Episode 22: I Will Return

will: promises & predictions — Douglas MacArthur, 1944 (A2-B1)

Grammar Box

Meaning: Will shows promises we make and predictions about the future. It expresses our intention or belief about what will happen.

Form: will + base verb (I/you/he/she/it/we/they will + verb)

Example 1: I will help you tomorrow. (promise)

Example 2: It will rain soon. (prediction)

Common mistake: Wrong: I will to go. Better: I will go.

The Question

Luna reads a quote in her book. “I will come back tomorrow.” She frowns. “Why ‘will’? Can’t I just say ‘I come back tomorrow’?” The watch begins to glow. Professor Wisdom appears with a serious look. “Some words carry more than grammar. They carry promises. Let me show you.”

The Journey

The light shifts. Luna stands on a beach. Soldiers are everywhere. Ships wait in the water. The air feels heavy. “Where are we?” she asks quietly.

“The Philippines, 1944,” the Professor says. “This is a war zone.”

A tall man in uniform walks toward the beach. Douglas MacArthur. His face is lined with worry and determination. He had been a general. He had led soldiers here. But two years ago, his army was losing. The enemy was too strong. His soldiers were dying. The government ordered him to leave.

“I don’t want to go,” he told his officers then. “My men need me here.” But he had no choice. He had to abandon them. He felt shame. He felt anger.

Before he left in 1942, he stood before reporters. “I shall return,” he promised. Three simple words. But every soldier remembered them. Every prisoner held onto them. For two years, those words gave hope.

Now, 1944, MacArthur wades through the ocean. His boots splash in the warm water. He walks onto Filipino sand. His promise is kept. The cameras flash. The soldiers cheer weakly. Some cry.

Luna smells salt water and gun smoke. She hears waves and distant explosions. She feels the weight of two years of waiting. Before MacArthur’s promise, there was only fear. After it, there was hope. And now, standing on this beach, the hope becomes real.

“‘I shall return,'” the Professor says softly. “Old English. Today we say ‘I will return.’ Same meaning. A promise about the future.”

The Insight

“‘Will’ is our tool for the future,” Professor Wisdom explains. “It makes promises. It makes predictions. It shows intention.”

“When you promise, you use ‘will.’ I will help you. I will be there. I will come back. The future depends on your choice.”

“When you predict, you use ‘will’ too. It will rain tomorrow. She will be happy. The sun will rise. The future will happen.”

“MacArthur said ‘I will return.’ Not ‘maybe.’ Not ‘I hope.’ Will. A promise carved in stone. That’s the power of this word.”

Practice Zone

More Examples:

1. “I will study tonight.” — Promise to yourself.
2. “It will be sunny tomorrow.” — Weather prediction.
3. “She will love this gift.” — Prediction about feelings.
4. “We will win this game.” — Promise or strong belief.
5. “The train will arrive at 3 PM.” — Schedule prediction.
6. “I will always remember this.” — Permanent promise.

Exercises:

1. Fill in the blank: I ___ (call) you tomorrow. I promise. (Use will)

2. Choose the correct:
   a) I will to help you.
   b) I will help you.

3. Match:
   – “I will finish my homework.” → Promise
   – “It will snow tonight.” → Prediction

4. Complete: She is sad now, but she ___ (be) happy again soon.

5. Your turn: Write a promise using “will.” Example: “I will…”

Answer Key:

1. will call
2. b) I will help you. (No “to” after will)
3. First is a promise (your decision). Second is a prediction (about weather).
4. will be
5. Check: Did you use “will” + base verb? Does it show a promise or prediction?

The Lesson

Luna returns home. She picks up her phone. She texts her friend: “I will meet you at 5 PM. I promise.” Simple words. But now she feels their weight. A promise isn’t just grammar. It’s trust built with the future.