How to Use ‘Wish’ Wishes sbout the present or future ‘Wish + (hat) + past simple We can use wish’ to talk about something that we woul ike tobe different in the preset or ‘the fture. I’ use for things which ae impossible or very unlikely ‘+ ovis that Thad big house (don't havea big house, but ifs a nice ida!) +L wish that we didnt ned to work today (we donee to work today, unfortunately), ‘+ Lovish that you lve close by (you dnt ive cose by), ‘+ wish that John wast busy tomorow (hei busy, unfortunately) (In Formal writing, you wil see wer’ instoad of was after wish, This is comet, butt also Fine to use ‘was, inthe same way as withthe Second conditional ‘+ Tish Ewer ie’ or wish Ewas rch!) ‘We also use ‘wish’ with ‘could to alk about things inthe present o future that we would like to be diferent. In this situation, ‘coulis the pas simple of can ‘Ofcourse, we use cant talk abou ability - if we know how todo something or not. For ‘example, "can speak Spanish’ oI cat drive! We also use ‘ea! total about possibility =f things ae possible or not posible. For example, we cat come t the party tonight or ohn ‘an help you clean up, We use ‘ule with wish fo alk about ability and oak about possibility, ‘+ Lovish that Leould speak Spanish ut, unfortunately, cant speak Spanish), ‘+ Lovish hat Leould deve (Lean dive) ‘+ vis that we could got the party tonight (unfortunately, wee busy so we eat go) ‘+ ovis hat J could help you cleanup (John is at work, soe ea help) ‘We don' usually use Wish in this way fr things that are rally posible in the future Instead, we use hope' Tope that you pass your exam (NOT: Lwish ha-you posse the exam) ‘hope tat it’s sunny tomorrow (NOT: Fish sha a sunny tomorow), ‘hope that Julie has a lovely holiday (NOTHE Wish shat Jaichad-elovely holy). Wis + (hat) + would: (On the other hand, we use would with Wish’ in a bout other people who are doing (or not doing) something that we do’ like and we want le bit ofa special way. I's generally used ‘hat person to change. I's not usualy used about ourselves or about something which nobody can change though, exceptionally, we douse t about the weather ‘+ Lovish that John woulda eat al the chocolate. John does usually eat all the chocolate and I dont ket 1 want him to change his behaviout!) ‘+ Lovish thatthe neighbours would be quiet! (They are not quiet an I don' ike the noise) ‘+ Lovish that you would smoke so much! (You do smoke a fot and I don Tike 1 want you to change this) ‘+ Lovish that you dds work late so often. ‘+ Lowi that it would stop raining! ‘We dont usually use woul! when there’ no feeling that we want somebody to change their behaviour + NOT: Lovish-shatomorow-woukdbeatolidey. (Instead: I wish that tomorow was a holiday.) + NOT: Hwvish-shat vould worcharder. (Ils strange 1 use ‘wish + Would about yourself, s you ean change your behaviour iFyou don ke it) Wishes about the past Wish + (that) + past perfect ‘We can us ‘ish with the pas perfect to talk about regrets fom the past, These ae things ‘hat have already happened but we wish they'd happened ina diferent way. This use of wish’ is very similar tothe third conditional‘+ Lsh thar had studi hare t school dd study hard at schoo, and now fm sorry about it) ‘+ Lwish thr Thad caton so much yesterday! (But I deat lot yesterday. Now 1 think it was a good ide.) ‘+ Lish thr the tain ad been on time (But unfortunatly, the tin was late, and so rmissed my interview.) Other ses of wish? Wish +t0+ infinitive We can sews with the infin to man wold ike, This ery formal, We dont ‘usually use a continuous tense with ‘wish’ inthis as. ‘+ Lwish to speak othe headmaster. (This means the same asl would like to speak to the headmaster’) + Lwish ogo now, Wish + object + 10+ nfiative In the same way, we can use wis’ with an object and an infinitive ‘Ido not wish yu to publish this article ‘+ Linh these people to leve Wish + somebody + something This used mostly in set phrases ‘+L ished him a happy bithday. 4+ They wished ue Merry Christmas‘Look at the petures and write what each person wishes, using the words given, HOR PO! wok effice le / ith my son cen sion ote ety DO im © °° SSS IA o' . WS SG —— eo ngsh romaine Syplementay ExecsIwish ETOED bernie and Martin shore a room at college. Read what they say about each other ‘Then write sentences beploning wish he would / wouldnt ‘es afl hang shra oom wth erie He {revo y phe witht sing Weve wate: he etlee ugandan lees hs shoes eg ‘Sound the room and ops ctes ony chr” ‘heroons sch amet cat work Ange comesin [ae lnte evening na docent remember goto sep ety. Thn ees nbd playing computer ames ‘Gatton fm gong look fora fooman my ‘bie fe wrt fad He gets awn Ist mates pons cal A etree ty owes He mos my soee {he eater rind land tha He ‘row: my shoes nmy bes He eve oy ermputer ges ith me He wales he ‘purer he goes cut forarun ea nthe ‘mong Hes font share eam th = Manin say | wish Bere. wouldnt brrow.my. hone without. asking, eri says | ih Martin seul. relax sometimes xgsh rama Use Supplementary xerces a102 wish ‘Complete the conversations using wich. me me My mothers aly angry wth me wy? Because she's found ot where as ast weekend (Oh, ys ald he Well nish yon hada eld (note ees not your busines im sory. Hove you seen Ben's new jock? I bt it was expensive He told me cst him 700 Euros. owt (have as much money ashi. el, you may rt berih, but yeu'e much better looking than Ben ‘You seem to enjoy dancing with Le, ‘Yes, Ido, He’ avery good dancer. 1 (ore to dance when was young ‘ou could sn now ‘Oh fea tp in a dancing clase at my age | weet ndonesi last month aly? My bothers wvkingin tata now ' (eas) could have met wp with im, ‘ests pty. You must tell me you going thee agi, My parents moved to S30 Fol ast month How dothey ke it My mothe hes but my father mises the en He (oat move) here Peshaps hell get usd tit doubt, ‘You havent seen my MP3 player, have you? No, Ihave, 1 (4oow) what done with it "hope you ddr eave it in the ast ight Sedo! My brothers are digging a wining oot ‘That sounds ie hard wok eis Actually suspect they (never ta) fut they cat stop now. Thee a gia big hole nthe middle ofthe garden! Yes see what you mean. gh Grammar Ue Splerertan rcsThe passive | complete sentences sng word rom exch bo. build design delop —dacover dace oe _‘inise “none ply the Ancint Egyptians, SirTim Berners-Lee the Chinese Crickand'Watson Marie Cure Gustave Eifel -EvetheRed- Johnny Depp Guglelme Marconi Pablo Picasso 1 Greenland WAS named by. Erie the Re 2 Captain Jack Sparrow 3 The Pyramids 4 Thewieles 5 Guernica 6 The World Wide Web 7 Te Statue of Uberty 8 The structure of DNA, 9 Paper money 10 Radu a rao rammarin se Suplanentan EcThe passive putt versio th cet present pret frm avo pase has en or fasbeen aoe) the abit disappear ‘ek © aR i &é — Tl Sa bass the supe steal the students pass 6 ih rari se Sopplenentan aresThepasive Remit tis are sng psi forth inn wr, DARING RAID AT LOCAL HOTEL ‘Thieves held the managerof the Ridgeay Hotel al gunpoint as night daringadaingraiin whitey tak nearly £50,000 fom thehotlsafe-They als bskeintoseveralothebedeoomsand 9 removed aticlesot value ‘The thieves made their escape though the Ltchen, where they cj damagsl several pieces of equipment. They (6 injure the chef when he ted to stop them and ef ‘im ying unconscious on the lor Police ated the thieves eanly this momning ‘The manager of the Ridge Hote wae Weld. ak gursin last: ight HEBETDD rc sievers ion coe pss fom 1 Fe colstd athe documents that ove weeded (ge forthe house sal, Can you take them tothe layersaffie tbe signed. ign? 2 Look thisie a secret. Come into the garden where we (oot vee 3 you had’ been 5 ate fr work, you (not sa), 4 Thisoffices very iefcent. The phone (never ans) prompt no proper records (beep, and worst fal no reports (wien since started wok er. 5 1 was so word bout my garden while was nhosptal but have very good neighbours. When | got home, could se thatthe vegetables (water every day and he ges (cut) egy {6 Can you come tothe alc station? The man who (suspect of stealing your vale. (ares) ana (question) atthe moment. The poe hope he (ier) ether by you or another witness. 7 Wehad hoped ee several famous paitng, but the gallery (eocgpnised) tthe time of curs and most ofthe realy valuable works (rnve or sate keping Engh earns Supplement Eeeces 6