Wishes: 'wish' and 'if only'

Do you know how to use wish and if only to talk about things you would like
to change? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the
explanation to help you.

Look at these examples to see how wish and if only are used.

That guy is so annoying! I wish he'd stop talking.

I wish I lived closer to my family.
If only I hadn't lost her phone number. She must think I'm so rude for not
calling her.
I wish they wouldn't park their car in front of my house.

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation
We use wish and if only to talk about things that we would like to be
different in either the present or the past. If only is usually a bit stronger
than wish.

In the present

We can use wish/if only + a past form to talk about a present situation we
would like to be different.
I wish you didn't live so far away.
If only we knew what to do. = I wish we knew what to do
He wishes he could afford a holiday.

In the past

We can use wish/if only + a past perfect form to talk about something we
would like to change about the past.

They wish they hadn't eaten so much chocolate. They're feeling very sick
now. They ate so much chocolate in the past
If only I'd studied harder when I was at school. I didn’t study hard.

= I wish I had studied…..

Expressing annoyance / In the future

We can use wish + would(n't) to show that we are annoyed with what
someone or something does or doesn't do. We often feel that they are
unlikely or unwilling to change.

I wish you wouldn't borrow my clothes without asking.

I wish it would rain. The garden really needs some water.
She wishes he'd work less. They never spend any time together.
1 Regrets about the past. These people did something yesterday
which they now regret.

What does each person say? Use the Past Perfect, e.g.

Example: Clare has caught a bad cold - yesterday she went out in the rain
without an umbrella.

=> I wish/If only I hadn't gone out in the rain without…

1 Joe has got very bad sunburn - yesterday he stayed in the sun for long.
=> I wish / If only I hadn't stayed in the sun for long.

2 He's got an awful stomachache - yesterday he ate a lot.

=> I wish / If only I hadn't eaten a lot.

3 Lewis hurt his leg in a car crash - yesterday he didn't drive carefully.
=> I wish / If only I had driven carefully.

4 Sue has hurt her back - yesterday she lifted a heavy table on her own.
=> I wish / If only I hadn't lifted a heavy table on her own.

2 Regrets about the present. Use the Past to complete what the
speaker says.

1 I'm so shy. I wish I was more confident.

2 I don't know what to say to people. I wish I had more impressive ideas.

3 I find it so difficult to make friends. I wish it would be easier.

4 I'm not good-looking. I wish I could do plastic surgery.

5 My ears are so big. If only I had smaller ears.

3 Complaints. Complete these people's complaints, using "would/

wouldn't".
1 A zoo keeper: "I wish people wouldn't feed (feed) the animals."
2 A teacher: "I wish my students would do (do) their homework on time."

3 A hotel chambermaid: "If only guests would clean (clean) the bath after
they've
used it."

4 A park keeper: "I wish people wouldn't pick (pick) the flowers."

5 A street cleaner: "If only people would take (take) their litter home.

4 What would you say? Use "I wish…/ If only…"

1 You'd like the baby to stop crying because you're trying to sleep.
-> I wish / If only the baby would stop crying.

2 It's a pity you can't swim.

-> I wish / If only I could swim.

3 You don't like it when Jack leaves the door open.

-> I wish / If only Jack would leave the door open.

4 You have to work tomorrow but you'd like to stay in bed.

-> I wish / If only I wouldn’t have to work tomorrow.

5 You would like people to stop fighting.

-> I wish / If only people would stop fighting.

6 You're sorry you didn't bring your camera.

-> I wish / If only I had brought my camera.

7 It's a pity you didn't work harder during the term.

-> I wish / If only I had worked harder during the term.

8 You're sorry you didn't get a ticket for the concert.

-> I wish / If only I had gotten a ticket for the concert.
Complete each of the sentences in such a way that it means the same
as the sentence before it.

1. I didn't do the homework.

If only I had done the homework.

2. They have committed a crime and now they have to face justice.
They wish they hadn't committed a crime.

3. This kid is so stubborn.

I wish this kid wasn't/ weren’t so stubborn.

4. He never does any household chores. I'm sick and tired of it.
I wish he did some household chores.

5. Jason doesn't pay much attention in class.

If only Jason paid more attention in class.

6. Why doesn't he stop smoking? There are other people in the room who
don't smoke.
If only he stopped smoking.

7. I've got a splitting headache.

I wish I hadn't gotten a splitting headache.

8. He signed the contract without reading the small print.

He wishes he had read the small print before signing the contract.

9. Steve didn't propose to Isabel when he should have. Now Isabel is in

Australia.
Steve wishes he had proposed to Isabel earlier.

10. She was told off because she didn't do what her mother had asked her.
She wishes she had done what her mother had asked her.

11. He always belches loudly after eating. It's such a disgusting habit.
I wish he wouldn't belch loudly after eating.

12. She didn't heed my warnings. That's why she lost everything.
If only she had heeded my warnings.

Writing topic

agree
p2: reason 1
p3: reason 2