shall be retained

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shall be retained" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in formal or legal contexts to indicate that something will be kept or preserved. Example: "All records pertaining to the transaction shall be retained for a period of five years."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

A record of the results of each audit shall be retained.

Cornell University

No information obtained from such visits shall be retained unless it relates to potential criminal or terrorist activity".

The New York Times

The old policy said that "personnel data relating exclusively to supervision and pertaining therefore to the quality of a teacher's service shall be retained in the original school".

The New York Times

(e) Records required by § 700.14 of this chapter to be made available locally to the public shall be retained at OSM's Knoxville Field Office.

Cornell University

All permit fees shall be retained by the State and deposited with the State Treasurer in the Oil and Gas Conservation Fund.

Cornell University

(8) Acknowledge that working papers shall be retained for a minimum of three years from the date of the written audit report.

Cornell University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

The ballot, called a retention ballot, often simply reads "Shall Judge X be retained?" In practice, few judges are removed from office through retention ballots.

Britannica

AASHTO policy says that a toll road may only be included as a special route, and that "a toll-free routing between the same termini shall continue to be retained and marked as a part of the U.S. Numbered System".

Wikipedia

The Serjeants were required to swear an oath, which was that they would: "serve the King's people as one of the Serjeants-at-law, and you shall truly counsel them that you be retained with after your cunning; and you shall not defer or delay their causes willingly, for covetness of money, or other thing that may turn you to profit; and you shall give due attendance accordingly.

Wikipedia

This principle is retained in the new EU regulation 1107/2009 [2], which repeals directive 91/414/EEC and shall apply from June 2011.

Environmental Sciences Europe

Juices are retained.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "shall be retained" in legal documents or formal policies to clearly state the requirement for preserving records or items. For example, "All invoices related to this project "shall be retained" for seven years."

Common error

Avoid using "shall be retained" in casual conversation or informal writing. It sounds overly formal and unnatural. Use more common alternatives like "will be kept" or "needs to be saved" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shall be retained" functions as a directive, most commonly found in legal and regulatory contexts. It indicates a mandatory action to preserve or keep something, as confirmed by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Academia

50%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "shall be retained" is a formal directive primarily used in legal, regulatory, and academic contexts to express a requirement for preserving or maintaining something. Ludwig AI indicates that it conveys a mandatory action, and while grammatically correct, its formality makes it unsuitable for casual use. Alternatives like "will be kept" or "must be preserved" may be more appropriate in less formal settings. The phrase's authoritative tone is best suited for scenarios where clarity and obligation are paramount.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

must be preserved

Changes the auxiliary verb from "shall" to "must", indicating a stronger obligation.

must be maintained

Expresses a stronger obligation to maintain something.

will be kept

Replaces the formal "shall" with the more common "will", resulting in a less formal tone.

are to be preserved

Highlights the obligation to preserve something in a plural form.

is to be maintained

Emphasizes the act of maintaining something over time.

is to be kept

More direct and less formal than the original.

should be preserved

Uses "should" to suggest a recommendation or advisability rather than a strict requirement.

will remain

Focuses on the idea of something staying in its current state.

will be conserved

Implies a careful and economical preservation.

is to be conserved

Suggests that the item must be kept in a safe way or secured condition.

FAQs

When is it appropriate to use "shall be retained"?

The phrase "shall be retained" is best used in formal contexts, such as legal documents, contracts, or official policies, where there is a need to express a firm requirement for keeping or preserving something.

What are some less formal alternatives to "shall be retained"?

For less formal situations, you can use phrases like "will be kept", "should be saved", or "must be preserved". The choice depends on the level of formality required and the specific context.

How does "shall be retained" differ from "must be retained"?

Both phrases indicate a requirement, but "must be retained" (/s/must+be+retained) often conveys a stronger sense of obligation or necessity than "shall be retained", although "shall" implies a binding requirement in formal settings.

Is it incorrect to use "will be retained" instead of "shall be retained"?

Using "will be retained" (/s/will+be+retained) isn't necessarily incorrect, but it is less formal. In legal or official contexts where precision and formality are important, "shall be retained" is the preferred choice.