shall is

Used before a verb to indicate the simple future tense, particularly in the first person singular or plural.

maybe

English

(wikipedia maybe)

Alternative forms

* (l) (obsolete) * (l) (dialectal)

Adverb

(-)
  • (as a pro-sentence ) perhaps that is true (expressing no commitment to a decision or a neutral viewpoint to a statement)

    • Usage notes

    * Do not confuse maybe' with ' may be : "Maybe that's true", but "That may be true"

    Synonyms

    * (perhaps) mayhaps, peradventure, perhaps, possibly * (as a pro-sentence) could be, mayhaps, might be, perhaps, possibly, that’s possible

    Derived terms

    * and I don't mean maybe

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Possible; uncertain.
    • Then add those may-be years thou hast to live ? Dryden.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (informal) Something that is possibly true.
  • (informal) An answer that shows neither agreement nor disagreement.
    • The results of the poll were inconclusive. We got two yeses, three nos, and four maybes.
  • (informal) A future event that may or may not happen.
    • About your raise: it's a big maybe .

    Synonyms

    * perhaps

    Derived terms

    * definite maybe

    Anagrams

    * English hedges English modal adverbs

    shall

    English

    Verb

    (wikipedia shall)
  • (modal auxiliary verb, defective)
    • I shall sing in the choir tomorrow .
  • * 1900 , L. Frank Baum , The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Chapter 23
    • "My third command to the Winged Monkeys," said Glinda, "shall' be to carry you to your forest. Then, having used up the powers of the Golden Cap, I ' shall give it to the King of the Monkeys, that he and his band may thereafter be free for evermore."
    • (determination''): ''You shall go to the ball!
    (obligation''): ''Citizens shall provide proof of identity.
    • Shall we go out later?
  • (obsolete) To owe.

    • Usage notes

    * Shall'' is about one fourth as common relative to ''will in North America as in the UK. Some in North America may consider it formal or even pompous. * In the past, will'' and ''shall'' have been used similarly as auxiliary verbs for the future tense. The simple future tense traditionally uses ''shall for the first person ("I" and "we"), and will for the second and third persons. *: I shall go. *: You will go. * An emphatic future tense, with a sense of (must), reverses the two words, using will'' for the first person and ''shall for the second and third person. *: I will go. *: You shall go. * Usage can be reversed in questions and in dependent clauses—especially with indirect discourse. For example: Shall''' you do it?'' is equivalent in meaning to '''''Will''' you do it?'' as it anticipates your response ''I '''shall''' do it.'' Or: ''he says that he '''shall''' win'' or ''he expects that he '''shall''' win'' report his saying ''I '''shall''' win'', not ''I '''will win.

    See also

    * ought * shalt * shan't * should * will *

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * English auxiliary verbs English defective verbs English irregular verbs English modal verbs