How to use the verb WISH?

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Iโ€™m confused about when to use PAST with WISH. Can you explain it?
wish grammar english

When itโ€™s 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 donโ€™t have enough friends at the moment.)
  • If only I had more free time. (I donโ€™t have enough free time at the moment.)
  • I wish I could sing. (I canโ€™t sing.)
  • I wish there were more honest people around me. (There arenโ€™t enough honest people around me at the moment.)
  • If only I lived in a castle. (I donโ€™t live in a castle at the moment, but I would like to.)
  • My mother wishes I wasnโ€™t so lazy. (I am lazy and my mother isnโ€™t happy about it.)
  • I wish I wasnโ€™t so busy. (I am busy and I donโ€™t like it.)
  • If only I didnโ€™t have such noisy neighbours. (I have noisy neighbours at the moment and I donโ€™t like it.)
  • I wish I didnโ€™t live in such a noisy neighbourhood. (I live in a noisy neighbourhood at the moment and I donโ€™t like it.)
  • My brother wishes he had a bigger house. (His house isnโ€™t big enough for him and he would like a bigger one.)

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Read more:
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 wouldnโ€™t come uninvited. (They usually come uninvited and it annoys me.)
  • If only my mother would stop calling me when Iโ€™m with friends. (She keeps calling me and it annoys me.)
  • I wish my boss would consider my ideas. (My boss doesnโ€™t consider my ideas and it annoys me.)
  • I wish Jenny wouldnโ€™t ask so many questions. (She asks too many questions and it annoys me.)
  • If only you wouldnโ€™t drink so much. (You drink too much and it annoys me.)

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Read more:
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 didnโ€™t study hard and now I regret it.)
  • I wish they hadnโ€™t done that. (They did it and Iโ€™m not happy about it.)
  • If only you had seen it. (You didnโ€™t see it and Iโ€™m not happy about it.)
  • I wish she hadnโ€™t come. (She came and Iโ€™m not happy about it.)
  • She wishes she hadnโ€™t 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 didnโ€™t know about it, so I hired Sue and now Iโ€™m not happy about it.)
  • If only you had listened to your mother. (You didnโ€™t listen to your mother and Iโ€™m not happy about it.)

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Read more:
When to Use WILL or WOULD in a Sentence?

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