I wish/If only
I wish I did
We can use wish + past simple to talk about things that we
would like to be different in the present or future (but which
are very unlikely or impossible).
• I wish things were different, but this is the way they are.
• We wish we had enough money to help you.
• I wish I could be there for you tomorrow.
I wish I had done
We can use wish + past perfect to talk about things that
happened in the past and that we regret (we would have
wanted them to be different).
• I wish I hadn’t quit my job two years ago.
• I wish we hadn’t wasted all that money.
I wish you would do
We can use wish + person/thing + would + in nitive when
we talk about situations that annoy us and we would like them
to change, or to stop.
• I wish you would stop biting your nails. I hate it when
you do it.
• I wish it would stop raining. It’s been three days!
We CANNOT use this structure to wish about ourselves (do
NOT use I wish I would).
fi
If only
We can use if only instead of I wish to mean the same. The
only difference is that if only is more emphatic.
• If only I was/were a bit taller!*
• If only you had followed my advice.
• If only you would make a bit of an effort. You are
wasting your life!
Note that we can use were instead of was with I/he/she after I
wish/if only.
Would rather/would sooner
Would rather (than)/would sooner (than)
We use would rather or would sooner + in nitive to talk
about preference. We can use them with than in af rmative
sentences or with or in questions.
• I’d rather/sooner have tea, please.
• I’d rather/sooner have tea than coffee.
• Would you rather/sooner have tea or coffee?
Would rather/would sooner + subject + past
simple
When we use a different subject after would rather or would
sooner, we use past simple to refer to the present or future.
• We’d rather/sooner she was/were with us now.*
fi
fi
• She’d rather/sooner I picked her up after lunch.
• Would you rather/sooner we went by bus or by train?
Note that we can use were instead of was with I/he/
she after would rather or would sooner.
Would rather/would sooner + subject +
past perfect
When we use a different subject after would rather or would
sooner, we use past perfect to refer to the past.
• I’d rather/sooner you hadn’t spoken to her like that.
• I’d rather/sooner you had called me before.
It’s time
It’s (high) time + subject + past simple
We can use it’s time or it’s high time followed by a subject
and a past simple verb to say that something should be
done now or in the future.
• It’s time you went to the doctor.
• I really think it’s high time you took a decision. We
can’t go on like this any longer.
We can also use the alternatives it’s time + to in nitive or it’s
time for someone + to-in nitive.
• It’s time for you to go to the doctor.
• It’s time to take a decision.
fi
fi
Other expressions
Suppose/supposing/imagine/what if
Suppose, supposing, imagine, and what if can be used like
we use if in conditionals. So after these words, we use the
present tense for real situations ( rst conditional), and the
past simple or past perfect for unreal situations (second and
third conditionals).
• Imagine you meet him in the street, what are you going
to tell him? (=First conditional: If you meet him in the
street, what are you going to tell him?)
• What if you found a suitcase full of money? What would
you do? (=Second conditional: If you found a suitcase
full of money, what would you do?)
• Supposing she hadn’t told you anything, you would
have acted differently. (=Third conditional: If she hadn’t
told you anything, you would have acted differently.)
fi
