wish, if only and hope Note: This use of wish / if on/y is similar to third conditional,

i.e. it uses a past perfect tense to refer to something which

We use wish I if only + past simple to say we would like a is contrary to the facts in the past.
present situation to be different:
I wish I hada warmer jacket. (This one doesn't keep me warm.) lf only means 'I wish', When talking about other people, we
lf only it was the summer holidays! (But it isn't - l'rn still at use he wishes, they wish, etc. We use if only when we feel
school.) something very strongly. Otherwise we use I wish.

Note: This use of wish / if on/y is similar to second We use hope when we want something to happen orto be
conditional, i.e. it uses a past tense to refer to something true, and usually have a good reason to think that it might:
which is contrary to the facts in the present. I hope you have a good holiday.
She hopes her students wi/1 get a high grade in their exams
We use wish / if only + would to say:
• we want something to happen: Note: We use hope+ present/future tense with a future
I wish my car would start. (l can't make it start and I want meaning, especially when the subject of the two clauses is
it to sta rt.) different, i.e. I and you in I hope you have a good holiday.
• we want someone to start doing something they don't do: We often use hope+ infinitive when there is only one
lf only you'd listen to me! subject to the sentence:
• or we want someone to stop doing something which He hopes to go into politics in the future. (He hopes he'II go
into politics in the future.)
annoys us:
lf only my mum wouldn't phone me every five minutes! We can use hope when we want something to be true about
We use wish / if only + past perfect to talk about things the past, but we don't know if it is true:
which we are unhappy about which happened in the past: I hope you hada good flight (but l don't know if you had a
He wishes he had studied harder when he was at school. good ílight.)
(He didn't study hard enough - perhaps if he had studied
harder he would have gone to university.)

Optimístic about I hope the weather

something? Use wi/1 improve so we
hope. can go fishing this
afternoon.

Talking about I wish I lived in

a present London. She
� situation? Use wishes she had
wish + past more money.
/ simple.

I Talking about I wishyou wouldn't

Pessimistic
about
something
you would like
play such loud
music. He wishes
I
something
to happen or his daughter would
happening, or
something come home earlier.
sure it won't
you would like
happen? Use
someone to
wish.
do? Use wish +
would.

Talking about I wish J hadn't

past time? Use eaten so much cake
wish + past - /'m feeling sick.
perfect. She wished she had
gone to university.
 UNIT 40

I wish ... would ...

Study chis example situation:

lt is raining. Jill wants to go out, but not in the rain. She says:
I wish it would stop raining.
This means that Jill is complaining about the rain and wants ir
to stop.
We use I wish ... would ... when we want something to
happen or when we want somebody to do something. The
speaker is not happy with the present situation.

• The phone has been ringing far five minutes. 1 wish sornebody would answer it.
• 1 wish you would do sornething instead of just sitting and doing nothing.
You can use I wish ... wouldn't ... to complain about rhings people do repeatedly:
• 1 wish you wouldn't keep interrupring me.
We use I wish ... would ... for actions and changes, not situations. Compare:
• I wish Sarah would come.(= 1 want her to come)
but • I wish Sarah were (or was} here now. (not 'I wish Sarah would be .. .')
• I wish somebody would huy me a car.
but • I wish I hada car. (not 'I wish I would have .. .')
 �at do you say in these situations? Write sentences with I wish ... would ....
· It's raining. You want to go out, but not in the rain. You say: .. J.w!�.l:U�.W.Q.',l!�..��P..J:'�.l.t:1!!'16,...
You're waiting for John. He's lace and you're getting irnpatient.
· You say (to yourself): 1 wish ..
i )'ou can hear a baby crying and you're trying to study,
You say: .
�-You're looking for a job - so far without success. Nobody will give you a job.
'You say: 1 wish somebody .
"Brian has been wearing the same clothes for years. Y ou think he needs sorne new clothes.
You say (to Brian): , .
For the [ollou/ing situations; write sentences unth I wish wouldn't .
\Your friend drives very fast, You don't like chis.
You say (to your friend): 1 wish you .
"[ack always leaves the <loor open. This annoys you.
You say (to Jack): , ..
· -. ,A lot of people drop litter in rhe street, You don't like this.
You say: 1 wish people , ..

re these sentences rigbt or wrong? Correct the ones tbat are torong.
, I wish Sarah would be here now. ...Wg.QNG.: ..1..WJ#?.l:!.P.�r.�h)��r.�.h�r.�.!'!�.�, .
,. I wish you would listen to me. .. ..
� I wish I would have more money. .
� I wish it wouldn't be so co]d today. .. .
· · I wish the weather would change. . ..
6 1 wish you wouldn't complain ali the time. .. .
7 I wish everything wouldn't be so expensive. . .
.Write sentences beginning I wish .... 38
i I don't know many people (and I'm lonely). .. . .l..wi.�!t!.k!'.1.�W.m.9.r.�.. P.�!?f?.�· .
i I don't have a key (and I need one). I wish .
J Ann isn't here (and I need to see her). .. ..
4 It's cold (and I hate cold weather). . ..
5 1 live in a big city (and I don't like it). .. .
.6 1 can't go to the party (and I'd like to). . ..
7 [ have to work tornorrow (but l'd like to stay in bed). .. .
:8 l don't know anything about cars (and my car has just broken down).

9. I'm nor lying on a beautiful sunny beach (and that's a pity),

rt
-imagine that you are in these situations. Por each situation, write a sentence with I wish .... 39
:1 You've eaten too much and now you feel sick.
You say: .. J.wi.!?.h.! ..�.�qn.'t.�.�-�O.!E?P..m.1.:1.t;:.h, ...
12, There was a job advertised in the newspaper. You decided not to apply for it. Now you think
that your decision was wrong. .
You say: 1 wish 1 .
'3 When you were younger, you didn't learn to play a musical instrument. Now you regret this.
You say: .
4 You've painted the gate red. Now you think that it doesn't look very nice.
You say: .
5 You are walking in the country. You would like to take sorne photographs but you didn't
bring your camera. You say: , .
6 You have sorne unexpected guests. They didn't tell you they were coming. You are very busy
and you are not prepared for them.
You say (to yourself): .
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