WISHES AND REGRETS

WISHES ABOUT PRESENT

WISH/ IF ONLY + PAST Tense (Simple/ Cont)
He wishes he was/were with his friends right now.
I wish you didn't live so far away.
If only we knew what to do.

WISHES ABOUT PAST

WISH/ IF ONLY + PAST PERFECT
Paula wishes she had listened to her parents’advice.
“If only you had told me the truth”, said Anna.
WISH + WOULD - wish ab. things you would like to change
That guy is so annoying! I wish he'd stop talking.
I wish they wouldn't park their car in front of my house.
WISH + COULD – ABILITIES
I wish I could remain calm during all of this.
I wish I could settle the argument."
Dear Mum,
I feel really unhappy! I wish I 1 ………………………… (1) this job. If only
I 2 …………………….. ( 2) to you before I made the decision to come here. l wish the
people here 3 ………………………. (3) so unfriendly. I don't like it at all! If only
I 4 …………………………..(4) longer breaks.
Looking at a computer screen all day is tiring; I wish my
computer 5 ……………………… (5) ! And I wish my
boss 6 …………………………….. (6) yelling at me all the time. He's always in a bad
mood. It's so annoying! Also, I wish there 7 ………………………….. (7) someone here
I could talk to but there is no-one I can talk to. I haven't made any friends. If only
I 8 …………………………. (8) some friends when I arrived here, but meeting new
people is very difficult. I wish you 9 ………………………… (9) nearer to me. If only
I 10 ……………………………. (10) you more often!
Please write soon. I miss you!
Love,
Mary
1 A didn’t accept b wouldn’t accept c hadn’t accepted
2 A listened b had listened c would listen
3 A wouldn’t be b hadn’t been c weren’t
4 A would have b had had c had
5 A would explode b explode c will explode
6 A stopped b would stop c had stopped
7 A were b had been c would be
8 A had made b would have made c made
9 A would live b lived c had lived
10 A would see b could see c could have seen

Fill in the gaps to complete the sentences as in the example

1 You got up late and you missed the train.
I wish I …………………….. late.
2 You shouted at your girlfriend and she broke up with you.
I wish I ………………….at my girlfriend.
3You're not the boss so you can't use the car park.
I wish I …………………………..the boss.
4 You didn't go to the meeting and you lost the contract.
I wish I ………………………to the meeting.
5 Your neighbours make a lot of noise and you hate it.
If only my neighbours ……………………so much noise!
6 You want to go away for the weekend but you've got lots of homework.
I wish I …………………………..…so much homework.
7 You got hurt because you didn't wear a helmet.
I wish I ………………………….a helmet.
8 You'd like to have a cat but you're allergic to animals.
I wish I ………………………..allergic to animals.
9 You didn’t fill up the tank and you ran out of petrol.
I wish I ……………………………………the tank.
10 Your partner is biting his nails and you want him to stop because you don't like it.
I wish you ………………………….biting your nails.