Iโm confused about when to use PAST with WISH. Can you explain it?
When itโs your birthday, you close your eyes and make a wish before you blow out the candles on the cake. You wish for something that you would really like to have or to happen.
WISHES FOR THE PRESENT
WISH + PAST SIMPLE
IF ONLY + PAST SIMPLE
- I wish I had more friends. (I donโt have enough friends at the moment.)
- If only I had more free time. (I donโt have enough free time at the moment.)
- I wish I could sing. (I canโt sing.)
- I wish there were more honest people around me. (There arenโt enough honest people around me at the moment.)
- If only I lived in a castle. (I donโt live in a castle at the moment, but I would like to.)
- My mother wishes I wasnโt so lazy. (I am lazy and my mother isnโt happy about it.)
- I wish I wasnโt so busy. (I am busy and I donโt like it.)
- If only I didnโt have such noisy neighbours. (I have noisy neighbours at the moment and I donโt like it.)
- I wish I didnโt live in such a noisy neighbourhood. (I live in a noisy neighbourhood at the moment and I donโt like it.)
- My brother wishes he had a bigger house. (His house isnโt big enough for him and he would like a bigger one.)
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How to Express Good Wishes Using MAY
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WISHES ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU FIND ANNOYING OR IRRITATING
WISH + WOULD + VERB
IF ONLY + WOULD + VERB
- I wish you would stop saying that. (You keep saying that and it annoys me.)
- I wish they wouldnโt come uninvited. (They usually come uninvited and it annoys me.)
- If only my mother would stop calling me when Iโm with friends. (She keeps calling me and it annoys me.)
- I wish my boss would consider my ideas. (My boss doesnโt consider my ideas and it annoys me.)
- I wish Jenny wouldnโt ask so many questions. (She asks too many questions and it annoys me.)
- If only you wouldnโt drink so much. (You drink too much and it annoys me.)
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If I Was or If I Were?
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WISHES AND REGRETS FOR THE PAST
WISH + PAST PERFECT (had + 3rd form of the verb)
IF ONLY + PAST PERFECT
- I wish I had studied harder. (I didnโt study hard and now I regret it.)
- I wish they hadnโt done that. (They did it and Iโm not happy about it.)
- If only you had seen it. (You didnโt see it and Iโm not happy about it.)
- I wish she hadnโt come. (She came and Iโm not happy about it.)
- She wishes she hadnโt introduced me to Tom. (She introduced me to Tom and she regrets it.)
- If only I had known about this before I hired Sue. (I didnโt know about it, so I hired Sue and now Iโm not happy about it.)
- If only you had listened to your mother. (You didnโt listen to your mother and Iโm not happy about it.)
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Read more:
When to Use WILL or WOULD in a Sentence?