Wishes

Hello, guys! How are you getting on? I’m at Charlie’s now. He is under the weather today…

Listen and answer: What problem does Charlie have with the following:

the cat, the window, the neighbours, his foot, the doctor’s phone number?

Charlie: Atishoo! Oh no, I wish the cat wouldn’t come into the house. I’m allergic to cats!

Max: Why don’t you close the window?

Charlie: It’s too hot in my room. I have to keep the window open. If only it wasn’t too hot.

Max: Are you tired?

Charlie: Yes. I wish I could sleep, but the neighbours are so noisy. I wish they wouldn’t play loud music at night.

Max: What’s the matter?

Charlie: Oh, I dropped a saucepan on my foot yesterday and it hurts. I wish I wasn’t so clumsy.

Max: Do you think it’s broken?

Charlie: The saucepan?

Max: No, your foot!

Charlie: Oh, I don’t know, I haven’t called the doctor. If only I had the doctor’s phone number…

So, what problem does Charlie have with the cat, the window, the neighbours, his foot and the doctor’s phone number?

Now match the two parts of the sentences about Charlie’s problems.

1. I wish the cat wouldn’t come into the house.

2. If only it wasn’t so hot.

3. I wish they wouldn’t play loud music at night.

4. I wish I wasn’t so clumsy.

5. If only I had the doctor’s phone number.

What are all these sentences used to talk about? Choose.

a. regret

b. irritation or

c. sympathy

The sentences with Wish and ‘If only’ are both used to talk about regrets – things that we would like to change either about the past or the present.

So, in this grammar lesson we’ll revise the correct way to construct sentences using “wish” and “if only”.

So, we’ve mentioned above that:

wish and ‘if only’ are both used to talk about regrets – things that we would like to change either about the past or the present.

If only means the same as I wish but it is stronger.

Let’s translate some examples:

I wish I wasn’t so clumsy. – И почему я такой неуклюжий!?

If only it wasn’t so hot. – Хотелось бы, чтобы не было так жарко.

If only I had the doctor’s phone number.! – Жаль, что у меня нет номера доктора!

I wish the cat wouldn’t come into the house. – Хотел бы я, чтобы кот не заходил в дом.

In wishes we go one tense back. This means that we use the Past Simple in the present or the Past Perfect in the past.

Talking about the present

When we talk about present regrets, both wish and if only are followed by the Past Simple tense.

The past tense emphasises that we are talking about something ‘unreal’.

For example:

I wish I wasn’t allergic to nuts! – Жаль, что у меня аллергия на орехи!

Хотел бы я, чтобы у меня не было аллергии на орехи!

I wish I lived near the beach. – Жаль, я живу рядом с пляжем.

Хотелось бы мне жить рядом с пляжем.

If only the teacher didn’t give us a test every week. –

Хотелось бы, чтобы учительница не делала контрольную работу каждую неделю.

After I wish we can use were instead of was in all persons.

I wish I were with my family / I wish I was with my family. – Жаль, что я сейчас

не с семьей. Хотелось бы мне сейчас быть с семьей.

Talking about the past

Both wish and if only are followed by the Past Perfect tense when we talk about past regrets.

I wish I had fastened the seatbelt. – Жаль, что я не пристегнулся.

Надо было пристегнуться!

I wish I’d studied harder when I was at school. – Жаль, что я не учился лучше в школе (тогда бы точно поступил).

I wish I hadn’t eaten all that cake. I feel sick. – Лучше бы я не ел весь торт. Я плохо себя чувствую.

Wish/If only and would

We use wish + would to talk about something in the present that we would like to change – usually something that we find annoying.

We can only use wish + would to talk about things we can’t change!

I wish they wouldn’t play loud music at night. – Хотелось бы, чтобы они больше не включали громкую музыку ночью.

I wish you would stop lying to me. – Когда же ты уже перестанешь мне врать?

I wish you wouldn’t borrow my clothes without asking. – Хотелось бы, чтобы ты больше не брала мою одежду без спроса.

I wish it would rain. The garden really needs some water. – Когда же уже будет дождь?

Read what boys say about their girlfriends and what the girls say about their boyfriends. Compete the sentences with the Past Simple or would + base form.

1. I wish she would talk to my friends.

2. I wish she would be more punctual.

3. If only she had more free time.

4. I wish she wouldn’t phone me all the time.

5. If only he wouldn’t have that silly haircut.

6. I wish he lived nearer to my house.

7. If only he wouldn’t wear such old clothes.

8. If only he would remember my birthday. He forgets every year!