EXPRESSING WISHES

!!! We use WISH when talking about people and IF ONLY when we feel something
very strongly. !!!

WISH
1. Wishes about the present (when we want to say that we would like a present
situation to be different)
• Wish/ If only + Past Simple
o I wish I knew the answer to this question. (I do not know it.)
o If only I knew the answer to this question. (I do not know it.)

N.B. – This use of wish/ if only is similar to the second conditional, as it uses a past tense to
refer to something which is contrary to the facts in the present.

2. Wishes about the past (when we want to talk about things that happened in the past
and which we are unhappy about)
• Wish/ If only + Past Perfect
o I wish I had gone to your party last week. (I did not go.)
o If only I had gone to your party last week. (I did not go.)

N.B. – This use of wish/ if only is similar to the third conditional, as it uses a past perfect
tense to refer to something which is contrary to the facts in the past.

3. Wishes about the future

• Wish/ If only + could (to refer to future events)
o I wish Jane could meet me next week.
o If only Jane could meet me next week.

• Wish/ If only + didn’t have to (to refer to future events)

o I wish I didn’t have to get up early tomorrow.

• Wish/ If only + could (to refer to something that is generally difficult or

impossible)
o I wish I could call my friend, but I don’t have my phone with me.
o If only I could call my friend, but I don’t have my phone with me.

4. Wishes using would

• wish/ if only + would (When we want to complain about a bad habit)
 o I wish Peter wouldn’t chew gum all the time.

• wish/ if only + would (When we refer to something that we would like to

happen.)
o I wish the police would do something about the traffic.

• wish/ if only + would (When we want someone to do something they don’t do)
o I wish you would do the washing up occasionally.
o If only you would do the washing up occasionally.

HOPE

1. Hope with a future meaning

!!! We use hope for wishes that are actually possible and it usually used with a
present or future form. !!!

• Hope +present/ future tense (when the subject of the two clauses is different)
o I hope YOU make lots of friends when you are abroad.
o I hope YOU won’t be late.
• Hope + infinitive (when there is only one subject to the sentence)
o I hope to see you next week.
o She hopes to work in the field of entertainment after college.

2. Hope (when we want something to be true about the past, but we don’t know if it is
true)
o I hope you had a brilliant honeymoon.

WOULD RATHER - to express preferences

1. When the subject of would rather is also the subject of the following verb, we use
the follosing constructions:
• Would rather + present short infinitive – I’d rather do my shopping tomorrow.
• Would rather + perfect short infinitive – I’d rather not have gone to the party.
• Would rather + short infinitive + than + (short infinitive) – I’d rather watch a
comedy than (watch) a thriller.

2. When the subject of would rather is different from the subject of the following
verb, we use the follosing constructions:
• Would rather + past tense (to talk about the present or future)
o I’d rather you did your shopping tomorrow.
• Would rather + past perfect (to talk about the past)
o I’d rather you hadn’t gone to the party.
HAD BETTER
• Had better + short infinitive (=should/ ought) – to give advice or to say what the
best thing to do in a particular situation is.
o You’d better book your flight early.

EXPRESSIONS WITH PAST SIMPLE/PAST PERFECT

IT'S TIME
IT'S HIGH TIME
WOULD RATHER
WOULD SOONER
IMAGINE
SUPPOSE
WISH
IF ONLY