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fairy godmotherWishes

Expressing wishes and regrets

 

 

 

Making a wish can be anything from one's private thought to imposing one's will on others.  Note the subtle differences in the "wishes" below.

 

Present Wishes – Real vs. Unreal
A  WISH THAT CAN COME TRUE AN IMAGINARY WISH

Use wish to + verb to make a wish that can come true or to express a desire or request.

Use wish + past tense verb form to express a wish about a hypothetical (imaginary) situation.  The past tense verb form is called "subjunctive".

We wish to go with you. (direct request / demand)

I wish I were home in my country.  (a private thought; longing)

We'd like to go with you.  (more polite request)

I wish I could go with you. (an excuse due to inability, or an expression of regret)

I hope (that) we can go with you. (suggestion / request)

I wish you would let me pay for dinner. (pretend regret, or upset)

* I wish (that) I can go with you. (incorrect)
 

I wish you'd turn that TV off!  (low expectation request; anger, outrage)

 

 

 

Past Wishes – Unreal
A PRESENT WISH ABOUT THE PAST A PAST WISH ABOUT THE PAST

Use wish + could/would + have + participle  to express regret about a past action that did not happen.

Use wished + could/would + have + participle  to express regret about a past action that did not happen.

I wish I could have gone with you.  (regret over a lost opportunity)

I wished I could have gone with you.  (remembering a lost opportunity)

I wish you would have remembered to take the dog out. (nagging, anger)
 

I wished I had been old enough to drive.  (remembering a wish)

 

 

 

 

 

Variations in Meaning

Regret, Upset & Lost Opportunity

 

 

 

WISH – Regret vs. Upset
HAD PARTICIPLE WOULD HAVE

Using the past perfect verb form expresses regret over a past action that failed to occur.

"Would have" expresses dissatisfaction and emphasizes someone's unwillingness to do something.

I wish the store had had that shoe is my size.  (I regret they did no t have my size.)

I wish the store would have had that shoe is my size.  (I am unhappy they are unwilling or have chosen not to restock or carry my size.)

I wish you had let me know that you were coming.  (I regret you did not let me know.)

I wish you would have let me know.(I am displeased you were unwilling to communicate.)

I wish they had called before coming.  (I regret they did not call.)

I wish they would have driven instead of us. (I am upset they were unwilling to drive.)

I wish my boss had bought us laptops instead of desktop computers. (I regret he did not buy laptops.)
 

I wish my boss would have bought us laptops instead of desktop computers. (I am angry he was unwilling to do so.)

 

 

 

WISH – Lost Opportunity vs. Upset
COULD HAVE WOULD HAVE

"Could have" expresses regret over inability to do something – physical or mental. The situation is a lost opportunity.

"Would have" expresses dissatisfaction and emphasizes someone's unwillingness to do something.

I wish the store could have had that shoe is my size.  (They were unable to do so due to temporary stock limitations.)

I wish the store would have had that shoe is my size.  (I am unhappy they are unwilling or have chosen not to restock or carry my size.)

I wish you could have let me know.  (You were unable to do so because you could not get to a phone.)

I wish you would have let me know.(I am displeased you were unwilling to communicate.)

I wish they could have driven instead of us.  (They were unable to drive due to not having a license or being physically incapable.)

I wish they would have driven instead of us. (I am upset they were unwilling to drive.)

I wish my boss could have bought us laptops instead of desktop computers. (He was not able to buy laptops due to budget limitations.)
 

I wish my boss would have bought us laptops instead of desktop computers. (I am angry he was unwilling to do so.)

 

 

 

 

beachIf Only

A Doubtful Wish

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wish vs. If only
WISH IF ONLY

Use I wish… to express an imagined situation.  We use wish to say that we want things to be different.

Use if only to express a wish – one that you are doubtful about actually happening.  The result clause is optional and is separate. It is more emphatic than I wish…

I wish  I had more time so that I could relax!

If only  I had more time!

I wish I could go home for vacation, then I would be so happy.  

If only  I could go home for vacation. I would be so happy.

I wish  you were here!

If only  you were here!

I wish  you would travel with me.  (future)

If only  you would come with me. (future) 

I wish  she hadn't told told her mother everything. 
 

If only  she hadn't told her mother everything.  (past)
 

Also see Only if (a condition)    

 

 

 

 

 

sun setPractice

Hypothetical Situations and their Implied Meanings 

 

 

 

Choose the verb that best completes the sentence.  Pay attention to the cues in the context of the sentence.
  1. Select a verb tense from the pull-down menu.
  2. Then, check your answer.

 

# YOUR RESPONSE ANSWER
1. It's raining. You don't like rain.
2. It's raining. Your friend is leaving without his coat.

 

3. It was raining. Your friend caught a cold because he didn't wear his coat. Remind him about the advice you gave.

 

4. You wish to buy a new coat, but you have no money right now.

 

5. You weren't at the noon meeting. You had another appointment.

 

6. You are angry about a person failing to show up to a meeting.

 

7. You want to help prepare some documents for a meeting.  Make a polite request / wish.

 

8. You are at a party. You want to go home. Tell your friend .  Make a direct request/wish.
9. Your friend wants help with homework. You want to watch a TV movie.  Make an excuse. 
10. At the holiday office party, your boss drank a little to much, sat on the copy machine and photocopied his behind.You missed it!
11 A few days after the holiday office party, you remember the embarrassing event and what you were thinking at that time.  
12 You have an officemate that smokes. You make a somewhat angry wish.
13 A friend tells you that he was near your office earlier that day, but didn't want to bother you. You tell him your regrets.