Unit 9 - Wish

Wish

Unit 9 - Wish

Although wish is generally associated with hope, it is actually used mainly for regrets. For example:
- I wish I had a better job. (I don't have the job I want now)
- I wish my kids could have a better education.

Wish is used with unreal situations, so like all unreal situations in English the sentence goes one tense back in time.
If the sentence is about the present then, we use wish with the Past Pimple. For example:
- I want more time now => I wish I had more time.
- It's too hot now => I wish it wasn't so hot.

And if the sentence is about the past, we use wish with the Past Perfect. For example:
- I wanted more time => I wish I had had more time.
- It's too hot now => I wish it hadn't been so hot.

Wish ... would

Wish ... would is used to complain about a present situation. For example:
- I wish he would speak louder..
- Don't you wish countries could stop fighting?
- I wish it would stop raining.

Wish .. would is used only for actions, not states or situations. For example:
- I wish I would be at home. - Incirrect.
- I wish I was at home / I wish I were at home. - OK

Subjunctive

The subjunctive is a little used mood now found mainly in a few stock English phrases. Simply put it means that with if and wish, you can use were with I/he/she/it. It's particularly common with the pronoun "I", for example:
- I wish I was a rich man. OK
- I wish I were a rich man. OK
- If I was a rich man... OK
- If I were a rich man... OK

As with most older English, this is found mainly in British English.

-----

Grammar Exercises

Example: Class is so boring. I wish I _____ home.

a) could go
b) go
c) be eating

The answer is: a) could go
----------

1. I wish I ____ my job.
a) quitting
b) could quit
c) am quit

2. It is so quiet. I wish they _____ some music.
a) would put on
b) are putting on
c) would be

3. I wish I ____ good at sports
a) am
b) would
c) was

4. I wish my kids _____ their homework.
a) would
b) would be doing
c) would do

5. I wish we ____ spaghetti for dinner.
a) had
b) am having
c) would had

6. I wish I _______ chemistry when I was in high school.
a) would take
b) had taken
c) am taking

7. I wish I ____ the right time to buy a house.
a) knew
b) would knew
c) know

8. I wish I _____ a little bit taller.
a) am
b) would was
c) was

9. I wish I _____ no longer have to go to work.
a) would
b) was
c) would be

10. I don't like that place. I wish I _____ there.
a) gone
b) had never gone
c) had no go

Answers

"b","a","c","c","a","b","a","c","a","b"

Tyler: It’s quiet in this restaurant...almost too quiet.
Sylvia: Yes, I wish they would play some background music. It would create a better atmosphere.

Husband: The college Jim wants to go to is so expensive!
Wife: Yes, I hope he gets a scholarship.
Husband: I wish we just win the lottery someday and money doesn’t matter!