Wish

Wishes about the present and future

1. We use 'wish' + past simple to express that we want a situation in the present (or future) to be different.

I wish I spoke Italian. -- I don't speak Italian I wish I had a big car. -- I don't have a big carI wish I was on a beach. -- I'm in the officeFuture: I wish it was the weekend tomorrow. -- It's only Thursday tomorrow

2. We use 'wish' + past continuous to express that we want to be doing a different action in the present (or future).

I wish I was lying on a beach now. -- I'm sitting in the officeI wish it wasn't raining. -- It is rainingFuture: I wish you weren't leaving tomorrow. -- You are leaving tomorrow

Wishes about the past

We use 'wish' + past perfect to express a regret, or that we want a situation in the past to be different.

I wish I hadn't eaten so much. -- I ate a lotI wish they'd come on holiday with us. -- They didn't come on holiday with usI wish I had studied harder at school. -- I was lazy at school

Wish + would

We use 'wish' + would + bare infinitive to express impatience, annoyance or dissatisfaction with a present action.

I wish you would stop smoking. -- You are smoking at the moment and it is annoying meI wish it would stop raining. -- I'm impatient because it is raining and I want to go outsideI wish she'd be quiet. -- I am annoyed because she is speaking

Special Difficulties

1. To simply express that you want something to happen in the future (not talking about wanting an action or situation to be different, and not talking about impatience or annoyance) we use 'hope', not 'wish'.

I hope it's sunny tomorrow. I wish it was sunny tomorrow. xI hope she passes her exam next week. I wish she were passing her exam next week.

2. We can use 'wish' + infinitive or 'wish' + object + infinitive to mean want in a formal situation.

I wish to leave now. (+ infinitive) I wish to speak to your supervisor please. (+ infinitive) We wish you good luck in your new job.

1..-Choose the correct tense

1 I don't understand this point of grammar. I wish I ______ it better. understood would understand had understood

2 It never stops raining here. I wish it ______ raining.stopped would stop had stopped

3 I should never have said that. I wish I ______ that.didn't say hadn't said wouldn't say

4 I miss my friends. I wish my friends ______ here right now. were would be had been

5 I speak terrible English. I wish I ______ English well.Spoke would speak had spoken

6 I cannot sleep. The dog next door is making too much noise. I wish it ______ quiet. kept would keep had kept

7 This train is very slow. The earlier train was much faster. I wish I ______ the earlier train. Caught would catch had caught

8 I didn't see the TV programme but everybody said it was excellent. I wish I ______ it. Saw would see had seen

9 I went out in the rain and now I have a bad cold. I wish I ______ out.didn't go wouldn't go hadn't gone

10 This movie is terrible. I wish we ______ to see another one.Went would go had gone

11 I hate living in England. It's cold and it's damp. I wish I ______ in Spain.lived would live had lived

12 I love California. I wish I ______ there right now.were would be had been

13 My car is too small. I wish I ______ a bigger one.Had would have had had

14 I was only in Miami for a week. I wish I ______ more time there but I had to go on to New York . would have had had had

15 My face is bright red. I wish I ______ in the sun so long yesterday.didn't sit wouldn't sit hadn't sat

16 It was supposed to be a secret. I wish you ______ him.didn't tell wouldn't tell hadn't told

17 They didn't offer me the job. I wish they ______ it to me.offered would offer had offered

18 You're always moaning about something or other. I wish you ______ shut up would shut up had shut up

19 I hate having red hair. I wish I ______ blonde hair.Had would have had had

20 This exercise is very boring. I wish the teacher ______ us some more interesting things to do. gave would give had given

2.-CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER1 I live in a small house. I wish I ______ in a big one. lived would live had lived2 I drive a Renault. It's nice but I wish I ______ a Rolls Royce. Had would have had had 3 you're the best teacher I've ever had. I wish you ______ my teacher last year as well. were would be had been 4 I don't like these shoes very much. I wish I ______ them.didn't buy wouldn't buy hadn't bought

5 You're not listening to me. I wish you ______ to me. Listened would listen had listened 6 The weather is awful. I wish it ______ raining. Stopped would stop had stopped 7 I can't come. I wish I ______ come. could would be able to had been able to 8 I'd love to live in Paris. I wish I ______ in Paris. Lived would live had lived 9 All my friends are very rich. I wish I ______ rich. was would be had been 10 I'm not very good-looking. I wish I ______ good-looking. Were would be had been 11 He's notarrived yet. I wish he ______ up. Hurried would hurry had hurried 12 I'm cold and miserable. I wish I ______ at home in bed. Was would be had been 13 I hate this war. I wish it ______ . ended would end had ended 14 He's a very rude man. I wish he ______ more polite. Were would be had been 15 I studied English at school but I never listened to the teacher. I wish I ______ more attention. Paid would pay had paid 16 I've no time to see you. I wish you ______ me you were coming. told would tell had told 17 My husband always comes home late. I wish he ______ home early for a change. came would come had come 18 I cannot concentrate. I wish you ______ making so much noise. Stopped would stop had stopped 19 I'd love to visit Orlando. I wish I ______ enough money to go there.had would have had had

20 I hate my job. I wish I ______ something more interesting. did would do had done

3.-Exercise express your regrets with I wish1.-I don't have anything to smoke. ...............................................................2 Simon has gone on holiday and I really need to speak to him. ...........................................................................................................................................3 Girls don't like me because I'm ugly! I ..................................................................4 I don't have much time............................................................................................5 My computer is old and slow. ....................................................................6 It's really cold here. The climate is awful. ...........................................................................................................................................7 I'm lonely. ......................................................................................8 Mark and Sally are going to India but it's not possible for me to go with them. ...........................................................................................................................................9 I feel really old. ......................................................................................................10 My job is really boring. .................................................................................................11 I don't speak Spanish. ..............................................................................................12 I don't understand English as well as I want. ...........................................................................................................................................13 My job pays really badly. ............................................................................................14 Sorry. I've burnt the spaghetti again. ...........................................................................................................................................15 This town is so boring. .............................................................................................16 I don't like working late at nigh......................................................................................17 I cannot go to the wedding as I've got to work. ...........................................................................................................................................18 My car has broken down and I don't know what to do...........................................................................................................................................19 I've got to work on Saturday............................................................................................................................................20 I cannot buy trainers in ordinary shops because my feet are too big. I...........................................................................................................................................