ENGLISH GRAMMAR VIII: I WISH/ IF ONLY

I WISH/ IF ONLY

Wishes about the present

We use wish with past Tense forms (simple and continuous) to express regret about present situations:

I wish you were more help. = (you are not) I wish I were can replace I wish I was.

To many people, I wish I were sounds more correct:

We use wish with could to express a wish for a present situation to be different:

Past Simple > present>I wish I knew the answer. (= I don’t know)

Past Simple > present > I wish I was /were better at sports. (= I'm not)

Past Continuous > present > I wish I was /were going with you. (= I'm not)

Could > present > I wish I could give you an answer. (= I can't)

Would > future > I wish you would be quiet. (= Your talking irritates me.)

Past Perfect > past > I wish I had known you then. (= but I didn't)

Could have > past> I wish I could have explained. (= I wasn't able to)

Wishes about the future

We use wish with would to say how we would like somebody to behave in the future:

~~X I wish you to stop talking.~~

/I wish you would stop talking.

~~X I wish that they will stop arguing~~.

/I wish they would stop arguing.

• We can also use this pattern in situations that do not involve people:

I wish this car would go faster.

Wishes about the past

We use wish with the Past Perfect when we have

Regrets about the past:

I wish I hadn't taken your advice. (= but I did)

I wish she could have come. (= but she didn't)

If only

If only can be more emphatic than I wish. The verb forms after if only are the same as the patterns with wish:

If only I had more money! (= but I haven't)

If only I was going on holiday with you!

If only you were here. (= but you re not)

If only the sun would come out!

If only you could be here! (= but you're not)

If only I'd listened to you! (=but I didn't )

If only he could have explained! (=but he wasn't able to)

ENGLISH GRAMMAR VIII