I Wish …

Wishes about the present and future

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 car.) I wish I was on a beach. (I'm in the office.)

Future: I wish it was the weekend tomorrow. (It's only Thursday tomorrow.)

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

office.) I wish it wasn't raining. (It is raining.) 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

lot.) I wish they'd come on holiday with us.

(They didn't come on holiday with us.) I 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 me.)

I wish it would stop raining. (I'm impatient because it is raining and I want to go outside.)

I wish she'd be quiet. (I am annoyed because she is speaking.)

Wish and hope

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.

NOT I wish it was sunny tomorrow. I hope she passes her exam next week.

NOT I wish she were passing her exam next week. I hope the plane doesn't crash tomorrow.

NOT I wish the plane wouldn't crash tomorrow

Wish and want

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) I do not wish my name to appear on

the list. (+ object + infinitive)

Wish in fixed expressions

We can use I/We wish you in fixed expressions. I wish you a happy birthday. We wish you good luck in your new job. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

PRESENT WISH

1. It’s a pity I can’t go to the stadium tonight. I wish____________________________________________________. 2. I want to see Sara more often but I can’t. I wish____________________________________________________. 3. I live in Malta and I don’t like this. I wish_____________________________________________________. 4. It’s a pity Mary is not here. I wish____________________________________________________. 5. My sister doesn’t know how to dance. I wish____________________________________________________.

6. My best friend isn’t here. I wish ___________________________________________________. 7. Why can’t you come to my birthday party? I wish___________________________________________________. 8.  I’m not watching the news. I wish__________________________________________________. 9. She has got a lot of problems with her husband. She wishes

_________________________________________________. 10. Alex can’t speak English fluently. He wishes________________________________________________.

KEY

1. I wish I could go to the stadium tonight. 2. I wish I saw Sara more often. 3. I wish I didn’t live in Malta. 4. I wish Mary was here. 5. I wish she knew how to dance. 6. I wish my best friend was here. 7. I wish you came to my party. 8. I wish I was watching the news. 9. She wishes she didn’t have problems with

her husband. 10. He wishes he could speak English fluently.

wish - if

Rephrase the following sentences using wish or if.

ex :  I don't have a dog and I regret that.  → I wish I had a dog. 

  1.           I don't speak Chinese and I regret that.                 _______________________________________________________    2.           Tom didn't work hard last year and now he's sorry.                 ________________________________________________________

    3.           The children are shouting and I'd like them to stop.                 _______________________________________________________    4.           Caroline isn't rich enough to buy an apartment otherwise she would do

that.                 _______________________________________________________  

  5.           My car broke down on Sunday and I regret that that happened.                 ____________________________________________________________

    6.           In your position I think you should have a check-up once a year.                 ____________________________________________________________

    7.           It would be better if the rain stopped.                 ____________________________________________________________

    8.           I don't have any cake to offer you and I'm sorry about that .                 ____________________________________________________________

KEY

  1.           I don't speak Chinese and I regret that.                      → I wish I spoke Chinese

         2.           Tom didn't work hard last year and now he's sorry.                      → Tom wishes he had worked hard (or harder) last year.

         3.           The children are shouting and I'd like them to stop.                      → I wish the children would stop shouting.

         4.           Caroline isn't rich enough to buy an apartment otherwise she would do that.                      →  If Caroline were rich enough she would buy an apartment.

         5.           My car broke down on Sunday and I regret that that happened.                      → I wish my car hadn't broken down on Sunday.

         6.           In your position I think I would have a check-up once a year.                      → If I were you I'd have a check-up once a year.

         7.           It would be better if it stopped raining.                      → I wish it would stop raining.

         8.           I don't have any cake to offer you and I'm sorry about that .                     → I wish I had some cake to offer you.