Wish Clauses

Wish clauses – three Types1. Wishes about the PRESENT = I wish / If only + Past Simple

When we use want to make a wish about the present, we use the unreal past simple (like Type 2 conditional). We can also use could / was able to.

Examples: I wish I knew more about European history. (If I knew more about it, I would be happier.) I can’t write good essays. I wish I could write good essays. I can’t speak English well. I wish I were able to speak better. It’s cold in here. I wish I were in a warmer place. It’s cold in here. If only I were in a warmer place.

(in type 2 unreal we often use “I were” instead of “I was”.)

2. Wishes about the past. = I wish / If only + Past Perfect

Wish clauses – three Types

When we refer to past situations using wish clauses, we use the past perfect (as in type 3 unreal past conditional clauses)Examples: I wish I had gone to the movie.=if I had gone to the movie, I would have been happier. But I didn’t go.

Katy regrets rejecting that job offer. Katy wishes she had accepted that job offer.

We chose the wrong day to go camping because it rained all day.We wish we hadn’t gone camping that day because it rained all day.

3. Wish with WOULD for requests/complaints. = I wish / If only (subject) would + infinitive

Wish clauses – three Types

We also use wish with would when we someone to do something or not to do something. This is often because we don’t like it (complaint).

You never hand your work in on time.= I wish you would hand your work in on time.

He always drops litter on the floor.= I wish he wouldn’t drop litter on the floor.

My students make so many mistakes while writing.

I wish my students would be more careful while writing.

Write appropriate wish clauses for the situations given

Wish clauses – three Types

I love France – it would be great to live there.

If only /I wish I lived in France.

Juliet: Considering what happened later, meeting Romeo was a mistake.

I wish I hadn’t met him.

You always interrupt people.

I wish you wouldn’t interrupt people.

I regret watching that movie. I was so boring that I couldn’t finish watching it.

Wish clauses – Practice

I wish I hadn’t watched that movie.

You never listen to what I’m saying.I wish you would listen to what I’m saying.

In fact,I would rather be in a much more professional business environment I wish I were in much more professional business environment.

It would be nice if you lived with us.

I wish / if only you lived with us.

It is a pity that we forgot to inform you about the new schedule.

I wish/ if only we had informed you about the new schedule.

It would have been nice if you had joined us during the play.

I wish you had joined us during the play.

I regret not choosing architecture as my major.

I wish I had chosen architecture as my major.

A LOVE STORY FULL OF REGRETS

You are going to read a dialogue about a love story which ended due to some mistakes Alex had made. Alex now wishes he had done so many things differently...

Tim: Hi, Alex. What’s up?

Alex: Hi, Tim. I broke up with my girlfriend, but I regret it and want her back!

Tim: What happened?

Alex: It’s all my fault! I wish I’d been more sensitive to her problems when we were together. She always asked me to listen to her, but I didn’t really care.

Tim: That sounds like a big mistake, but is that all you did?

Alex: I wish I’d been more interested in her family. She invited me to meet her parents but I ignored her.

Tim: It seems you’ve made some very big mistakes. Anything else?

Alex: Yes. Unfortunately I always forgot our special days. If only I hadn’t forgotten her birthday yesterday. I think that was the last straw! And, I wish I hadn’t acted so rudely when she was already displeased with my behavior.

Tim: How do you feel now?

Alex: I wish she were here with me now. Nothing else can make me feel better. I have been calling her again but she never answers. I wish she’d start answering my calls.

Tim: Do you think there is still hope for the future?

Alex: I suppose yes, if I can convince her that I have changed. If only she’d give me another chance today!

Is Alex sorry about breaking up with his girl friend? ..................................................................................Does he want to correct his mistakes? ...................................................................................Was he sensitive to his girlfriend’s problems? ...................................................................................How does he express his regret about this event in the past? ..................................................................................When they were together, was he interested in her family? ..................................................................................How does he express his regret about this event in the past? ..................................................................................Did he remember to celebrate her birthday? ....................................................................................Is he sad about that? How does he express his sadness about this event in the past? .........................................................................................How does he tell us his sorrow for his rudeness in the past? ......................................................................................His girlfrined is not with him now. What does he wish for at present? .......................................................................................He does not like her not answering her phone at present and wants it to change in the future. How does he say that? ............................................................................................

Wishes about the present:She is not here now. – I wish / If only she were here now.

Wishes about actions that take place in the present, but you want them to change in the future:She is not answerng her phone now. – I wish / If only she would start answering her phone.

Wishes about the past: regretsI was not sensitive to her problems. – I wish / If only I had been more sensitive to her problems.

PRODUCTİON

Wishes for the past Imagine that you have lots of bad

memories of times with your sister but now she is getting married and she is going to move abroad. You wish ...

Wishes for the present Imagine that you have left your family

and friends to live in another country but everything is worse and you are really unhappy now. What do you wish to happen now?

Wishes for the future Imagine that you have many problems

with your roommate’s behavior (being untidy, smoking, not washing the dishes, etc) and you want him/her to change in the future. You wish...